Walk Along Lake Hallwil

April 30, 2017 -- We don't often do hikes I don't like, but on this Sunday we gravely miscalculated by choosing to do a lakeside walk on a sunny afternoon! This is what all the other people do on a sunny Sunday afternoon, and oh how we don't like crowds...

Lake Hallwil is only 40 km from where we live, and as we had walked almost the entire West side of the lake a couple of years back, we decided to do the East side this time. At the North end of the lake is the Hallwyl Castle, one of the most significant moated castles in Switzerland, with a history of over 800 years. We started with a walk around the castle and the old mill next door, then headed South.

But for almost half of the 14-km trail, the narrow path─barely a meter wide─had to accommodate streams of folks headed in both directions, with no views of the lake due to a dense strip of reeds along the lakeshore. No benches and nowhere to sit for our thermos coffee except three lake accesses along the way, already packed with sun worshipers.

At about the 2/3 mark the landscape opened up to large fields and─FINALLY─the views of the Central Alps, which on this particular day loomed huge and clear. And the crowds were gone. I almost gave up before the halfway point.... never have the kilometers dragged like that .... but am glad I didn't. Those mountain views made it worth the effort.

**Interesting note: 80% of the lake belongs to Canton Aarau, the other 20% to Canton Lucerne. So we started in one "province" and ended in the other.

Our hike started in Boniswil, then we walked to the castle, and then South along the East side of the lake (total 14 km)

On the way to the castle this was the view South. I was hoping for many such views, but only about halfway down the lake it opened up again.

At the moated castle, "Schloss Hallwyl"

   

At the moated castle, "Schloss Hallwyl", one of Switzerland's most significant moated castles.

At the moated castle, "Schloss Hallwyl", one of Switzerland's most significant moated castles.

The castle mill across the way

This boat, dating from the 16th century, was found during renovations at the castle in 1911, buried under the mud and sludge of the river. The lack of oxygen caused the wood to be preserved, and there are few examples of such well-preserved boats from that era.

Self-timer photo before heading on our way South along the lake.

This does not bode well. It got even worse. Was like this for about 2 hours.

800 m from the castle was the first of four wharves, the only place in the next hour where we had a view.

800 m from the castle was the first of four wharves, the only place in the next hour where we had a view.

 

This replica of a Pile Dwelling in Seengen on Lake Hallwil was constructed based on evidence found in an ancient settlement near Lucerne, providing insight into agrarian society in the bronze and early stone ages (6000 years ago). Walls were built of woven sticks and built up with mud, and roofs were made of straw. (The post inside is to support the roof after flooding in 1999). 56 of the 111 sites that form part of the "Prehistoric Pile Dwellings of the Alps" UNESCO World Heritage Sites are located near lakes in Switzerland.

We found one tiny access to the lake (4 stone steps) where we had our thermos coffee and observed the birds.

A Crested Grebe on Lake Hallwil (A common lake bird here)

Eurasion Coot, the most abundant water breeding bird in Switzerland after the Mallard.

After an hour's walk, a small peninsula gave us our second glimpse of the mountains

Finally, after 2.5 hours walking, the trail moved away from the lake, so you could actually see the lake!

For the final 5 km of the walk we were regaled with views like this, making up for the boring rest of the tour.

For the final 5 km of the walk we were regaled with views like this, making up for the boring rest of the tour.

In Mosen, the train took us back to Lucerne, with splendid mountain views the whole way.

The train trip back to Lucerne offered us more views of the mountains than the hike along the lake did.

Side note: Along the way, evidence of cherry crop damaged by the freezing temperatures.

A Glass Factory and a Boat Ride on Lake Brienz

April 29, 2017 ─ This report isn't about a hike, but rather an excursion I did with my dear friend Jana. 

First we went to visit the Hergiswil Glass Factory (nicknamed "Glasi") on Lake Lucerne, the only glass factory in Switzerland, where all their creations are hand-made. A small museum describes the history of the factory, and there is a large exhibit which explains the uses and manufacture of glass, with lots of hands-on participation. The best part is that you can watch the glass blowers and glass pourers create pretty and useful objects.

After the Factory visit we did a day trip on the train, traveling over the Brünig Pass to Lake Brienz near Interlaken. The day before it had snowed up to 40 cm in some places (including my home-town of Zug) and since we had an early spring, the landscape looked weird with too much green showing through the white landscape.

On Lake Brienz the weather was milder and we took a pleasant boat ride on the lake from Brienz to Interlaken (First Class! No squeezing in like the sardines in 2nd Class), and walked along the Aar River Canal between the two train stations (East and West) before heading back home. All-in-all, a good day!

** The Aar River, one of Switzerland's main rivers, flows into Lake Brienz from the East and out of Lake Thun in the West, then flows through Berne northward to join the Rhine River at the border with Germany. Interlaken lies between the two lakes, and because there are several low bridges on the Canal between the lakes, ships cannot cross from one lake to the other.

Special effects with glass at the "Glasi" glass factory in Hergiswil, Switzerland

I could watch them working and shaping the glass all day.

The huge ovens costs millions and last only 5-7 years, then need to be rebuilt from the ground up.

Special effects with glass at the "Glasi" glass factory in Hergiswil, Switzerland

The keepsake from the trip: A marble made from the throw-away glass.

Riding the train First Class over the Brünig Pass

This view of Lungern Lake near the Brünig Pass is usually stunning in "winter" but with this recent snow, the large amount of green makes the landscape look weird.

"The Musicians of Bremen" in real life hierarchy. A wood sculpture in Brienz, a town renowned for its wood art.

We had an hour to kill before boarding the boat, so walked along the lake (Brienz) for a short stretch.

Lake Brienz

Our boat approaching the dock in Brienz

Our boat, the "Interlaken", which will take us on a 1-hour ride on Lake Brienz, to Interlaken.

We are riding First Class, so have lots of room on the upper deck. 

Leaving Brienz on the North shore and heading to the South shore of the lake.

The lake truly is this wonderful turquoise.

Lots of people waiting to board the boat.

Here the climate is warmer, so the snow has receded quickly. Recently we walked along the entire North side of this lake, from Brienz to just before Interlaken.

Heading West toward Interlaken, with Mount Brienz in the background.

Near Interlaken on the Aar Canal, the boat has to travel backwards to its final docking station, as it can't turn around there to head back out again, and it can't continue to Lake Thun because of the bridges.

Other ships that travel the lake, waiting on future crossings.

We walked along the Aar Canal a bit to stretch our legs, two kilometers between the East and West train stations in Interlaken.

All along the way, the fantastic peak of Mount Jungfrau (4,158m) accompanies us.

All along the way, the fantastic peak of Mount Jungfrau accompanies us.

 

Interlaken on the North shore of the Canal.

Crossing the canal before heading to the train station Interlaken West

On the way home through Berne, the mountains look stunning in the background.

On the way North from Berne, this is the Eiger/Mönch/Jungfrau trio which you can see way better from the West than when you are directly in the Interlaken area.

After leaving the Lucerne area, we crossed the Brünig Pass and rode the boat on Lake Brienz, with a bit of walking in between.