On the Untersee near Lake Constance

Wednesday May 31, 2017 -- This was an easy hike with very little ascent, up North near the Rhine River because we knew the weather was good there. It's an area I enjoy visiting because to get there we go past the Rhine Falls and through Schaffhausen (always worth the ride) and it's an area where the German and Swiss borders are so convoluted that sometimes you cross the border several times, or at the very least you can look across the Rhine River at Germany while walking in Switzerland.

Our 11-km hike on the Swiss side of the River started in Mammern, whose location is not quite yet considered the Rhine River but rather a southern arm of Lake Constance called the Untersee (Lower Lake) which starts in Konstanz. The Rhine River flows into Lake Constance at the Eastern Side (Austria and Lichtenstein), and back out of the lake through this Lower Lake before heading westward to Basel.

The Rhine becomes a river again at Stein am Rhein (goal of our hike), a superbly attractive old town with fantastically painted houses, a place I've been to many times and which, interestingly enough, is a Swiss town on the North side of the Rhine surrounded by Germany. The day was still young and warm so we ended it with a 1-hour river boat ride before heading home. The boat travels back and forth between the two countries, picking up and dropping off mostly bikers riding the ever popular trails around Lake Constance.

Rhine River at Eglisau, Rhine Falls, and Schaffhausen

Start of our 11-km hike at Mammern train station

Restaurant in Mammern, Switzerland

Uphill through the forest to get a view of the lake

Pastoral land a bit inland from the lake

Heading to Hochwacht, the highest point of our hike (180 altitude meters above the lake)

From up here we had a couple of nice views of the Untersee (Lower Lake)

View Northeast from Hochwacht. Across the lake is Germany.

To the West, Stein am Rhein on the Rhine River

Back down closer to lake level we walk westward to Eschenz, and across the lake is Germany.

I had never seen these before, but apparently mozzarella is made from the milk of these water buffalos.

I felt like was was in Africa. Respect for the size of these beasts, but I thought they were cute!

A red kite. They are all over the agricultural areas here.

Approaching Stein am Rhein, which is in Switzerland, even though it's across the river, surrounded by Germany.

Stein am Rhein is very popular, usually these streets are packed with tourists.

The beautiful painted houses of Stein am Rhein.

Quaint town of Stein am Rhein

In Stein am Rhein we got on the boat and took a 1-hour boat ride on the Lower Lake

Stein am Rhein as seen from the Rhein River.

Stein am Rhein as seen from the Rhein River.

Relaxing for an hour on a boat ride on the Rhine River / Lower Lake

Boat ride on the Rhine River / Lower Lake. Lots of bike riders get on and off. At one point there were at least 50 bikes on the boat

 

Town of Berlingen where we got off and took the train back to Schaffhausen and home.

Town of Berlingen where we got off and took the train back to Schaffhausen and home.