A walk along the Rhine River to the German Enclave of Büsingen

Thursday July 6, 2023 -- After three days of hiking and a break on Wednesday, we headed out again on Thursday, going North this time, away from the mountains and to the Rhine River. Near Schaffhausen is a very cute little medieval town called Diessenhofen (receiving "city/town" status in 1178), which we had wanted to have a look at. From there we walked along the south side of the Rhine River (on the North side is Germany) along regional trail no.60: Via Rhenana, through a variety of nature reserves, and mostly through the forest, which was a good thing on this hot day.

Just east of the city of Schaffhausen, on the north side of the river, is actually an enclave of Germany called Büsingen, a town and some farming land totally surrounded on all sides by Switzerland. Our ca. 10-km walk required us to cross the Rhine River by a ferry service, a small motor-operated pontoon boat for which you have to get hold of the ferryman when you get there. For 4 Francs he then ferries you a couple of minutes across the river into this enclave.

We didn't walk all the way into the city of Schaffhausen, but walked the 10 minutes through Germany to the western border of the enclave, from where we caught a bus to the Rhine Riverboat dock at Schaffhausen. Our plan all along had been to catch the 1 p.m. boat back to Diessenhofen, and even though we started in Diessenhofen at 9 a.m. and it was barely a 3-hour walk, we still had to hurry to make the connecting bus.

In the end we rode on the boat for two hours back to Stein am Rhein, another lovely Swiss Medieval town on the north side of the Rhine River (unusual for here, as most of the towns on the north shore are in Germany) known for its beautifully painted buildings. In retrospect, we should have disembarked back in Diessenhofen after the first hour, as the second hour was one of the more boring hours I have spent, as there wasn't much to see. Riding boats is not really my thing.

A view over the town of Diessenhofen as the train arrives here at the train station.

We got here early at 9:06. We had two hours to the ferry at Altparadies, and from there 10 minutes to a bus which we had to catch at 12:58. That's almost four hours! But we spent over an hour in Diessenhofen, and in the end we still had to rush.

First glimpses of towers in the old town as we make our way from the train station.

The city wall of Diessenhofen is over 800 years old, having been built shortly after Diessenhofen received its "City Status" in 1178.

The Siegel Tower protected the eastern access to the town, and was built in 1545

Town fountain on the main street in Diessenhofen

Various buildings including the castle (lower right), the town church (bottom left) and parts of the old city wall with the fortification tower.

Looking down the main street toward the church

At the city's castle, a view across the roofs of lower Diessenhofen, across the Rhine River to the German side.

Many half-timbered homes, old and new.

Some other cute details

This building on the rivershore is called the Hänki Tower, built in 1391 as a defense tower, but which served as a prison from the year 1616 onward until the early 19th Century.

After walking up and down all the streets of this pretty medieval town (it was relatively quiet and not hot yet), we ended up on the Rhine River shore walk at the lovely old wooden covered bridge. A bridge here is mentioned in documents of 1292, and served as toll bridge from 1460. In 1799 the Russian Army burned the bridge when retreating from Napoleon's armies. This bridge dates from 1816. We passed under it on our boat ride back from Schaffhausen.

A Rhine Boat docks here every couple of hours.

Including walking up and down the streets of Diessenhofen, this was about an 11-km walk on the Swiss side of the Rhine River, to the west border of the enclave of Büsingen on the north side of the river and the east side of Schaffhausen, where we caught a bus to the boat dock to start our boat trip back to Diessenhofen.

The next interesting site is the former monastery St.Katharinental, which is now the Canton Hospital Thurgau.

For some reason the church building in the former monastery grounds had a locked iron gate just inside the main door, so you could not go in for a close look at the art work. This photo is through the gate bars. It is considered an exquisite work of South German Baroque (1734) and apparently contains a significant organ of the era, which we unfortunately could not even get a look at.

More pretty half-timbered houses. I was especially charmed with this pretty meadow in front of this building, which is actually one of the hospital buildings! (Long-Term Care)

Much of the rest of our walk until the ferry crossing at Alt-Paradies was through a cool shady forest like this, with an easy trail to walk on.

