From Mammern to Steckborn along the Rhine, or Untersee

Sunday May 21, 2023 -- Lately all the weather forecasts simply show "clouds with chance of sunshine" so it is hard to pick a region where we can be assured of some decent lighting. This time again, the northern part of Switzerland along the Rhine River between Schaffhausen and the "Untersee" ("Lower Lake", a small lake formed by the Rhine River after it leaves Lake Constance and goes back to being a river at Eschenz) seemed to offer the best alternative.

Unfortunately, the sunshine on the first and very flat section from Eschenz heading eastward was ironically too exposed to the sun and much too hot on this day, so we were glad to arrive at the Heidenhof Farm, which was one of our goals of the day. The owners of the large apple farm (which would be spectacular to witness during blossom season, but surprisingly still had some trees in blossom) have created a lovely spot for hikers to stop and enjoy coffee and home-made cakes, or as in our case, glasses of their home-made apple juice. We spent a long time here chatting with the owner, who gave us information about a new crop he grows here, the paw-paw fruit (a native North-American plant which looks like a mango, with the German name of "Indianer Banane", or "Indian Banana", which is probably politically incorrect), which is apparently a whole lot hardier and more frost-resistant than any of the other fruit generally grown here.

Most of the rest of our hike to Steckborn was through the beautiful Mammern Forest, another of those nature reserves where the forest is left to its own devices. Other highlights were the ruins of the Neunburg castle within the reserve, the half-timbered houses in Mammern and Steckborn, the views over the river and the Hohenklingen castle above Stein-am-Rhein. And last but definitely not least, the Rhine Falls on the train ride back from Schaffhausen. 

(We started late, as the forecast was best from between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.)

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First of all, a few photos from the trip to Eschenz, the starting point of our hike. We took a train from Frauenfeld through the wine region of Canton Zurich (passing through the region we had hiked in on Easter Sunday) to Stein am Rhein....

Passing over the Thur River

Another special train here, this is the Churchill Red Arrow, which is now used for chartered trips. It was constructed as a unique specimen for the National Exhibition of 1939 and has transported Royalty, including Winston Churchill. Back in 2014, we also rode in that one. 

Passing the Schwandegg Castle on our way toward Stammheim, where we walked on Easter Sunday. Those photos are HERE. 

The church in Stammheim, where we started our Easter Sunday hike. 

We started late at 12:45 in Eschenz, because the weather was supposed to be best in the afternoon. We caught the train in Steckborn at 17:32. The section of the Rhine River here creates a lake called Untersee, before narrowing again at Eschenz on its way to Basel. 

The church in Eschenz

We found a bear!

I remember this house from the last time we passed here. (Those photos HERE) The trail to the lakefront passes along the property border of several such pretty houses. 

This cat thinks he is hiding from us in the meadow!

We are hiking on another section of Trail no.60: "Via Rhenana", the 195-km themed trail following the Rhine River from Lake Constance to Basel

Many such attractive half-timbered houses in this area

From the lakeside in Eschenz we can see the Hohenklingen Castle above Stein am Rhein, a lovely town slightly to the West along the river. 

It's nice to still have these blossoming trees. Makes it feel like it is still Spring, even though it is already quite hot when the sun is shining. 

Ascending now away from the lakeshore, into the orchards. This is still the Rhine River, but at this place it creates a lake called Untersee. On the top left, you can make out the Hohenklingen castle. 

We were very surprised to still find blossoming apple trees, this late in the season!

Speaking to the farmer later, he told us these trees had just been planted this spring, and that is why the late blossoming. In any case we were happy to still see blossoming apple trees!

Haldenhof farm. We got here at 13:45 and sat at the picnic table under the Wisteria for 30 minutes, talking about orcharding with the owner. He told us about the pawpaw fruit he grows. 

In the farm shop are various preserves, liqueurs and jam that the owners make, mostly of the pawpaw fruit. But also homemade apple juice, so we treated ourselves to a cup each! You serve it yourself and pay into the little pot. There were also fresh-baked pastries which the farmer's wife was just bringing out. 

There were several pretty sitting areas around the patio, like this one, with a good view of the "lake" and GERMANY on the opposite side! We really enjoyed sitting here for a while. 

Information about the pawpaw fruit (also called "Indian Banana"), and how it seems to be a much hardier fruit for this area than the standard apples, pears and prunes. Originally, the pawpaw comes from Northeastern USA. 

The Wisterias on the north side of the house are still in full bloom, although finished elsewhere else. 

