Zug Back-Country from Menzigen into the Aegeri Valley

Saturday March 22, 2025 -- Because Urs had a previous commitment on this lovely day, we could only start on another walk in the afternoon. So it made sense to pick something close to home once again. This time we headed to the region of Lake Aegeri, just east of our local mountain Mt. Zug.

To get to the starting point of our walk in Menzingen, it was only a 30-minute bus ride from home, and from there we walked through the farming country of Canton Zug, over a small pass called the Kistenpass, to the look-out point above Lake Aegeri where we had great late afternoon visibility of the Schwyzer and Glaner Alps, and then descended along the "Aegeri Valley Panorama Trail". The bus ride home was just 24 minutes, but we just missed the 17:20 bus and had to wait 15 minutes for the next one. Luckily this was just before the sun went down!

Along the way we passed a "Besenbeiz", which is a private farm set up with outdoor seating and where the farmer serves refreshments. So to support our local hard-working farmers, we stopped there for a coffee and Panaché, our go-to refreshment on our summer hikes!

Starting in Menzingen at 2 p.m. It's a bit late for us to start a hike, but Urs had a commitment in the morning. Still, it's only a 30-minute bus ride from home to here. We had previously started two other hikes from here. (2018 and 2020)

The sign hanging on the house describes the business: Schwanen Hotel (Swan Hotel). 

We look back a the Monastery buildings as we head south from Menzingen. This is a Franziskan Abbey and the headquarters of the "Sisters of the Holy Cross" Order, founded in 1844 and now spread to 14 locations around the world. 

A close-up look at the town of Menzingen as we head south. (In retrospect, although we have started three hikes here, I have no photos of the church interior!)

To the northeast, we can see all the way to Mount Säntis!

Just 20 minutes after starting on our walk, we came across this spectacular tree! I guessed it was a linden tree, which was confirmed when we later did an Internet search. The Menzingen community website lists this as a landmark called the "Dichterlinde" ("Poet's Linden"). Apparently, it was common during medieval times for survivors of the plague to plant linden trees in the hopes of preventing further calamity. 

The magnificent Dichterlinde

Our trail takes us up above that rise. 

Another close-up view of Mt. Säntis and the Alpstein range. 

Typical farmhouses in this region. 

View behind us to the north as we continue on the first small uphill stretch. This farm is called Schurtannen. 

Directly to the north and past the town of Menzingen, you can just make out the city of Zurich at the north end of Lake Zurich. 

Zoomed view of the city of Zurich past the Albis mountain range on the left, which separates Lake Zurich from the Zug region. 

To the northeast we can see Lake Zurich (close-up view). 

Having reached the top of the first small rise, a farm-cat joins Urs for some attention!

From here we can see the summit of Mt. Rigi (i.e. Rigi Kulm) almost directly to the south.  

And in the west, Mt. Pilatus looms large.

Our walks in the Swiss countryside are just the best when the cows are out in the pastures. These had no cow bells, so the whole sight was really quiet! 

Even the sections of forest trail are lovely today. 

Inside this wayside chapel (Fürschwandkapelle) is an inscription in old-time script, dated 1531, concerning a religious battle that took place nearby (at Gubel) where locals (Catholics) gathered to pray before the fight, which they won (as they believe) with the help of "Mary, Mother of God".

Around a corner the Schwyzer Alps loom large before us due to the effect of the Föhn winds today. We figure the mountain on the left is the Mythen, not readily recognized from this vantage point. 

We saw a sign called "Martha's Besenbeiz" at the Fürschwand farm near the chapel, and we stopped by for something to drink. There were picnic tables set up in the barn, and the farmer's wife took our orders for coffee and beer and prepared it in her kitchen!

We called these cement blocks "Toblerone", but they are part of a tank defense line. In fact, this region was the northern part of a defense region to prevent Germany from accessing the Alps. 

The landscape certainly looks like there might once have been a defense line here. (We ended up walking along the trail at the arrow, and then taking a detour back to the look-out point at the cross behind that row of trees). 

