A Short Piece of the Lake Zurich Trail from Nuolen to Altendorf

Sunday March 22, 2026 -- Not the best day for a long hike, which we didn't want to do anyway because we walked 14 kilometers the day before!!!! But we still wanted to enjoy a bit of sunshine, so we decided on a "short" lakeside walk on Lake Zurich, just 8 kilometers, but I can't manage much more on lakeside or riverside walks anyway.

We started in the small village of Nuolen, a 90-minute trip from home and where we had ended a walk over Mt. Buechberg in October 2020. We then did a two-hour walk via protected marsh regions, the Wangen-Lachen airfield, and the lakeside promenade at Lachen, then visited the double-spired onion-domed church which we have seen often from afar, and ended up catching the train at the small lakeside train station in Altendorf next to the lake. I was hoping for a lot of blossoming trees as Japanese Cherries and Magnolias are blooming right now, but there weren't many. 

Views of the Glarus and Schwyzer Alps are usually quite spectacular from here, but on this day it was extremely hazy. Also, once again a cold wind was blowing. But it was an easy Sunday afternoon stroll along the themed trail called the "Lake Zurich Loop Trail" (Regional Trail no.84, a total 130-km themed trail encircling the entire lake, including the Obersee, which is where we were walking this day) and there were very many other pedestrians and cyclists out this cold and only partly-sunny afternoon. 

We got to the bus stop in Nuolen near Lake Zurich at 12:15. As we had already once strolled into the Nuoler Ried (marshlands) north of the town at the end of our October 2020 hike across Mt.Buechberg, this time we headed straight westward along Trail no.84: "Zürichsee Rundweg" toward the little air landing strip. 

That is quite a beautiful tree! The trails here on this side of Lake Zurich are pretty level, and mostly on paved roads, but no car traffic here. 

Looking northwards now past the marsh and moorlands to the other side of Lake Obersee, which is actually the southern part of Lake Zurich, separated from the main lake by a land bridge. The swans are grazing just like the cows and sheep do!

This mom was struggling with two small children and two little bikes on her Sunday afternoon outing with the kids!

There were several new lambs here in the pastures. It also looks like they just recently were shorn! (Ready for hot summer weather). 

A short detour from the main trail to a little bay called Ryffelbucht near the Wangen-Lachen airstrip. We had our picnic lunch here, but didn't stay long. We did watch several planes come in for a landing. 

Small planes coming in for a landing at the Wangen-Lachen airstrip. 

Looking eastward past the houses in Nuolen where we started on our walk, to the smaller mountain called Buechberg, which we walked across in October 2020. The mountain further back, which you can barely see, is called the Federispitz, which is located in Canton St.Gallen.

These marshes are havens for waterbirds. At this time of year there aren't so many yet: Ducks, geese, storks, usually herons. We also saw a kestrel hunting rodents...

VIDEO:

A kestrel spots something in the pastures below. 

A zoomed view past the marsh grasses and Lake Obersee to the Wurmsbach Monastery buildings on the north side of the lake, a site we have yet to visit. 

This was an easy 2-hour, 8-km walk along the shores of Lake Obersee (the "upper" portion of Lake Zurich east of the land bridge between Pfäffikon and Rapperswil) along Regional Trail no.84: "Zurichsee-Rundweg". Side note: As you can see from this map, there is a Canton Border which runs through the middle of the lake. This southern part is Canton Schwyz, the northern is Canton St.Gallen. 

Long straight stretches through the pastures and marsh landscape and past the airstrip toward the airport building. 

This view directly to the south is into the Wägital (Wägi Valley), a beautiful and lesser-known valley which we have visited several times. Unfortunately, due to the hazy air, we don't get the full majesty of the Schwyzer Alps here.  (Most recently I started a hike at the lake in that valley, and walked all the way out. Those photos HERE). 

After passing the airport buildings and small-boat harbor (with a busy restaurant and a toilet break) we reach the river called "Wägitaler Aa), which flows all the way from Lake Wägital in that side valley, entering Lake Obersee near here. 

I was hoping to see lots of blossoming trees along this walk, but there weren't many. Here a bit of white blossoms as we follow the course of the Wägitaler Aa River. 

Along the way you can do a detour to a small peninsula called Aahorn. (At this time of year you can only go as far as the look-out tower, as further on are breeding grounds for waterfowl, a restricted area). Later we returned to the themed trail no.84 which we are following. 

We did the detour to the Aahorn look-out tower. The view from there would have been prettier if the bushes had been greener. 

View of the Aahorn marshes where we are now continuing our walk over the boardwalk. 

Crossing the boardwalk in the Aahorn marshes.

Another 20 minutes of walking from the Aahorn marshes, we reach the lakeside promenade at Lachen. There were quite a few other people enjoying a Sunday afternoon stroll along the lake. 

Past the harbour in Lachen (one of the stops on the Obersee ship cruise tours), we see the double-towers of the Lachen church. A stop here was one of the goals of this walk. 

On the way to the church, we pass via the City Hall square (formerly, i.e. in the 15th Century onwards known as the "Market Square"), with a very prettily decorated city hall building. 

