Fischingen Abbey and the Highest Point in Canton Thurgau

Sunday March 31, 2019 -- Today we had a time-constraint: Had to be back home by 5 p.m. to do our taxes. So we travelled 2 hours 15 minutes to do a 3.5-hour round tour called the "Tannenzapfenweg", or "Pine-Cone Trail" in Canton Thurgau, starting and ending at the Fischingen Abbey, a Benedictine Monastery and one of many pilgrim stops along the popular St. James Trail.

We did the hike first before visiting the Abbey, in case we ran out of time. It was a steep and satisfying climb to what turns out to be the highest point in Canton Thurgau (991m). Funnily enough, the highest point on the mountain itself, just 4 meters higher, belongs to the neighbouring Canton of St. Gallen. (Canton borders often run across mountain peaks).

So, after stepping past this "highest point", we had our picnic lunch just 2 meters over in Canton St.Gallen enjoying the view (though hazy again, we could barely make out Mount Säntis) and admiring the castle one hill over. A quick Internet search revealed this to be Castle St. Iddaburg. A sad story really.... Legend has it this Idda married the Castle Lord (possibly unwillingly) who then pushed her off the castle wall (rumors of infidelity because she misplaced the ring he gave her / a crow stole it and dropped it in the woods / a hunter found it... you can guess the rest). She survived the fall and wandered the woods for years. She was made a Saint and honored in the Fischingen Abbey with her own exquiste side chapel, of which I really loved the ceiling.

The rest of the hike was rather dull, especially the 30 minutes along the busy road. Back at the Abbey we admired the beautiful church and purchased craft beers from the Abbey's inhouse brewery.

Fischingen Abbey in the morning light before we started on our hike

Some unusual cows along the way ;)

Checking out the "Honey For Sale" cupboard for Forest Honey (there wasn't any, only Blossom Honey)

All babies are absolutely darling

Heading up the hill to Mount Groot, a final look back at the monastery buildings

These are the highlight of my day

One of many chapels and monuments dedicated to St. Idda

Heading toward Mount Groot, the highest point in Canton Thurgau

We had stopped here for coffee, another monument possibly to St. Idda. I didn't read the inscription carefully.

There it is, the highest point, and UP WE GO! (also, left side of the peak = St.Gallen, right side = Thurgau)

These babies get loads of fresh air but can't go into the meadows yet because the grass has to grow more and the ground has to be drier, or they tear it up.

So many ears!

Here is the start of the steep climb to the peak. The view is to the barn we just passed. We are now headed up into the forest to the right.

Straddling the Canton border: Left foot in Canton St.Gallen, right foot in Canton Thurgau

As steep but enjoyable trail through the forest to the top

Highest Point in Canton Thurgau

Here we had lunch. This view is to the North

To the East we spied a castle, it's called St. Iddaburg

Zoomed view of Castle St. Iddaburg, where allegedly Idda's husband pushed her off the castle wall in a fit of jealous rage

View SE toward the Alpstein Massif, the largest mountains in Appenzell, which we cannot see today.

I just liked this house

Typical animals you encounter when hiking in Switzerland

On the way down there was a sign "Monastery View, 1 Minute". We walked about 15 seconds to this space in the trees and wondered why they didn't just cut off the dead tree that was in the way. Then we realized there was probably another "Monastery View" a little further on.....

This is a particularly nice half-timbered house

Back at the Fischingen Abbey after a 3.5-hour loop hike

This interior style is both Baroque and Rococo. Very pretty, very glittery. It was unusual to see the organ in the front, behind the altar

The sun was shining so beautifully on the gilded metal. It was hard to capture on a photo.

The ceiling of St. Idda's chapel. I found this particularly charming, possibly because of the pastel blues.

The Abbey was actually dissolved in 1848 and is now a high-class hotel

As was often the case, the monks at the abbeys made their own craft beer. Production continues, although no longer by the monks.

