Hiking in Switzerland – Gabrielle and Urs: June 2016

June 28, 2016

Biking along Lake Constance to Meersburg

June 28, 2016 – The 255km long Bodensee-Radweg (Lake Constance Bike Trail) which circles Europe’s third-largest lake is considered Europe’s favourite bike tour.

No wonder, as it is almost entirely level and therefore ideal for family vacations. The entire area has a ton of history dating back to the Celts and Romans, and is bordered on the East by the Austrian Alps and on the West by cooled cones of former volcanoes. The trail mostly follows the lakeshore through three countries and through quaint villages and plenty of vineyards, orchards and nature reserves.

Maybe one day I will bike the entire tour, but on this day I started with a 12km stretch (x2) from Fischbach to Meersburg in Germany, with my niece Danae who lives and works here for the summer. It was a nice day so I made the 3.5-hour trip from home to visit her, and we borrowed some bikes and navigated the masses of other cyclists successfully enough! It was a very nice day, with the obligatory ice cream sundae!

Early morning crossing of Lake Constance with the ferry from Romanshorn to Friedrichshafen (View to the Swiss Alps).

Heading out along the popular Bodensee Bike Trail in the direction of Meersburg.

In the first village of Immenstaad, I found a Café named after me!

Arriving at the next town of Hagnau where we stopped for lunch.

Lunch in Hagnau am Bodensee ( Lake Constance).

Along the shore of Lake Constance from Hagnau to Meersburg.

Lake Constance acts as a warmth reservoir and there are many vineyards and orchards here.

One of many ships that dock in Meersburg.

The castle in Meersburg on Lake Constance (Germany).

Heading up to the castle in Meersburg on Lake Constance (Germany).

Castle in Meersburg on Lake Constance (Germany).

In Meersburg, Germany (Lake Constance)

Castle in Meersburg on Lake Constance (Germany).

Friedrichshafen is where the first Zeppelin was built, and zeppelin flights have become popular, also popular for advertising!

On the way back to Fischbach, we stopped at a Lakeside restaurant for ice cream sundaes.

Heading back to Switzerland on the ferry, a last view back to the city of Friedrichshafen in Germany....

.... and the view of Switzerland near Romanshorn.

We biked 12 km from Fischbach where Danae lives, to Meersburg, and back again.

June 26, 2016

High Trail on the South side of the Bedretto Valley

(This post published February 24, 2023)

Sunday June 26, 2016 -- There is a lovely East/West Valley just south of the Gotthard Massif called the Bedretto Valley, which extends from Airolo at the entrance of the Gotthard Tunnel, all the way to the Nufenen Pass.

We had been in the Bedretto Valley once before, in 2014, but only on a small section at the valley bottom near Airolo. We knew that there was a high trail on the south side of the valley (part of National Trail no.6: Alpine Passes Trail) which you can access via cable car to a mountain pasture called Pesciüm, from where you can walk about 4 hours toward the back of the valley. This is what we chose to do this day.

Generally the hike ends at the valley bottom road at Ronco, but we continued to All'Acqua slightly further west, total hiking time about 4 hours and 30 minutes.

The day was partly overcast but the landscape was really very green! Still, for end of June, there was a lot of snow in the mountains. It was an easy hike as there were no steep ascents. The main drawback of the hike is that there are power lines along the entire valley, and these were always in the way of every view we had.

Riding the large cabin cable-way from Airolo to the Pesciüm Alp saves us a climb of about 600 meters

A look back at the cable-car station at Alp Pesciüm as we start our hike westward. We started at about 9:45.

Starting at the Pesciüm station of the cable-way, we walked almost 14 km (total walking time about 4.5 hours) along Trail no.6 and caught the bus back out of the valley from All'Acqua.

Alpine roses are just starting to flower

10:30 and it's time for our first coffee break!

It was an easy trail to walk, with views of the mountains on the north side of the Valley.

