Einsiedeln Abbey and Lake Sihlsee Panorama Trail (ending in Egg)

Friday April 17, 2026 -- A beautiful day and perfect for a short outing without a lot of travel time... I had to be back by 4 p.m. for an appointment, but still wanted some mountain views, so I went to Einsiedeln (home of Switzerland's oldest monastery—established in 934—and fabulous Baroque church, 1721-1735), just an hour's travel time from home.

At first I wasn't going to go into the Abbey Church, as the last time we were here in March 2023, there was no photography allowed, but I went in on a whim, as I was walking past there anyway. To my surprise and pleasure, it is now permissible to take photos, just not "like crazy". But there was a small service taking place at the Black Madonna chapel (church within a church) so I did a short and quiet tour of this fantastic artwork, and took my handful of photos.

The rest of my plan was to walk the lakeshore trail on the west side of Lake Sihlsee, and then through a lovely moor/peat landscape north of the lake to the village of Egg, where we had once started a hike in July 2018, so it gave me the opportunity to "close" some trails! The lake is created by the damming of the Sihl River, which has its source at the back of the valley and enters the Limmat River in Zurich. The water level varies, and today it was very low, so I could do a couple of forays onto the "lake bottom". 

Side note: The most recent hike we did was in Appenzell called the "Eggen High Trail" which passes several locations with the name Egg in them. So it is funny that once again, I am walking to an "Egg". 

PART I: Trip to Einsiedeln and the Oldest Monastery in Switzerland. 

Heading once again by train from Goldau eastward via Steinerberg, with this view to Mt.Rigi and the landscape where we did a walk fairly recently, on March 13th. The cherry trees are blossoming prettily now!

View down to Lake Lauerz at the foot of the Rigi Range. 

After only an hour travel time, I reached Einsiedeln train station at 9:45 a.m. (Buses don't run often from my end goal of Egg, so I have to be there by 1 p.m., which is quite do-able for this 2½-hour walk, even with a visit to the Einsiedeln Monastery church.)  

The nicest buildings in Einsiedeln are across from the large monastery buildings at the Klosterplatz. This is the Town Hall, beautifully painted. 

As usual I enjoy looking at the signs advertising the specific businesses: A peacock for "Restaurant Pfauen", a red hat for "Haus Rot Hut" (Rot = Red, Hut = Hat), the deer hangs at the "Café Tulipan", but might once have been a "Hotel Hirschen". The one that surprised me the most was the elefant, as that is so unusual for here, but it really was a little pub called "Elefant". 

Einsiedeln Abbey in early morning light. There were very few people here. 

There is one of those "Grand Tour of Switzerland" frames here, but you could not even take a good picture of yourself here, as right next to it are parking spots for electric vehicles to "tank" up! (At least on our last visit in 2023, I was able to take a nice photo in this frame, see HERE). 

The nicest buildings are at the Klosterplatz, across from the monastery

Across from the Abbey but on the north side is a park called Paracelsus Park, and the old schoolhouse. 

It's nice to have a lot of benches in a park, but I have never seen them set up like this!

The Abbey of Einsiedeln is one of the most important baroque monastic sites and the largest place of pilgrimage in Switzerland.

Right when you come in you are bowled over with how stunning this is. On the right is the "Chapel of Mercy" where the Black Madonna is displayed, and where a small service was taking place. 

NOTE: I love all the photos I took so I am displaying all of them...

After a short walk inside the Abbey church, I headed toward the south end of the site, where they keep their horses. 

Horses have been bred here at the Monastery for over 1000 years. In fact, there is even a breed called the Einsiedler. The stables are open to the public and you can walk through here. 

A look at the part of the Abbey where they still keep and breed horses. 

On the east side of the monastery is the large cemetery, and a look-out point dedicated to St.Benedict, who is the patron saint of the Benedictine monks that established the Monastery here. (More specifically, a Monk named St.Meinrad had traveled from the Benedictine Monastery in Reichenau on Lake Constance (Bodensee) in 835 to live a life of solitude here. The monastery was founded in his honour in 934.)

I took a detour to the St.Benedikt monument before heading out on my hike. From here you get views of the city of Einsiedeln, as well as the first views of Lake Sihlsee to the east. 

Einsiedeln Monastery viewed from the St.Benedikt monument. 

And the first view of Lake Sihlsee from this little look-out hill. 

PART II: Seven-Kilometer Walk along Lake Sihlsee to Egg. 

This was altogether an easy 9-km walk on a fairly level trail. There was lots of sunshine and a bit of a cool breeze, so comfortable to walk. After about an hour in the Einsiedeln area, I headed out on my walk at 10:45, and got to my destination shortly before 1 p.m., with a few minutes to spare for the bus. 

Not farm from the St.Benedikt monument was another small hill with a look-out point and benches, so I did a bit of a detour there to admire the view of the lake. 

Later, after walking for three kilometers along the lakeshore, I would head away from the lake into the moorlands at about the little red arrow. 

View across Lake Sihlsee to the east. 

Down at the main road which follows the west side of the lake (the village is called Birchli), you get the first good look at the Schwyzer Alps further to the south. 

A short forested section leads to the lakeshore trail. 

