Walk around the West Side of Lake Baldegg in the Seetal Valley

Thursday June 27, 2024 -- On this hot day there was sunshine forecast in the morning and I wanted to take advantage of it and started on my way early to beat the heat, but at 9 a.m. it was already quite unbearably warm.

I traveled for the second time this month to the Seetal Valley to Lake Baldegg in the Luzern backcountry, because I wanted to see the storks on the monastery buildings, and I wasn't disappointed! There were at least 30 storks either perched on the edges of roofs and chimneys, or in their huge nests. And even several young storks, which you can recognize from their grey bills instead of the adult orange one.

But shortly after getting there the air grew hazy and muggy, and the 3-hour hike I had planned to walk in the direction of the mountains would have been too exposed (no forests for shade) so I postponed that hike for a cooler day and did a shorter one around the west side of Lake Baldegg. In the end it ended up being over 10 km anyway, and at least four kilometers of that was on or next to paved roads. But there were a couple of small sections on narrow trails through forest and along the lakeshore, with some nice views of the lake. Unfortunately, whereas one again should get a good view of the Central Alps from here, there was really nothing to see. Also, the sky grew overcast more quickly than the expected noon period which had its benefits that the air temperature was somewhat less. 

I ended the hike back on the east side of the lake just below the Heidegg Castle, which we had been to twice, and was already on my way home by 12:45. The advantage of locations like this is that it only takes 60-90 minutes to travel here... 

At 8:50 I was on my way from Luzern north into the Seetal Valley, and it looked like there were blue skies for now and I could see the outline of the Central Alps. Unfortunately this changed quite quickly. 

At 9 a.m. I was at the former monastery buildings in Baldegg (now a high school for girls) and was thrilled to see very many storks on the edges of the roof! (The train stops right here in front of the main gates). 

Close-ups of the lovely storks on the roof of the main building

I walked around the park-like grounds looking for more storks, some of which have large nests in the very high trees. On this photo there are eight storks!

On the right is a young stork peering out from the nest!

The birds are busy preening, doing their morning wash-up!

Close-up of storks and their nests, including a young one bottom left. 

My on-the-spur decision to walk around the west side of Lake Baldegg, because it was a shorter walk than what I had originally planned (and even 2½ hours was too much in this heat!) After watching the storks I started walking at 9:20, and ended in Gelfingen below the Heidegg castle at 12:45. I also took a long break on a wharf near the lakeshore. (I once walked the eastern part of the lake in 2014, from Baldegg to Gelfingen). 

This small river called the Ron flows into Lake Baldeggersee from the south. 

There is a large marsh area on the south side of the lake. 

A neat platform with benches invites you to sit right in the middle of the marsh!

Another look back at the Kloster Baldegg buildings with all the storks. I counted 14 birds!

The sign says two hours to walk to the train station in Hitzkirch at the north end of the lake. I walked about 20 minutes longer to the train station in Gelfingen. 

Heading to the west side of the lake along a paved road. It was only 9.30 a.m. and according to local temperatures supposed to be 22 degrees right now, but it was already very hot and somewhat muggy. 

The marsh on the south side of the lake. 

This little village is called Nunwil. At the main road, the trail started to lead up the hillside, for views down onto the lake. 

The trail went just high enough so I could get some good looks at the water and the farms on this side of the lake.

Beyond this farm there was a short piece through the forest, always welcome on a hot day!

South end of Lake Baldegg

Further to the southeast you can just see the outline of Mount Rigi. On a clearer day, you would also see the Uri Alps in this direction. 

People come up with the funnest ideas to use old items for decorations. 

Straight ahead but not really visible is the Baldegg Monastery where I started this walk (on the opposite side of the lake). 

On this very hot and muggy day, it was a welcome relief when I could walk through a forested section. 

I just managed a self-timed photo before the sun became obscured by light clouds. But the air temperature then also became more tolerable. 

Twins! (Or a cow with eight legs and two heads...)

Looks like a fun outing!

The trail now heads past a farm down to lake level. 

Now these were some really pretty flowers! An Internet search indicates it's a yellow dahlia (?)

Having crossed the road and now down at lake level, a look back at the farm I just walked past. 

For about one kilometer, the trail followed the lakeshore, with fields on my left and watershore plants on my right, and lots and lots of bird noises, birds I couldn't see! The narrow path was mowed, but the grass was very wet from all the recent rains, and my hiking boots got VERY wet!

The reeds on the edge of the lake. As everywhere right now in Switzerland, the water levels are very high in lakes and rivers. 

VIDEO:

A bird in the reeds, I heard it but couldn't see it.

I couldn't see the birds in the reeds, but did capture a dragonfly!

Lilypads at the lakeshore

I am always fascinated by the crested grebes. 

An inviting wharf out onto the lake. It was only 10:40 but I was hungry, so I took a long break here to eat my sandwich. 

It was comfortably cool here. 

My shoes were soaked, right down to the socks!

Continuing along the reed grass to that line of trees, and then I had to head back to the road on the left. The rest of the lakeshore is off-limits. 

Last look at the lake and Mount Rigi in the distance before heading to the road. 

Across the lake is the Heidegg Castle. It has some very nice rose gardens which we visited in JUNE 2022. 

This is pretty!

For the next three kilometers I had to walk along this path next to the main road, as there are no bus stops on this side of the lake. 

These are wagtails

Getting closer now to the north end of the lake. 

Across the lake I can see the church and castle in Hitzkirch, which I want to visit one day, but not this time. 

Almost at the end of my hike now I pass through a small village called Richensee, which boasts this residential tower from 1240, a structural masterpiece built by the Habsburg Family. The walls are over 3 meters thick. 

This building which was a a smithy was also part of the hamlet of Richensee which served as a center of administration for the Habsburg family in the 13th Century. There was also a mill, a bakery, a tavern and several farms. The community was destroyed in the Sempach war of 1386 and the residence tower became a ruin.  

More pretty flowers

I actually caught a stork in flight

A closer view of the Heidegg Castle and its rose gardens. 

I've rounded the lake now and am heading to the train station in Gelfingen, which is where I ended when I walked the east side of the lake in 2014. This pretty house caught my eye. 

The lake level is pretty high.

Another fabulous linden tree next to the Gelfingen train station where I caught the 12:45 train for the 90-minute trip home via Luzern. 

Always such pretty details. 

What my 10+ kilometer walk looks like on Google Satellite maps, starting at the Baldegg Abbey buildings on the south side of the lake, and ending in Gelfingen on the north-east side. 

On our way south the train passes the Baldegg Abbey buildings again, but the storks have all disappeared now. Maybe it is too hot, but I wonder where they got to? I'm so glad I could see the many storks earlier in the morning. 

All the hikes we haven done around the area of the two lakes (Hallwil and Baldegg) in the Seetal Valley. In 2014 I walked along the east side of the Lake Baldegg and went to see the Heidegg Castle the first time. And the second time we were there was in June 2022. 

Passing another monastery in Eschenbach, which was actually on the original route I had planned to walk, so I hope to see this one soon, on a less hot day!

Location of Seetal (Valley of the Lakes) in Switzerland, not far from where we live. 

This was the forecast for Baldegg for this Thursday. At 9:30 when I started it should have been about 22 degrees, but it felt much hotter already. I was back home by the hottest part of the day, though.