We are always happy to run into cows on our hikes. This isn't the best vegetation for them though. It's a noxious weed and the mountain farmers don't like it because it is difficult to eradicate.

The waterfall at Val Ruinò

VIDEO:

Crossing at the waterfall...

Water makes all our hikes much more interesting

A fantastic floor-covering of ferns in the forest

It's time for the marmots to forage

Once in a while we come across an alpine farm

There is still quite a bit of snow at this elevation (about 1600m)

Alpe di Cristallina is about the half-way point of the high trail and the junction to the Cristallina Pass to the south, which gives access to the Basodino Glacier and the Bavona Valley

Very lovely landscape

12:30 lunch time and a good view of the Gotthard Pass Road (and the power lines below!)

Continuing on after lunch time

The mountains of the Gotthard Massif on the north side of the valley are covered in low cloud.

Low clouds on the peaks to the north

Hurrying down the hill now toward All'Acqua as this alternate stretch took longer than we had anticipated, and we didn't want to miss the bus.

Crossing the Ticino River to get to the road at All'Acqua. It's 14:30, not even five hours after the start of our hike, so pretty good walking time!

A look upriver along the Ticino River in the direction of the Nufenen Pass. The Ticino is one of Switzerland's major rivers, and it has its source here near the Nufenen Pass

Our 14-km hike along the high trail on the south side of the Bedretto Valley

Location of the Bedretto Valley in Siwtzerland

June 24, 2016

Short Afternoon Hike in the Melch Valley, to Flüeli-Ranft

(Post published Feb.3, 2023)

Friday June 24, 2016 -- On this hot early summer day it seemed a shame to miss an opportunity for a late afternoon, after-work walk, so we took off early and met in Luzern at about 2 p.m. and headed south from there to Sarnen, and with the bus into the Melch Valley.

We walked from the village called Melchtal out of the valley to Flüeli-Ranft, the birth-place of Switzerland's patron saint Niklaus von der Flüe. It was only a 5-km and under 2-hour walk, but it was very hot and humid, especially on the slight uphill sections. Nevertheless, walking in the pastoral landscape is always pleasant.

From Flüeli-Ranft we took the bus back to Sachseln on the Lake Sarnen, and skipped a train so we could sit in the shade at the lakeshore for a bit before returning home.

Side note: This is the birthplace of Switzerland's patron Saint Brother Niklaus von der Flüe, who was born in Flüeli 1417, married, had 10 children and spent 20 years as a hermit in the nearby Ranft Gorge.

Heading toward the Melch Valley by bus from Sarnen on the lake.

The farmers use this extreme hot weather to harvest the mountain grass. Sometimes it means collecting it from the roadway!

We got to the starting point of our hike, the village of Melchtal, at about 15:20. Our goal is Flüeli-Ranft, not quite two hours of walking

A rather easy walk from Melchtal to Flüeli-Ranft. It took us two hours.

A look back at the village of Melchtal as we start on our hike.

A look down the Melch Valley where we are walking along the hillside on the left after crossing the river

Crossing the "Grosse Melchaa" River near Melchtal. This is a view up the valley.

We are always glad for any kind of water to cool off on hot days.

Looking back up the Melch Valley. The first section was along a dirt road, and it was quite hot

Having just turned a corner in the valley, this was a great meadow trail to walk.

Heading out of the Melch Valley

We were glad for a cool forested section

Shortly before the village of Flüeli, you get a view down into the Ranft Gorge, which is where Brother Niklaus spent 20 years as a hermit (1467 to his death in 1487). Here he prayed and gave advice to many people who came looking.

A view of Mt. Pilatus

Approaching the village of Flüeli

We are now out of the Melch Valley and looking north to Mt. Stanserhorn

A very nice farmhouse

This is the original farmhouse where Brother Niklaus was born (1417) and later lived with his wife and 10 children. He was a well-off farmer, and when he chose the hermit's life with his wife's approval, his 20-year-old son took over the farm.