From the Riemenstalder Valley to the Muota Valley (Muotathal)

July 30, 2017 -- There are so many beautiful spots within two hours of home and one of these is the Riemenstalder Valley off Lake Lucerne (or rather, Lake Uri). If you don't have a car, you phone ahead for a ride and they come pick you up in the Post Van at the train station in Sisikon, and drive you up the steep and narrow windy road to the back of the valley.

Usually from there we take the cable car up higher to the lovely Spilauer Lake, but for this Sunday's hike (which was supposed to be an easy 10-km walk) we decided to walk up and over to the Muota Valley. Usually walking downhill is no issue for me, but after a 15-km downhill hike the day before, I was feeling it in my calves, and could barely manage the final steep descent, 4 km along a paved road.

But besides the fact that I can barely walk anymore, it was a beautiful sunny and cow-filled day.

The day starts in Sisikon on lake Uri, where a nice lady picked us and five other people up for the ride into the Riemenstalden Valley.

Heading East into the Riemenstalden Valley with the sun in our eyes because it was quite early.

Across the valley high up on the ridge to the South are some pretty cool rock formations.

Our 10-km hike from Käppeliberg (Riemenstalden) to Muotathal took us 4 hours because I had to walk slowly

Looking westward along the Riemenstalden Valley

The cows had just been sent out of the barn, they know where they are heading

Joining the cows on their march to the meadows

Hiking trails in Switzerland are often shared with the cows.

This area is Karst topography.

This area is Karst topography. In fact, the Hölloch Caves in Muotathal form the largest cave system in Europe.

I like the colors on this picture

Heading toward the Muota Valley

Typical Central Switzerland landscape

What a cutie!

As we approach the Muota Valley, we get some more clear views of the red peak of the Greater Mythen

Muota Valley (Muotathal) and the village of Muotathal below.

To the East is the Pragel Pass which we hiked over last year, and at the back is the Silberen Mountain, a large karstic plateau. Just this side of the plateau is the Bödmeren Primeval Forest, an ancient woodland which came into being 7000 years ago after the ice age. It is home to the oldest spruce trees in Europe, and at 450 hectares is the largest spruce forest in Western Europe. Right below the forest are the 200 km of karstic caves.