When we got to the base station at Hoch-Ybrig, the clouds and fog were very low on the mountain and it was COLD, and I didn't want to risk sitting in the fog up top waiting for it to clear (which it didn't till quite late that day), so we rode the same bus back along Lake Sihlsee northward where the sky was clearer to a random place on the map, a little village simply called EGG, so I guess we still were within the topic of the day! From there we walked up to the Etzel Pass (from which you can descend to Lake Zurich), and continued on to Schindellegi. It turned out to be an 11-km 3-hour hike in the end, and we got to view the fogged-up peaks to the South, glad we weren't walking there!
All-in-all an acceptable alternative except we hadn't brought much of a picnic along, intending to eat at a restaurant on the way, and in Egg and on the Etzel Pass all the restaurants were closed for vacation. It happens that way EVERY TIME we don't take food with us....
BUT, among other things we learned about St.Meinrad the patron Saint of Einsiedeln, and we unexpectedly came across a tank defense line and an ammunition bunker, of which there are many spread across Switzerland. There are always pleasant surprises along the way! And the baby Alpaca was so cute.
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| When you travel from Einsiedeln to Lake Zurich, you cross the Etzel Pass. We had never been in this area before, so it was a successful PLAN B |
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| The Church in Egg, the starting point of our hike. Actually, we first walked (back) to a nearby restaurant on a Halflinger farm, which was supposed to be open but it wasn't, so that was a wasted 1.5 km.... |
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| Up the hill toward the Etzel Pass. The village of Egg is down below on the left |
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| The alpacas were so cute, especially the baby! |
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| At the Etzel Pass is the Chapel of St.Meinrad, patron Saint of the city of Einsiedeln to the South. He came up here from a monastery on Lake Constance in the year 825 and lived in a tiny cell for 7 years before moving on to where the monastery of Einsiedeln now stands. |
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| The Chapel of St.Meinrad, and the Gasthaus St. Meinrad which is unfortunately closed on Wednesdays... |
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| Closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays, what a shame. |
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| We used the hotel's empty terrace to consume our meager lunch of coffee and cookies. Even though we told Urs' uncle we were treating him to lunch, he was clever enough to bring along enough to eat for himself! Which he shared. Our treat next time. |
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| This place is the cross-roads of three popular trails: No.4: St.James Trail / No.3: Alpine Panorama Trail / No.84: Lake Zurich Round Trail |
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| What would any hike in Switzerland be without the Swiss Brown Cow! |
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| Above the St.Meinrad Chapel |
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| We did a panorama trail of sorts with agreeable views. To the South is the saddle where we had planned to walk, right next to the Greater Mythen mountain where the fog is only just starting to lift. |
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| Pleasant forest trails as well. |
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| No complaints about the view. This is South to Lake Sihlsee. |
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| We came across a tank defense line in the woods |
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| It is always weird to run across a line of "Toblerones" like this, in the middle of some randon pastureland. |
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| This is one of several tank defense bunkers in this area. The purpose (in WWII) was to prevent any infiltration into the Sihl Valley from Lake Zurich to the North |
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| Heading down toward the Sihl River for the final stretch to Schindellegi |
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| To the North we glimpse Lake Zurich |
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| This beautiful farmhouse is completely covered in tiny wooden shingles |
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| Imagine the work to have to create this, or restore it (all the tiny wooden shingles). It is an art that not many people can do any more. |
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| This area is on the Sihl River is called "Three Waters (Dreiwässern)" and is a recultivation project (earlier a deposit site for a gravel pit) to attract amphibians and marsh animals |
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| Our destination: Schindellegi on the Sihl River |
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| 11 km, 3 hours, from Egg to Schindellegi |
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