Walk from the Napoleon Tower to Steckborn in Canton Thurgau

Saturday March 5, 2022 -- We are not so fond of winter (snow) hiking, so at this time of year we try to find some interesting trails in the "flatter" part of the country. One thing that is interesting are the many observation towers which we can ascend, and most of those are in lower-lying areas, free of snow. So we have made a list of towers we would like to visit.

One such tower we had heard about is called the Napoleon Tower (named in honour of Louis Napoleon who was a nephew of the better-known Napoleon Bonaparte and who apparently grew up nearby) near Konstanz, Germany. We planned a route to walk first to the tower (completed in 2017), and then past several small farming hamlets, through the forests and over the hill to one of the several pretty towns along the water where the Rhine River leaves Lake Constance. (Technically, the water first creates a small lake called Untersee, or Lower Lake, before narrowing at Eschenz and continuing westward as the Rhine River). The town we ended at is called Steckborn, one we had visited before when we had taken a boat ride on the Rhine.

Well, we were reminded that we should do much more research before starting on our hikes: It turned out that the tower is currently closed for restoration (cleaning) of the viewing platform! That was disappointing, but visibility wasn't great anyway, and you are supposed to get a fantastic view from the tower. So maybe we'll have to go another time.

Nevertheless, there were lots of other interesting things to see: The first flowers, lambs in the fields, tractors in full force, a sighting of the Dubai Expo 2020 plane, lots of beautiful half-timbered houses, and a 6-meter high styrofoam statue of the First Napoleon, simply standing under the overhang of someone's barn...  (Here is a link to an article about how the statue came to be brought here, in German only, but with a great photo of the owners... --> HERE)

Some of the lovely half-timbered houses which we saw on the way to the starting point of our hike (this is near Frauenfeld, in Canton Thurgau)

Starting on the short walk to the Napoleon tower, we encountered a bear.... (Urs = Bear)

Sure sign that Spring is on the way, even though it is still very cold!

This elegant tower was built in 2017, to replace the original one commissioned by Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (Napoleon III) in 1829, the first President of France and the last monarch to rule over France. Apparently he grew up in one of the villages along the lakeshore nearby. The tower is 40 meters high

Had we looked up information about the tower on the Internet before going there, we would have discovered that the tower is closed for repairs the whole month of March!

This "statue" of the better-known Napoleon Bonaparte I is apparently made of Styrofoam and is 10 meters tall! See the fellow next to him warming up the Sunday barbeque! He basically is as tall as the boots. 

Some of the animals we saw. The Red Kites are always prevalent when the farmers plough their fields!

This colourful airplane caught my eye as it flew far ovehead. Turns out it is one of several Emirates airplanes advertising the World Expo 2020 in Dubai (running from Oct.2021 to March 2022), the first World Expo ever hosted in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region (more information at this LINK)

We like to support the private little farmer's shops where they offer homemade products like cheeses, sausages, flour, icecream, etc. This one offered frozen cuts of meat as well! (We bought sausages)

Another very nice half-timbered construction

We found a bench with a view, but the wind was so cold!

Looking over the roofs of Helsighausen toward the Napoleon Tower

Forest trails in the Spring can also be very nice

Newborn lambs are also a sign of coming Spring

As we descend over the ridge (called the "Seerücken"), the lake called Untersee (actually a wide channel of water exiting Lake Constance, before narrowing and becoming the Rhine River again) and the village of Steckborn come into view.

The town of Steckborn on the "widening" of the Rhine River, i.e. Lake Untersee. (Further West the waterway narrows and becomes the Rhine River again)

Here in Steckborn are lots of very nice half-timbered constructions

The town wall was built in the 14th Century, and first mentioned in documents from 1451. The town is very determined to maintain the old city wall. 

This beautiful old building is called Gasthaus Kehlkopf

Heading down toward the lake, this building is the old Rathaus (City Hall) built in 1498. It was beautifully restored in 1982

Here is where the Rhine boats dock at Steckborn!

"Schloss Steckborn" (Steckborn Castle) on the lakeshore in Steckborn, also called the Tower of Steckborn, was built in the early 14th Century. 

This hike we did was close to 14 kilometers. It was more of a long walk than a hike! The Untersee is a smaller lake created as the water flows out of Lake Constance on the East side. Shortly after Steckborn, the channel narrows and the water continues again as the Rhine River to the West. 

For the ride back we traveled along the Rhine via Schaffhausen. Here the train crosses from the south side of the river into the city on the North side. The prominent landmark of Schaffhausen is the Munot Castle

A ride along this stretch is always accompanied by a view of the beautiful Rhine Falls, the largest waterfall in Europe by volume. 

On this stretch and SOUTH of the Rhine Falls (which are in Switzerland), the train passes through two German cities. This is Lottstetten

At the very north of Switzerland, the borders between Germany and Switzerland are convoluted. Whereas Schaffhausen and the Rhine Falls are in Switzerland, there is a small part of Germany which is actually SOUTH of Switzerland

And here we are back in Switzerland crossing the Rhine River again near Eglisau

Here is a photo of me in Steckborn in May 2016 when we did a ride on the Rhine ship from Konstanz to Steckborn.