A visit to the Val-de-Ruz and the Medieval Town of Valangin near Neuchâtel

July 15, 2014: I had purchased a coffee-mill (hand-grinder) on an auction website for 5 CHF and as I had lots of free time, I traveled 3.5 hours by public transit to the western part of Switzerland to pick it up instead of paying 8 additional CHF for shipping it! 

Pick-up was in the community of Chézard St.Martin in the Val-de-Ruz near Neuchâtel (Coffee-grinder in the bottom part of the mailbox, and money to deposit in the top part). On the way there by bus we passed the medieval village of Valangin with its castle, something I was not expecting, and so I decided to do a stop-over there on the way back.

After visiting the pretty village and the castle, I returned to Neuchâtel and walked around the old castle and Collegiate Church there as well, before returning home.

On the bus on the way to Chézard-St-Martin to pick up my coffee grinder, we passed through Valangin, and I decided to make a stop here on my way back to Neuchâtel

A look at the Valangin Castle from the bus stop in Valangin

Another building of historical note: The old mill

The Collegiate Church with the beautiful pipe organ

Statues commemorating the founders of the Collegiate Church (built in 1505) above their burial place inside the church

There were already several houses and the foundations of the castle in 1350

Entering the town gate

The small "main street" of the old town of Valangin

Heading up to the castle inside the castle walls

Self-timed photo on the castle wall... I had to run pretty quickly and make sure I didn't fall off in the process!

Town of Valangin from the castle walls

The front of the castle (there is a museum in there)

South side of the castle from the picnic area

Another look at the castle and its walls from the bus stop before heading back to Neuchâtel

Original sections of the castle were already built by 1300

Google Maps satellite view of the village of Valangin and its castle

Back in Neuchâtel, a look at the Collegiate cathedral there

And the Neuchâtel castle

A look across the roofs of Neuchâtel

It takes about 2.5 hours by public transit to get from our home to Neuchâtel

The coffee grinder I purchased for 5 SFr. and traveled across the country to pick up....

A Section of the "Swiss Path" between Morschach and Tell's Platte

(This post published on April 7, 2023)

July 1, 2014 -- Having just returned from a trip to Canada, we wanted to get back to hiking. It was a beautiful day to do a section of the regional trail no.99: "The Swiss Path", created in 1991 to celebrate the 700th anniversary of the Swiss Confederacy.

We walked a 10-km stretch starting in Morschach (below Mt.Fronalpstock and near the city of Brunnen on Lake Uri), down to Sisikon on the lake, and then along the lakeshore trail to Tell's Platte, from where we took the boat back to a nearby train station.

The views were fantastic, the air super clear, and the temperature perfect for walking. This section of the trail not not a particularly difficult one. Most anyone can manage this. Best of all, it only takes us about an hour with public transit to get here!

Starting in Morschach, we first made a detour to the Lourdes Grotto, then to here, the Marienkapelle (slightly off the main trail). In the background are Mts. Niederbauen and Oberbauenstock

Marienkapelle near Morschach, and Seelisberg in the background across the lake. This was the home of the Pallottines (a Roman Catholic Community dedicated to promoting the Universal, or Catholic, Apostolate by following the motto of founder St. Vincent Pallotti)

From the Maria Chapel, a view of Lake Luzern (Vierwaldstättersee) where it bends to become Lake Uri. On the right you can just see the city of Brunnen. The mountain in the back is part of the Rigi range. (Rigi Hoflue)

The Pallottine Cemetery. Only members of the Pallotine order were buried here. 

Back on the main trail, we pass another chapel, called the Franz-Xaver Chapel

A 10-km stretch along trail no.99: "The Swiss Path" from Morschach to Tell's Chapel (the boat docks here in summer, no train station here). We started at about 10:30, and caught the boat at Tellsplatte at 15:40

A view south and across Lake Uri to Seelisberg and Mt. Niederbauen. 

A view north to Brunnen

Across the lake is the community of Bauen. There is no public transit there except by boat. Not long ago, a tunnel was blasted in the mountain to access the town by road. 

Panorama view of the west side of Lake Uri, from Seelisberg on the right, to Mt.Gitschen on the left. 

A fabulous day for a hike with the most magnificent view, only an hour from our home. 

Below on the left is the village of Sisikon, our first goal, where we took a break near the water. Then we continued on the trail which follows the lakeshore near lake level. 

These signs are the logo for the Swiss Trail

Steam boat on Lake Uri

We sat near the lakeshore for a while and watched the grebes. In particular, it was cute how the little ones got a ride on Mom's back. 

Although we started in Canton Schwyz (Morschach), Sisikon is actually in Canton Uri, just across the border. This is the symbol of Canton Uri, and from here on we are walking in that canton. 

A look behind us at the village of Sisikon, and the green hillside where we walked and descended from. 

A look south along lake Uri. Our trail continues on the left, hidden in the lush forest. 

On the "Swiss Trail" between Sisikon and Flüelen. 

Here the trail goes right next to the railway tracks

The "Swiss Trail" continues for another five kilometers to Flüelen, but we chose to end our hike here and take the boat. 

Here comes our boat! Another look at the upper section of the mountain where we walked, on the right

Heading north by boat on the lake, we can see how the road along the east side of the lake has been blasted through the cliff