More of these beautiful snow-covered mountains, as we get to a small pass called Kistenpass. (From here we could have descended to Oberägeri further to the east along the lake, but we chose to go down to Unterägeri to the east with a detour to the cross at the look-out point). 

At just after 4 p.m. we decided to make a detour to the cross for a view of Lake Aegerisee. (We had already been past this look-out point once before, in April of 2018 (photos HERE). 

We had somewhat better visibility on this afternoon than we did last time we were here in 2018!

Lovely view of Lake Aegerisee

A zoomed view to the south: We think those are the Mythen mountains on the left, a view we are not familiar with. 

Toward the southwest we see past the houses in Unterägeri to the stretched-out hill that is Mt.Zug, and Mt. Pilatus in the center, Mt.Rigi on the left. 

We didn't stay long, just 10 minutes, as there was a bit of cold wind blowing up here. 

We passed this cross on our previous hike here as well, and from here we descended partly on the same trail as last time. It is one of several such crosses on the pilgrim trail between Aegeri and Einsiedeln. 

Heading down along the Alpine Panorama Trail, a section of trail we have walked before. 

Cool tree!

There must have been several babies in the pasture of sheep ahead, as the bleating was unbearably loud!

Most of these sheep are white with black necks and heads. These could be Dorper Sheep, a South-African breed. 

A sheep farm with lots of bleating!

VIDEO:

I took a video to try to record the loud bleating from the flock of sheep!

This is a weird skinny house!

We discovered we were walking on a trail called the "Aegeri Valley Panorama Trail"!

Definitely panorama! This is the first time we walked on this path. It looks like it was created not too long ago. 

View across the town of Unterägeri. In the background is Mt.Rossberg, kind of a continuation of Mt. Zug. On the south side of that range is the town of Goldau, the victim of one of the worst rockslides in Switzerland's history in 1806. (Next to the Basel Earthquake of 1356, this was the largest natural disaster in recorded history). 

A look behind us at Lake Aegeri as we walk along this very nice panorama trail. At this point it was just after 5 p.m. 

This cat squeezed under the fence just so it could say "Hi" to Urs. 

At 17:17 we were headed down this last set of steps, but just missed the 17:20 bus at the bottom. Luckily we only had to wait 15 minutes for the next bus, for the 24-minute trip home!

What our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps, starting in Menzingen at 2 p.m., and reaching the bus stop at Unterägeri at 5:20 p.m. 

All the hikes that we have done in the region of Mt.Zug and Lake Aegeri (Aegerisee). 

An Afternoon walk near the Albis Range, from Aeugst to Mettmenstetten

Thursday March 20, 2025 -- Another beautiful day with great visibility, so I needed to go out again, preferably higher up where I could get a good view of the Alps. 

For this I don't even have to go far, as the communities along the Albis mountain range just North of our town have great views of the Alps. (Although the Albis Range separates Lake Zurich from Lake Zug, the region I walked is still part of Canton Zurich). We have walked there many times, but I was able to find a path that we had mostly not yet walked. 

To get to the starting point of my hike (the Auegst Valley), it was only a 40-minute trip by train and bus, from where I walked on forest trails to the village of Auegst where I sat on a sunny bench above the town for a time enjoying the views. Continuing on down to the Jonen River and up again on a forest trail, I finally ended with a descent through the town of Mettmenstetten, for the 35-minute trip home.

In all, it was a hike of almost 9 kilometers, and I was, once again, able to enjoy the fantastic views of the mountains which we had all week. 

From the train station in Affoltern am Albis (an alternative railway line from Zug to Zurich), a bus heads up toward the town of Auegst, but I got out here at the little community of Müliberg, so that I could walk through the forest of the Auegsterberg "mountain" and approach Aeugst from above. 

