Cherry Blossom Hike on our Local Mountain, Mt. Zugerberg

(This album was created a year after this walk. We had a wonderful Spring in 2018, temperatures were mild and the cherry trees blossomed beautifully, although the entire blossom season seemed to be over in less than 10 days. This year, April 2019, temperatures are cold with excessive amounts of snow in the mountains, and for me no walking weather, so I am catching up on creating old photo albums....Plus who knows if we will experience the blossoms so beautifully in 2019)


Sunday April 22, 2018 -- Canton Zug is known for its fine distilled spirits made of cherries, namely "Kirschwasser" which translates to "Cherry Water". Furthermore, the exquisite dessert called "Zuger Kirsch Torte", first created in Zug 100 years ago, is made exclusively with Kirsch made in Zug (or also Rigi Kirsch), and the recipe itself was recently placed under Cultural Heritage Protection, meaning this dessert may only be produced in Zug according to very specific guidelines.

Cherries are a major crop in Canton Zug. There are 50,000 cherry trees, and in fact, the cultivation of cherries in the canton has been officially included in a UNESCO list of living traditions in Switzerland. End of 2018, Zug planted the 1000th new cherry tree since the "1000 new cherry trees for Zug" initiative started in 2005.

This was a very easy 5-km Sunday Afternoon walk through a blossoming landscape on Zug's local mountain, starting at the summit station of the Zug funicular and ending in Allenwinden, where we caught the bus back home. Other highlights along the way, besides the nice views over the city of Zug and the many pretty farmhouses, are the dozens of paragliders who use this mountain as a take-off spot. The sport is fun to watch and exudes a sense of beauty and peace to this likewise serene landscape.

View over Lake Zug on the ascent with the funicular

Mt. Zugerberg Funicular takes you up the mountain in 8 minutes

To the South you get a view across Lake Zug to Mt. Pilatus

Usually if there is another Bear, we take a photo (Urs = Bear)

Popular place for paragliders. The City of Zug is down below.

Paragliders enjoying flying over the lake

I've walked this path many times, usually back down the mountain to Zug

 

Up here on this hill, the calves get to stay with their mothers in the pastures

Mmmmm that sunshine feels good!

Lots of farming going on up here

The first of many gorgeous blossoming trees

 

Another very nice view with the city of Zug in the background

Typical Swiss farmhouses

More interesting farmhouses

A very old growth cherry tree. The farmers sometimes leave these trees because they are habitat to birds and insects

This is on the stretch to Allenwinden

 

Cherry trees on the road to Allenwinden

Near the end of our walk, in Allenwinden

A 5-km downhill walk is perfect for a Sunday afternoon stroll. We have done several walks up here, usually to return back down into the city of Zug.