Easter Weekend weather this year was pretty poor, ending a long and wonderful streak of early spring sunshine and temperatures. Fruit trees had been blossoming for weeks, and the cherries were already the size of large peas. Unfortunately, freezing temperatures set in the week after Easter bringing snow right down to our low elevations, and probably damaging a large amount of the fruit crops.
April 17, 2017 -- Nevertheless, Easter Monday dawned surprisingly nice, no rain yet, just cloudy skies and cool, so we left home early but didn't go far in order to be home before the rain returned. We usually spend so much time traveling to the far corners of Switzerland to "see something new", that we forget how beautiful the landscape so close to home is!
Just West of our Lake (Lake Zug) is a stretch of low hills called the Rooterberg, from which the surrounding views are so surprisingly pretty that I am astonished that I have lived here so long and never been up there. Every time I'm at the lake I look at those hills and think "One day I'll go up there". So Easter Monday was the day. We started in a town called Udligenswil and walked up the hill, then along this stretch from South to North toward our home town, total 10 km ending back down at the lake. Walking amid meadows with cows and the first cowbells, and lots of blossoming fruit trees, and vistas of familiar mountains (Mount Zugerberg, Mount Rigi, Mount Pilatus, the two Mythens and even more) all with a recent snow cap (which got even lower the week after).
When the weather gets nicer with blue skies and sunshine, I will do this hike again.
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| To the South, the mighty Mount Pilatus |
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| Slightly to the SE, Mount Rigi ("Queen of the Mountains) with new snowfall on Easter Sunday |
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| To the East, Lake Zug, Mount Wildspitz, and at the back, the two Mythen Mountains. |
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| The huge pear trees are still in full bloom here. |
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| The rain immediately brings out masses of Weinberg snails. The Common Chaffinch (upper left) is the most common breeding bird in Switzerland (not the Common Sparrow). And the Bunnies, I want to take them home. |
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| It is fitting to see bunnies on the Easter Weekend. |
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| The Chapel at Michaelskreuz is a popular viewpoint |
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| We stopped at the Gasthof Michaelskreuz for Coffee and Pastry (too early for Frenchfries) |
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| Behind me Lake Zug and the City of Zug at the back (Rotkreuz at the front). It was cold and windy. |
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| More great views across Immensee, Lake Zug, and to the Uri Alps |
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| Just at the height of the blossom season, the weather turns cold and rainy. So unfortunate. |
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| I have missed the sound of cow bells in the hills |
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| The Church at Meierskappel. |
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| The Japanese Cherry Blooms are fantastic, and the regular cherries are already pea-size |
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| Morning Hike from Udligenswil to Buonas, 10 km in 2 hours and 3/4. |
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