Beavers hard at work, really trying to get this tree to topple into the river!

Ever-present swans

Other forest and river wild-life (Woodpecker, dragonfly)

Much of the Rhine River here was a military fortification during the World Wars, and there are several bunkers like this along the way. This one has been converted into a military museum, which was unfortunately not open this day.

Across the River now is the town of Büsingen, which is actually in Germany, but a full enclave, as it is surrounded on all sides by Switzerland.

Through the Schaarenwald Forest Reserve.

It was actually quite pleasant walking in the shade of the forest next to the river

All the boats lined up on the rivershore of Büsingen, which is in Germany but a full enclave, surrounded on all four sides by Switzerland.

This inlet is called the Petri Nature Reserve and you are not allowed in the water here as it is a protected area for rare species of birds.

Two HUGE Linden trees, currently in full bloom. It smells so pretty, and there was a bench under the trees, where I would have liked to stop, but we didn't want to miss the bus and didn't know how long it would take for the ferry across the river. So no time to stop here, unfortunately.

Last stretch to the Ferry at Altparadies.

The trail markers are funny here. They show that the trail no. 60 continues to the right, which is actually the river. So the ferry (Fähre) is part of the trail! This is Switzerland, and the ferry takes us to the shore in the German enclave of Büsingen.

Instructions for the ferryman are to ring the bell until he hears you! We had hurried to here because we didn't know how far the ferryman had to travel to get here. It turns out he was in the building right across the road. I think it might be harder if you are on the other side of the river needing a ferry transport!

Crossing the Rhine River by ferry boat from Altparadies to Büsingen. The crossing costs 4 Fr. per person.

VIDEO:

We are being chauffeured across the Rhine River from Altparadies in Switzerland, to Büsingen in Germany (from where we walked an additional 10 minutes to the bus station right on the border of the two countries).

Just as we crossed the river (at 12:35), the Rhine Riverboat called Arenenberg was making its way toward Schaffhausen. This is the same boat we rode on the way back to Diessenhofen.

Here I am in Germany!

Pretty flowers

On this photo, Urs is standing on the border between Germany and Switzerland.

Our hike on Google Satellite Maps. Starting in Diessenhofen, we walked mostly along the south side of the Rhine River in Switzerland. It is interesting how the borders between Germany and Switzerland are set up here.

We ended up waiting 10 minutes for a bus which took us to the docking station in Schaffhausen, where we got on the boat (The Arenenberg) for its trip back up the Rhine River. We left at about 1:20 p.m

The famous Munot Tower in Schaffhausen

Looking back at Schaffhausen as we head upriver in the direction of Diessenhofen.

There were many vineyards on the north side (German side) of the river

Some of the buildings we passed, on the north side of the river.

On the south side, we pass the Petri Nature Reserve, which we had passed through just before taking the ferry across

The boat dock in Büsingen on the north side of the river. No one wanted to get on or off, so the boat did not dock.

Riding the riverboat on the Rhine. The center of the river is the border between Germany and Switzerland.

Passing by St.Katharinental, former monastery and now hospital

First glimpse of Diessenhofen. It took an hour to get back here.

Diessenhofen and the Rhine Bridge

Me on the boat as it docks in Diessenhofen. We should have gotten out here!

The buildings of Diessenhofen as seen from the boat

Passing under the Rhine Bridge as we continue up river. There isn't too much extra clearance here.

More lovely houses along the river shore

In the center of the river are these posts with green and white markers. The boat must always navigate on the green side of the post. Sometimes it feels like a slalom course.

The first view of Stein am Rhein at 3:15 p.m, two hours after leaving Schaffhausen. Even though this is the north side of the river, this is once again in Switzerland, a region surrounded on three sides by Germany.

Hohenklingen Castle at the top of the hill.

Disembarking in Stein am Rhein

Many people got off in Stein am Rhein, but there were twice as many people waiting to get on the boat here!

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Stein am Rhein is renowned for its main road with all the intricately-painted house fronts. The following photos are details of the painted houses in Stein am Rhein.