Sometimes the water level in the lake is very low (it's a reservoir lake, so sometimes the water gets let out to run the turbines at the dam), so I made a quick foray down into the sand. 

Trying to find a good place for a self-timed photo!

This pier shows how low the water level really is! The sign reads "At your own Risk", so I headed to the end for a photo of the lake and mountains. 

The view south from the little pier. On the right you can see the lakeside trail which I was walking along. 

Following the lakeside trail. 

I sat here for a few minutes to admire the view. 

....and also a good place to try to get myself on a photo!

All along the lakeside trail were these information panels about the creation of the lake, the building of the dam, the settlement of the region, etc. This one describes the creation of the dam. The idea was presented in 1897, but it took 30 years until the idea was approved, and another 10 years until the dam was complete and the lake created from the damming of the Sihl River. 

The lakeside trail was quite low without much of a view of the mountains, but I took a little detour up to the level of the main road and got a nice close-up shot of the mountains. 

This looks like the dam, but it is only an elevated road at a little bay called Huendermatt. 

At this place called Huendermatt, I have come about half-way on my planned hike: Just over an hour from Einsiedeln, and another hour to go to Egg. This trail is part of several themed trails such as "Panorama Trail Lake Sihl", "St.Benedikt Trail", "Sihl Adventure Trail", and "Etzel Farmland Nature Trail". 

View south from the "bridge" at Huendermatt. 

There are quite a few of these tank defense lines in this region of Central Switzerland. They were set up to prevent invasion from the Zurich area during the Second World War. 

Continuing along the lakeside trail now past the little harbor at Huendermatt. This is such a nice view to the south. 

A zoomed view of the Schwyzer Alps. The Sihl River, which was dammed to form this lake, has its source in those mountains.

This was the bench where I had my picnic lunch at about 11:45

PART III: Trail through the Roblosen Moorlands toward the Village of Egg.

After a 15-minute lunch break.... a short distance later I headed away from the lake-side trail into the moorlands north of the lake. Another wonderful view south. 

More to the southwest, the two Mythen Mountains loom large. (The city of Schwyz is on the other side). 

This is a nature reserve called Roblosen. 

This is another moor/peat region like the Rothenthurm Moors nearby. 

A line of flowers indicates the presence of a small stream. 

I took a shortcut through the moor. There were a few private gardens here. 

Another themed trail here: "Etzel Farmland Nature Trail" gives information about the landscapes here in the region just south of the Etzel Pass (which separates this region from Lake Zurich). This one gives information about the "mysterious" moorlands. In wartime when electricity and fuel were scarce, the peat in thes moorlands provided fuel. It was called the "Poor Man's Fuel". 

Another look back over the moorlands. 

A final rise now separates me from the village of Egg, and it's a last downhill stretch from here. 

A short distance from here is the dam on the north end of the lake, and this is the Sihl River as it continues on its way to Zurich. 

The bus stop is across from the church, and I have enough time now to have a quick look inside, as it is now 12:45 and the bus comes at 13:02. 

Details of the little church in Egg. It has a very small cemetery, with some very large gravestones. 

Waiting at the bus stop now, right across from the church, for the 13:02 bus. (The next one isn't for another two hours, so I had to make sure to make it to this one! It worked out fine). 

What my 9-km walk looks like on Google Satellite Maps, starting at the Einsiedeln train station, passing through the site of the Einsiedeln Abbey, down to the lakeshore, three kilometers along the lakeside trail, then continuing through the Roblosen Moorlands to Egg. 

PART IV: Bus ride back to Einsiedeln, and Trip Back Home

There are only a few buses that connect the village of Egg to Einsiedeln, so I had to make sure to catch this one, the 13:02 bus. It looks like this functions mainly as a "school" bus, as many young people from the village were headed back into the city (a 10-minute bus ride) after their lunch break. 

After crossing the dam (no photos), the bus follows the road parallel to the lakeside trail where I walked earlier. 

Sitting next to the bus driver I had a good view of the countryside. I spotted the bench where I had had my lunch break!

More nice views of the Schwyzer Alps to the south at the far end of the lake. 

Back at the Monastery buildings in Einsiedeln, the bus passes this little church called St.Gangulf. We walked past here on our hike from Einsiedeln to the Etzel Pass (and down to Lake Zurich) in March 2023, but the little church was locked. 

Back in Einsiedeln for the 13:24 train to Biberbrugg, and ultimately a 90-minute trip back home! (with 20 minutes in Arth-Goldau station to buy some groceries).  

This river called the Alp River (has its source in the Alptal near the foot of the Gross Mythen) joins the Sihl River at Biberbrugg, where I have to change trains. 

And once again enjoying the view of the Schwyz plateau between Mt. Rigi, the Mythen Mountains, and Fronalpstock directly to the south (it will be till June before the snow melts there!)

Still time to enjoy the beautiful high-growth trees in full bloom. 

I was surprised to see that the first cutting of the meadow grasses is taking place!

And now by 2:30 p.m., back in Küssnacht at the north side of Rigi Kulm. The cherry trees are blossoming all over the hillside here as well. 

These are all the hikes we have done in the region around Einsiedeln and Lake Sihlsee and the Etzel Pass (where there is a chapel dedicated to St.Meinrad... and which separates the region of Lake Sihlsee from Lake Zurich. )