Lakeside walk along Lungerersee from Lungern to Giswil

Thursday August 15, 2024 -- Another nice day not to be wasted, I set off early again in the direction of the Brünig Pass, where the weather promised to be steady for the day. My plan was to start in the town of Lungern on the lake of the same name, just north of the pass, and walk along the lakeshore back to the town of Giswil, a stretch we had not done before, and part of the St.James Trail through Switzerland. 

Although I almost changed my mind to stay in the train to Meiringen (and take a bus to the Grosse Scheidegg from where I could walk down to Grindelwald), I'm glad I stuck to the first plan, as the time to travel home was much less from there! Plus it was really was a beautiful early morning, and I was lucky to have a breeze for the whole 10.5 km walk, so it was quite a pleasant day out for me. Visibility was also very good, and looking behind me as I walked, I even got to see some of the snow-covered peaks of the Bernese Alps. The colour of the lake is very beautiful as well, and the lake was full, which is much prettier than when the level is low.

Side note: As the east side of the lake was still in shadow by the time I got to Lungern at about 9 a.m., I found a bench on an interesting little island called the "Inseli" just off the lakeside path, where I enjoyed the early morning sunshine for half an hour before starting on my walk. 

Heading out by train from Luzern in the direction of the Brünig Pass to the south, the train passes Giswil which is the town where I ended my walk (after visiting the church in the photo). 

Higher up the train passes Lake Lungern. This is where I started my walk, along this side of the lake. In the center is the bell tower from the original church from the 14th Century. I went up the tower as well. At this time of the morning (8:45), there is still a lot of shade where I am planning to walk. 

Heading down to the lakefront

On the east side of the lake is a small path heading north. There is this little "island" here with sunshine and several benches, so I sat here for about 30 minutes waiting for more sunshine along the lakeside trail. 

The south and west side of the lake, as seen from the island. 

There's the bench I sat on for ½ hour before starting on my walk.  

The view from my bench, looking north

At 9:40 I started on my walk. This is a look back at the island where I sat for a while. It was very peaceful and pleasant there. 

This photo from the Internet shows what the "Inseli" (Little Island) looks like from above. It's very pretty there, a real park!

Heading out on my day's walk. 

This is the first part of my hike, along the east side of Lake Lungern. It's an easy walk of about 5 km. The official St.James Trail (National Trail no.4) follows the west side of the lake, which we have done twice.

There is the bell-tower from the original church. It was just a small detour to go have a look. We see this bell tower from the train every time we pass here (which is often) and I have long wanted to go have a look. 

The old bell-tower, built in 1385 and renovated in 1991, is the only part of the original church which still stands. I was pleased that the tower was accessible, and I climbed up for the view. 

In the bell-tower of a 1385-built tower, the oldest construction in the region. 

Watching the train from the Zentralbahn on its way to the Brünig Pass

Farmers are busy as they ride their tractors down the road. 

Heading back down to the lakeshore path to continue on my walk.

Attempting some self-timed photos along the way!

Interesting barn

The trail leaves the lakeshore for a while, and I look back at the old bell-tower as I head uphill. In the back is the Brünig Pass which forms the passage from Canton Obwalden to Canton Bern. 

Looking down at Lake Lungern. We have walked along the west and south side of the lake on two other occasions. 

Through lovely pasturelands as I continue northwards. 

Looking north along Lungerersee

This lake is very popular with fishermen. You see many fishing boats on this lake all the time, and often people fishing from the shores as well. 

From this vantage point I look down at where the main road joins the freeway through the tunnel which circumvents the town of Lungern, which is really nice as there was little vehicle traffic in Lungern. On this north side they are currently building another tunnel so that the traffic will also circumvent the small community of Kaiserstuhl at the north end of the lake. 

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As the walking trail is always near the railway line, 

I was able to watch the small red train pass by often!

Now the trail goes back to lake level, with more nice views to the south. 

A close-up look at some of the taller mountains in the Bernese Alps

Along this final stretch were many more people, as the Canton Road through Kaiserstuhl follows the lakeshore before entering the freeway tunnel, and there are parking spots, so tourists stop for a short stroll along the lake. 