In the earlier Middle Ages, the town hall was actually in the neighbouring village of Altendorf (which is where we are walking to next and the end of our hike), but was transferred here in the early 1400's, although it was a different building, which served as market, wedding hall, theater, archives and prison, among other things. It was rebuilt in 1837, with two more additional improvements in 1925, and 2011. 

Twin onion-domed towers of the Heiligkreuz (Holy Cross) parish church. The church was built in 1711 and renovated very recently, in 2024/2025. 

Even the doors to these buildings are works of art. 

Another Baroque church. The second-storey galleries on either side are quite attractive as well. 

A closer look at the main altar and some more lovely carved wooden choir seats. 

On the entrance side, another spectacular organ. Amazing the hundreds of organs we have admired by now, all mostly hand-crafted... 

A close-up look at the ornate organ in the Heiligkreuz church in Lachen. 

More details of the church interior. 

Description of the church. Built in 1711, the church has a particularly special "ringing of the bells" which we heard as we left the site at 2 p.m. 

Now we continue on our walk along a somewhat busy vehicle road, with a look back at the magnificent building. 

FINALLY, a flowering magnolia tree!

A look behind us at the twin towers as we continue toward the railway line. 

Outside of the city of Lachen, the "Lake Zurich Trail" continues along the railway line now, all the way to Pfäffikon (from there the trail heads up into the hills). We are only going as far as the little station in Altendorf, another 1½ kilometers from here. (Once again, we are pretty tight on time for the next connection). 

Across the lake from here, a zoomed view of the Rapperswil Castle, whose grounds we have visited several times. Side note: On this side of the lake we are in Canton Schwyz, and on the other side where Rapperswil is located is Canton St.Gallen. 

And looking behind us as we continue parallel to the lakeshore, another view of the Lachen church. 

There was a lovely and fairly new park here in Altendorf, called "Park am See". The little cluster of houses here is called "Seestatt", and is also a stop along the boat cruise tour on Lake Obersee. 

Side note: This map shows the trajectory of the Obersee Ship Cruises (weekends and holidays in summer), and now that we have passed via the docks in Lachen and Altendorf (and as we have also walked to the docks in Pfäffikon, Rapperswil and Schmerikon on separate occasions), this looks like a boat trip we should take soon. 

Another very attractive old farm house. 

Finally, a lovely flowering bush!

It's so nice to see these happy colours in the gardens now. (It's hard to believe that only a couple of days later temperatures dropped to minus degrees, and snow fell right down to these elevations, lasting for several days). 

Yellow and white daffodils, so pretty!

A sign indicates that the small hamlet called Seestatt is a "Townscape of National Importance". Probably worth a visit, but we didn't want to skip a train, so we have put a visit off for the next time we start a hike here!

The willows are the first to get "greened up", and look very pretty with the lake as a backdrop. 

Some nice houses along the road next to the railway line. 

And finally a lovely Japanese Cherry Tree in full bloom. This was now very near to the train station. 

Final stretch to the Altendorf train station (upper left). It is now 14:27 and the train leaves at 14:34, so we are doing one of our "close calls" again, as is often the case! (Quick walking at the end of our hike). 

The little Altendorf railway station. No problem! We were at the platform (other side from here) with three minutes to spare!

Our train to Pfäffikon, and ultimately just over an hour to get back home!

What our hike looks like on Google Satellite maps, starting in Nuolen and walking 8 km to the train station in Altendorf. We started at 12:15 in Nuolen, and reached Altendorf at about 2:30 p.m. A quick 2-hour walk on a sunny but cold Sunday afternoon. 

We haven't done a lot of walking around Lake Zurich, as I can only manage two hours of lakeside walks. But in October 2020 we walked over Buechberg from Uznach to Nuolen, so that is why we chose to start in Nuolen this day, and walk just 8 km along the "Around Lake Zurich" Trail. This two-hour walk was just the right amount of lakeside walk for me. Some other time we will start in Altendorf, and walk to Pfäffikon!

From Pfäffikon the train heads northwest along Lake Zurich, as we pass the little castle in Pfäffikon. In November 2023, as we were headed for a walk in "Heidiland" south of here, we stopped for a quick detour to have a closer look at this old fortress, and also walked to the pier where the ship docks on the Obersee lake cruises. 

Riding the train along Lake Zurich. Below is part of the same themed trail (no.84, "Lake Zurich Loop Trail") we had walked this day. There are several such sections which we still need to walk (always in only 2-hour stretches, as that is all I can manage!)

This is one of the cruise ships on the lower (main) section of Lake Zurich. 

More of the lakeside trail along Lake Zurich. 

We switch trains at Thalwil, and I just had to photograph another blossoming tree next to the station!

View over Horgen as our train now heads south again toward Zug. Usually, you can see all the Glarus and Schwyz Alps from here!

The Sihl River between Zurich and Zug. We also did a very lovely walk here on March 30, 2019 (also only two hours, just long enough!). So almost to the day SEVEN years ago!