Local Walk from Adligenswil to Lucerne

Sunday, December 8th -- We tend to always want to travel far for our hikes, but if the weather is nice in our area, and especially if we have already done an excursion on the weekend (like our trip into the Valle Verzasca on Saturday) we choose to stay close by. Good decision this time, as the weather was very nice and mild and we could see the lovely Alps without going far!

It took us only 50 minutes to get to the start of our walk in the small town of Adligenswil, where we continued on the "Alpine Panorama Trail", a 520 km national trail from Lake Constance in the Northeast to Lake Geneva in the Southwest, and it happens to pass through Zug. We only had this last approx. 7 km left of the 30km (Stage 11) between Zug and Lucerne. 

When there is no snow in winter in this area, the pastures are still very green, there may still be the sound of cowbells as we walk, and we can alternate between meadow, forest and road trails with nice views of Lake Lucerne. Being a nice Sunday, we did encounter other walkers, but it was only once we got to the promenade along the lake that we really got in among the many Sunday strollers!

We started in the little village of Adligenswil, at this very cute little restaurant!

 

Heading up the hill in the direction of Luzern. Everything is still pretty and green and here we get the first view of Mount Pilatus

Finishing up the stretch between Adligenswil and Luzern on National Route No.3

A nice clear day to see the Alps ahead of us

The temperature was mild, the meadows green, and the view still good. In the back in the center are the Bernese Alps, with the renowned Eiger North Wall, as well as the highest peak in the Bernese Alps: Mount Finsteraarhorn.

Our first glimpse of Lake Luzern above the Sonnmatt Spa Hotel

Down below to our right is the lovely old city wall of Luzern with its many pretty towers. In the back is the Hotel Gütsch on Mount Sonnenberg

The weather forecast was for increasingly overcast in the afternoon, so the sky is no longer clear, but beautiful just the same.

The trail takes us through the park-like grounds of the Capuchin Monastery St. Anna. Ahead of us is Mount Pilatus

Capuchin Monastery of St. Anna. 

We observed a buzzard who was busy flying from a tree to the grass and back again. Not sure if he caught whatever it was that he saw there

 

Always pretty, these birds of prey

Heading down to the lake along the former Dietschiberg Funicular, in operation from 1912 - 1978. 

The valley station of the Diestschiberg funicular, now converted into private living quarters

Walking along the lake promenade in the direction of the city of Luzern. Lots of people here on a mild Sunday afternoon!

This boat, which previously rode the lake, has now been converted into a restaurant

 

Iconic twin towers of the Gothic Church of  St. Leodegar. We came down from the hill at the back

 

Crossing the large bridge toward the train station and the modern KKL theater

This was a short hike for us, more of a pleasant Sunday afternoon stroll

These are the sections of the Alpine Panorama Trail (No.3) between Zug and Luzern that we have done (with a bit of variation). This is considered one section, but we did it in a whole lot of little sections! Now we need to join the part to the East, from Zug to Lake Aegerisee.