From Mr. Hess I also learned that this pink tree (which we saw in Rheinau on our previous hike a week earlier) is called a Tamarisk. 

Looking over the orchards (all of them have nets to protect from hail) and the Untersee Lake on our way to the next town called Mammern

The west end of the lake where the channel narrows and the Rhine once again continues as a river. 

More blossoming trees protected by extensive nets. Mr. Hess told us the pawpaws were in this part of the orchard, currently blossoming, but we think these are apples, as the pawpaw trees must be much larger. 

This is the kind of terrain where we have to check ourselves for ticks!

Up ahead is the next village: Mammern

Close-up view of Mammern. After checking out the village we walked up the hill and through the forest on the right. 

Field of Buttercups

Heading down past the pear orchards into Mammern

This road is part of the bike trail around Lake Constance and Lake Untersee, and very popular on a nice day like this. 

Walking along Trail no.60: "Via Rhenana". Our goal is Steckborn.

The Evangelical Church in Mammern. We checked it out. 

The Evangelical churches are pretty plain inside, compared to the Catholic churches, but this one had some very nice stained glass windows, among other things depicting the main figures from the Reformation, namely Martin Luther (on the left) and Huldrych Zwingli (on the right). 

Isn't this the prettiest meadow?

There have been a lot of renovations to old barn structures, converting them to residences. The original build must be conserved when doing this, thus the timbers across the windows. 

Some nice painted shutters on this Gasthaus Hecht

And now a stop at the Catholic church (St. Blasius) in Mammern

The Catholic churches are always much more ornate. This looks to be some sort of neo-Gothic style. The church is only 110 years old. 

The neo-gothic style of this church is very young, just over a century. 

Here also were some very artistic stained glass windows. Being a Catholic church, these are depictions of various saints, including St. Nicholas, the patron saint of Switzerland (far left). 

This building looks to be a kindergarten, or part of the Rehab Clinic nearby. 

Another pretty meadow!

Entering the Mammern forest reserve. For the next four kilometers we walked through this lovely forest, lush and green and left natural, the way a forest would progress (lots of moss and fallen trees). 

Once in a while in a clearing, you get a look down at the lake. Unfortunately, we lost the sunshine about this time after all, 15:45

In the middle of the forest is what is left of the Neuenburg Castle, originally built in the middle of the 13th Century. This is the best-preserved ruins on the South side of the Untersee

Look how thick these walls are! 

In 1540 a well was added to the original, and always "modernized" until part of the walls started to fall apart in 1699, so the owners built a new and more comfortable castle in Mammern. In 1742, all the crumbling walls except the tower were torn down and the material used to build the castle's chapel in Mammern.  

There is still so much bear garlic in the forest here

A very lovely trail through the Mammern forest

A large clearing where we got another view over Lake Untersee, to the east this time. 

Attractive bridges and walkways. 

And now the last stretch into the city of Steckborn, the goal of our hike. In the back in the lake, to the right of the church steeple, is the famous Insel Reichenau, an island renowned for its botanical gardens. 

As we entered the outskirts of Steckborn, we saw the old mill. You can recognize the old mills because they are near a stream and usually have a large mill-stone displayed out front!

This old building was erected in 1459!

The path (12+ kilometers) we did from Eschenz to Steckborn in Blue and other hikes we did in the area. 

As usual, we made it to the train station with just minutes to spare for the connection to Schaffhausen and from there back to Zug. The following photos are from the train ride back home. In particular, it is always a pleasure to pass by the Rhine Falls, the largest falls by volume in Europe.

Passing through the village of Diessenhofen on the Rhine, a place I have not yet discovered, but it looks worth a trip!

Crossing the Rhine River at Schaffhausen, this view is to the east. We could have actually caught a boat like this from Steckborn, but it is a two-hour trip to Schaffhausen, and we would have been home quite late!

From the other side of the railway brige you get a look at the riverfront in Schaffhausen, with the famous Munot Castle landmark. 

Just a few minutes south of the city of Schaffhausen are the fabulous Rhine Falls, the largest by volume in Europe. The castle is called "Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall". There is a boat approaching the falls just below the castle. 

With all the rain we've been having, there is lots of water flowing over the falls. But not as much as when we were here in June 2016 (those photos are HERE)

Between the Rhine Falls and Rafz, the train passes through a section of Germany. This is the village of Lottstetten, Germany. 

Crossing the Rhine River in Eglisau, which is back in Switzerland, after traveling for about 6 or 7 minutes through Germany!

The region of Lake Untersee in Switzerland, at the border with Germany