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Daffodils of Éclépens and the Entreroches Canal
Thursday, March 16, 2023
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Jonquilles Natural Park of Éclépens - Canal d'Entreroches - Mormont Hill
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Kristine Simmons
079 619 8568
kristinesimmons56@gmail.com
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WALK OVERVIEW
Description of walk: Join us on this circular walk where we'll admire forest grounds covered in wild daffodils, discover a crazy project linking the North Sea to the Mediterranean, and finally climb an ancient hill leading to a massive stone quarry and former archaeological site.
This walk will first take us through narrow paths of the Parc Naturel des Jonquilles, along the remains of Entreroches Canal*, up through the forest of the Mormont to the quarry pit and former archaeological site** and eventually back down again to the canal and the car park.
Mid-March is the perfect period to discover the impressive beds of blooming wild daffodils, cousins of the narcissus, covering the entire forest beds and meadows of the Mormont and Éclépens.
Meeting Time: 11:15 at Eclépens Gare for all, enabling car pooling to the parking lot if required.11.30 departure from the trail parking.
Starting and Finishing Point: Éclépens Gare. This is signposted on the right from the main road, immediately as you go under the bridge. As there is unlikely to be sufficient parking and it costs 5 francs, we will drive around the corner and park in the free forest parking located parking at the start of the trail. Parking location - Canal d'Entreroches, 1312 Eclépens
Length of walk: 9 km
Estimated walking time: 2h40 plus 45 mins for picnic lunch and visit to view point.
Ascent/Descent: +/- 410 m
Min/Max Elevation: 444 m / 590 m
Difficulty of walk: Medium/Easy. There is one section of about 15 mins on a steepish winding path for a descent that we unfortunately can't avoid. However, conditions are very dry and though it is a dirt path with leaves it really isn't slippery. If you take it carefully it won't be a problem.
Equipment: You will need good shoes/boots. sticks for the descent if you have them. As there is a very nice emplacement for a picnic with table, benches and a view, I suggest everyone brings a drink, snack/ picnic and we have a good break there.
Dogs: Dogs are allowed but might need to be on a lead while traversing the Daffodil park.
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TRANSPORTATION
Car drivers: Take the A1/A9 motorway, direction Yverdon. Exit No 21, La Sarraz. After meeting at the Éclépens station, we will drive to the forest parking, a few minutes away. The access road passes in front of the petroleum silos and is then indicated on the left. address -: Canal d'Entreroches, 1312 Eclépens
By public transport:
Departure 10.54 Lausanne platform 7, S1 train direction Grandson, arrives Eclépens 11.14.
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WALK IN-DEPTH
* The Canal d'Entreroches, an unfinished and disused waterway built between 1638-1648, was part of a crazy project of linking the North Sea by a series of channels to the Mediterranean. The project was of strategic interest, creating a commercial navigation route connecting the Rhine River to the Rhone. The canal joined Lake Neuchâtel with Lake Geneva by crossing the Mormont, a limestone hill, which formed the watershed between the two lakes. Over time, the canal ceased to be profitable in the 18th century, and when a bridge across the canal collapsed in 1829, it was shut down altogether and abandoned.
** The Mormont has always been a passageway for the Celts, Romans and pilgrims. But in the spring of 2006, while surveying land to expand the nearby stone quarry, an archaeological site of European importance was discovered dating back to the Iron Age. At first, arrangements thought initially to be the remains of a Helvetic habitat were found, motivating further excavations that summer revealing an exceptional Celtic place of worship dating back to 100 B.C., extending over several hectares.
More info on the Canal d'Entreroches and the archaeological excavations of the Mormont (in French):
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_d%27Entreroches
http://www.archeodunum.ch/FILES/mc9/124_tmp_197.pdf?7886
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Maximum 15 participants, first-come, first-served.
Please RSVP by 18:00 the day before.
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If you are new to the Fit & Fun group, please do not hesitate to ask to travel with another member who's attending either by public transport or by carpooling. We will ensure the link is made.
N.B. - A MINIMUM PARTICIPATION OF 2, AS WELL AS WALK LEADER, IS NEEDED TO ENSURE THAT THE WALK WILL GO AHEAD.
IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER, AN EMAIL WILL BE SENT BY 8:00 THE MORNING OF THE WALK TO WALK PARTICIPANTS INDICATING WHETHER OR NOT THE WALK IS CANCELLED.
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