We bought one bottle each of the little ones to take home with us. Still have to try them out.

The round-tour took us about 3.5 hours. Unfortunately the entire 30-minute stretch between Allenwinden and Rotbühl is along a fairly busy paved road with no trail

A two-hour Stroll along the Sihl River in the Zurich Wilderness Park

Saturday March 30, 2019 -- This was just a pleasant afternoon stroll that we did, near to home along the Sihl River. Normally, I am not a big fan of simply walking along a river, but this was not so bad, because we also could observe TRAINS! But two hours maximum is all I can manage along a river.

Of further interest to us is that this is a stretch we often travel by train from Zug to Zurich, but the train passes through two tunnels, emerging only for a short stretch here. So we got to see much more of the Sihltal Valley than we ever do by train. 

The Sihl River, which originates in Canton Schwyz near Hoch-Ybrig and is the largest feeder river for the Limmat River in Zurich, runs here along the Eastern Border of the Zurich Wilderness Park, the largest natural beech woodland in the central part of Switzerland (and at this time of year, the forest floor entirely covered in Bear's Garlic, which I think is fabulous: Rich dark green and you can actually smell it! You can also pick it [making sure not to confuse it with the poisonous Lily-of-the-Valley] and take it home to make pesto or add it to an Alfredo sauce). 

Just slightly North of where we ended our walk (Sihlwald) is the Langenberg Wilderness Park with native Swiss animals that can be observed in their natural environment (which probably means you won't see them), but this will be something to have a look at on another day. We also missed the Visitor Center in the Park, only noticing it as we pulled out of the station on the special Sihltal Train line heading to Zurich.

The start of the hike in Sihlbrugg starts by crossing the river and heading North into the Zurich Wilderness Park

Typical Swiss forests, and here the Bear's Garlic is just sprouting with flashes of dark green everywhere

A nice and pleasant afternoon stroll along the Sihl River in Zurich Wilderness Park

At the very North End of the Zurich Wilderness Park is the Langenberg Wilderness Park where you can wander through and observe Swiss animals in their natural habitat

The train bridge at the old Sihlbrugg Train Station (no longer in use). Along the entire river is also popular for bike riding. You can ride a bike all the way from Zug to Zurich along here.

The Sihl River looking South. On the other side, the wide expanse of the Zurich Wilderness Park

This is the half-way point of our hike (1 hour). Good place for a coffee break and to watch the trains that emerge here for a short piece between two tunnels

Best hobby: Watching Trains

The trains between Zurich and Zug emerge here for about a minute between two tunnels

Continuing along our walk, we cross the bridge over the railway line. This train is heading from Zug to Zurich

I have been trying for a very long time to photograph this elusive Brimstone Butterfly. It never sits long enough to focus my camera...

I don't mind walking through forests like this. It's quite pleasant when the sun shines through

But this kind of narrow trail is much better, always.

This is a nice location for a farmhouse

Living here all secluded except for the people and bikes passing by. Could be quite peaceful just the same

Crossing the bridge at Sihlwald, heading to the train station, end of our 2-hour walk along the Sihl River

From 1781-1787 this was the summer home of Salomon Gessler, a prominent Zurich politician and amateur artist

The train station at Sihlwald is actually end of the line for the Sihltal Train from Zurich in the North. This railway line does not continue southwards to Zug

We rode the Sihltal Train North into Zurich before heading Southward again along the regular trainline back through the Sihl Valley. This takes an hour longer than with the bus, but we had never travelled with this train before

A two-hour stroll from Sihlbrugg near Baar/Zug through the Sihlwald Forest to Sihlwald, which is the final station of the Sihlwald-to-Zurich-to-Sihlwald Sihltal trainline

This is the Sihlwald Forest when the entire forest floor is covered in Bear's Garlic! This was on April 7th 2014, exactly 5 years earlier than the actual publication of this album...

We have done many hikes in this region, also did the whole trail across the Albis Ridge (in two sections)