Open Ground
The Napf
Alpine gold country · Napf hills, Emmental, Entlebuch, Switzerland
Open groundThe prize. Some of the purest natural gold on earth, up to 23 karat
Where. Napf hills, Emmental, Entlebuch, Switzerland
Status. Open ground
Where. Napf hills, Emmental, Entlebuch, Switzerland
Status. Open ground
The account
Between Bern and Lucerne rises a knot of green hills where the streams run cold and carry gold of almost absurd purity, Napf flakes assay higher than nearly any natural gold known. The Romans washed these brooks. The locals never entirely stopped. Guided pans work the gravel all season, and what glitters at the bottom is, as it has always been, the finder's.
Leads, where the trail points now
- What you can keep: Some of the purest natural gold on earth, up to 23 karat. Confirm the site's current rules and any day fee before you go.
- Where: Napf hills, Emmental, Entlebuch, Switzerland. Open panning by local custom in much of the Napf; guided experiences from ~CHF 35, finds are yours.
- Best practice: record anything notable, leave the ground as you found it, and check the latest access notices before you travel.
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