On this Wednesday, temperatures were up to 18 degrees in many places, and we had a very nice, comfortable 14-km walk in the Canton of Aargau, starting in Lenzburg in the Seetal Valley and walking the Industry Education Trail along the river Aabach, where much of the industrialization of this area started (water power to run paper mills, sawmills, weaving and spinning mills, flour mills and so on) from the 1600's (or earlier) onwards. Along the way are information boards describing the original operations on those sites, most of which now serve other functions. The most exciting thing on this part of our excursion was seeing a rat on the riverbank foraging near a factory... made us feel as if we were really part of the early Industrial Age!
At Seon we crossed over the hill into the next valley to the West, the Wynental. Here we walked sun-dappled forest paths, through farming hamlets (talked to a farm lady about the hedgehogs living in her barn -- still one of my wishes, to see a hedgehog!) visited sandstone caves and passed by two castles before catching the train back to Aarau at Teufenthal. One of my favourite things here, meandering from castle to castle....
Town of Lenzburg. In the back, on the hill, is the castle Lenzburg, obviously bein fixed up for opening to the public in April |
Me on the fountain |
Although the Hero Company is no longer in this building, Hero jams were originally manufactured here. Founded in 1886. |
A little walk around Lenzburg takes us to the Burghalde (built 1628) and the newer built-in Museum at the back |
At the museum is this replica of a Roman wagon found in Zurich, dating from approx. 2800BC (wheels made of oak wood) |
Many pretty framework buildings in this area |
Across the river near one of the factory buildings, we spotted a rat. Also, the snowbells are out! |
This is the Aabach River, of vital importance to the development of industry in this area |
Zoomed view of Lenzburg Castle high on the hill |
Walking along the Aabach River |
At Seon we crossed the river and headed into the hills to the West, through farmyards and forests |
So many of these crocuses already blooming! |
A lovely door |
This hamlet we passed through is called Refental |
Approaching Castle Liebegg near Teufenthal in the Wynental Valley |
Before going to the castle we took a detour to the Sandstone Caves |
Sandstone was mined from here as building material for many of the upper end structures in the area |
From inside the caves |
The sandstone caves near Liebegg |
Up close at Liebegg Castle, this is all we could see from the outside, up close. This castle was established in the year 1150 by the Lords of Liebegg |
Our destination of Teufenthal below, but first we walked over the rise on the left to have a look at Trostburg Castle, not visible from here |
Approaching the Trostburg Castle. Also built in the year 1100 by the Lords of Trostburg. Partially destroyed by the Bernese in 1415. |
This entire structure including chapel and tower are unter private ownership. Totally renovated in the early 2000's. |
View of the castle as we are heading down to the train station in Teufenthal |
This 14-15 km walk from Lenzburg to Teufental took us about 4 hours and 15 minutes |
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