On the north shore of the lake. 

There is so much traffic on the two-lane Canton Road through the small community of Kaiserstuhl. Maybe they will be happy when the freeway tunnel is completed?

By 11:10 (90 minutes after leaving the island) I have reached Kaiserstuhl at the north end of the lake. 

View south across the entire lake from its northern shore. 

Another zoomed view of the snow-covered peaks to the south. 

And now I start on the second part of the hike, the descent to the town of Giswil. From this point on, I am following National Trail no.4: "Via Jakobi", or "St.James Trail". 

The second section of my walk, from Kaiserstuhl at the north end of Lake Lungerersee to the town of Giswil along the St.James Trail, was another 4.6 kilometers, for a total of over 10 kilometers. 

The little train station in Kaiserstuhl

My first view of Giswil, no longer in shadow! (It's now 11:30)

There goes the next train on the way to the Brünig Pass! (This is a very popular stretch, as it is the fastest and most scenic stretch from Lucerne to Interlaken, so mostly there are tourists on the train). 

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The train from Zentralbahn heading north toward Lake Lungernsee

This was my lunch-bench for the day, with a good view of Giswil, and a nice breeze so it wasn't hot. I stayed here for quite a while as well. 

A zoomed view of the church in Giswil, which I detoured to before heading to the train station. 

To the south I can still see the snow-covered peaks

Heading on again, I cross a bridge over the railway line and watch the next train heading north toward Luzern. 

After a short forested section, I have to cross a passerelle over the new highway they are building here. This will be the new detour tunnel around Kaiserstuhl 

They are avidly building the new tunnel to circumvent Kaiserstuhl. Currently, there is a lot of traffic on the original winding road. 

The purpose of this large passerelle seems to be primarily to join the walking trail I was on, to the other side of the road!

Now the long straight stretch into Giswil, after another forested section. 

Another close-up look at the church, where I am now headed. 

Crossing the river called Giswileraa which comes down from Lake Lungerersee, and a look southwest to the massif called Giswilerstock. 

Here is the next train headed down from Kaiserstuhl to Giswil. On this stretch, as well as from Lungern to the Brünig Pass, the train has to set its gears into the cogs along the railway line because of the steep incline. 

A lovely small path called the Historical Trail leads to the parish church of Giswil

The parish church of St.Anton is the "Church on the Hill", where once a fortress built in the 1300's by the Lords of Hunwil stood. This is the second church here after the fortress, completed in 1635.

Some pretty houses at the foot of the church hill

Looking down at the houses from the church grounds

On the wall surrounding the church is a placard with history of both the church and the original fortress, of which some small section of the original wall still remains. 

The little chapel next to the church was originally an ossuary, but when I peeked inside, I saw that it is now a room for displaying a casket for viewing before burial. It also was built mid-17th-Century.

The church was built in the early 1600's with three altars

Other details inside the Baroque church of St.Anton 

After having a look at the church, I head back down to the other river which flows through Giswil, namely the Laui river which comes down from the hills to the west. These covered wooden bridges are always impressive. 

Another 15 minutes along the river to the train station. It's 13:17 now, and I want to catch the 13:35 train! So some quick walking is required!

The riverside path toward the train station. 

A very realistic-looking sculpture of a wood-pecker

Behind me is the church, and on the right is Mt. Giswilerstock. (We have walked in the section further behind the main peak once before). 

Crossing the bridge over the other river again, the Giswileraa, with a look to the south. Above the middle section is Lake Lungernsee. 

It's 13:29 and I made it in good time for the 13:35 train to Lucerne, already waiting at the station. 

The full section of what I walked this day, from Lungern on Lake Lungerersee to Giswil

These are the hikes we have done around Lake Lungerersee and to/from the Brünig Pass. 

On the way to Lucerne, the train passes along another beautiful lake called the Sarnersee. 

Mt. Stanserhorn

Location of Lungern and Giswil within Switzerland. This is near the Brünig Pass, from where you cross from Canton Obwalden to Canton Bern. (The train line is a good connection between Lucerne and Interlaken, but on this day the trains were not running between Meiringen and Interlaken because of damage due to the massive storms on the 12th of August.