Thurgauer Rebenweg (Thurgau Vineyard Trail)

Saturday April 7, 2018 -- The weather was ideal for hiking the weekend of April 7&8, so we hiked on both days, both times in the low hills in the Northern part of Switzerland. If the air had been clearer (very hazy both days) we would have seen the Alps, but never mind.... Canton Thurgau's agricultural landscapes are pretty, so it was a fine walk just the same.

On Saturday we chose a local trail, officially named the "Thurgau Vineyard Trail", a wide easy trail above the vineyards parallel to the River Thur (from which the Canton takes its name), starting in the quaintest of villages called Oberneunforn, and ending at the Ittingen Charterhouse (Carthusian monastery, no longer used as a monastery, but for seminars and retreats) near Frauenfeld. The 14-km walk took us 4 hours and 15 minutes, but we detoured to some of the villages slightly off the trail, to admire the stunning half-timbered homes and barns in this area. 

This, by the way, is the part of Switzerland where my father grew up, the family home having been in the city of Frauenfeld, just a couple of kilometers from where we ended this excursion.

Church tower in Andelfingen, another pretty town worth a visit one day. We were only here to catch a connecting bus.

Half-timbered houses in the farming community called Oberneunforn.

Half-timbered houses in the farming community called Oberneunforn.

Half-timbered houses in the farming community called Oberneunforn.

After admiring the half-timbered houses in Oberneunforn, we headed to the Thurgau Vineyard Trail, which follows parallel to the Thur River all the way to Frauenfeld

Walking the Thurgau Vineyard Trail. Even though there were no leaves yet, it was still pretty landscape.

To the North of the vineyards are other farming lands.

This, we believe, is a linden tree, a BIG one!

Vineyards along the Thurgau Vineyard Trail

View across the vineyards and farmlands to the river Thur South of us

There were kites EVERYWHERE! Sometimes a half-dozen at a time in the fields where the farmers were freshly plowing. 

For the animals, already a very warm day.

At the end of the line: The Carthusian Monastery in Ittingen (no longer used as a monastery).

 

To get a better view of the grounds, we would have to go up to the chapel on the hill above. 

To get a better view of the grounds and buildings, we had to climb up this very long flight of stairs!

 

From above you can see the individual residences where the monks lived in semi-solitude, each one with their own garden in front of the houses.

Back down on the grounds, a closer look at the residences where the Carthusian Monks previously lived in semi-solitude.

The facility is now used for seminars and retreats, and the old mill has been converted into a restaurant. The 18th century mill wheel is 8.7m in diameter and weighs 3.7 tons.

 

A pleasant day's walk in the agricultural landscape of Canton Thurgau. 13.5 km total. The trail officially goes all the way to Frauenfeld, but it was enough for the day.