On my map, there was a small connecting road through the village, but as I reached the end, it was roped off so that a couple of little cows could enjoy the sunshine in the space between the barn and the farmhouse. I didn't feel like going back, so I stepped over the two electrified wires. The little cow was cute, though. And plays tetherball! And also seems to have a Christmas tree. 

The cute houses in Müliberg

To the east I can see into the Auegster Valley, and the village of the same name (Auegstertal). The mountain range here is called the Albis, and separates this side from Lake Zurich. 

A look back at the houses of Müliberg as I now head onto the forest trail. 

After a bus ride from the train station in Affoltern to Müliberg, I walked to Auegst along the base of Auegsterberg, then down to the Jonen River, up through the forest again, and then finally through Mettmenstetten to the train station there. This is only about a 35-minute trip with public transport. I started at about 11:30, and got back on the train at 3:10 p.m. 

Once I emerged from the forest at the outskirts of Auegst, I got the first view of the Alps. Dominating the landscape is Mt.Pilatus on the right, and to its left you can see the Eiger North Face, and the Bernese Alps. 

Before heading down into the town, I discovered this perfectly-situated bench, where I changed into lighter clothes, had a snack, and enjoyed the weather and the view for about a half an hour. It is currently exactly noon. 

Toward the southeast are the Glarus Alps. 

Trying to get at least one photo with me on it!

A view to the Bernese Alps and the Pilatus range across the roofs of Auegst am Albis. There is a strip of fog or mist hanging over Luzern. Along the line of trees in the center is the Jonen River, which I will walk down to and then up again on my way to Mettmenstetten. 

A close-up of the village church as I now make my way down the hill at 12:40

Another lovely half-timbered house next to the local church

Near the Evangelical Church in Aeugst am Albis. 

Lovely roses on someones grave

Interior of the small Evangelical church in Auegst. Built in 1667, it was renovated in 1967 and placed under National Monument Protection. 

A look behind me at the church as I descend into the town. 

Buzzards and kites abound in our region (this one is a kite). 

Beyond that line of trees I will descend into the small valley of the Jonen River. 

The road takes me down past the farm buildings on the left. I am standing near a tree full of mistletoe. 

A great view of the mountains. This time it's to the southeast to the Uri Alps. In particular you can recognize Mt. Schärhorn at the Klausen Pass (just right of center). 

A look behind me at the town of Auegst as I continue on my walk. 

Heading down to the Jonen River, I first pass through this farming community called Wängibad. 

In Switzerland, kids go home for lunch. Here in Wängibad at 1:15 p.m., a couple of kids are being picked up by the "school bus" to return to school for the afternoon!

This funny chicken with the mohawk hairdo was trying desperately to get back into the chicken pen!

Crossing the Jonen River, and from there I continue up a long set of steps into the next forest section!

Back in May of 2021, we did a long walk in this region, coming down from Lake Thürlersee all along the Jonen River and passing by here. (Those photos are HERE)

Lovely steps up through the forest. 

Sunny trail. I am not used to walking uphill any more, and even this small section was tough!

After another forest section, I reach the edge of the forest above the town of Mettmenstetten. 

From here you can see Lake Zug and Mt.Rigi beyond the lake, to the south. 

After another break at a bench above Mettmenstetten, I made my long way down to the train station. another 30 minutes. There were some nice houses along the way. 

Looking behind me on the nice path down through the town... I think this used to be the old mill. 

Heading down to and past the town's church. (I didn't go inside this time, as we have looked at this church before, in November of 2023, when we also ended a walk here. These are those PHOTOS). 

A Gasthaus in the center of town. 

The landscape is starting to get some colour!

Heading back to Zug by train at just after 3 p.m. we pass by the houses of Mettmenstetten. At the arrow above is where I had the second break at a bench before heading down to the train station here. 

The blue trail is the one I did this day, from Aeugsterberg (the small hill) to Mettmenstetten. And the others are various hikes in the area in the past years. 

Location of Aeugst and Mettmenstetten within Switzerland, close to where we live in Zug.