Short Walk between Mogelsberg and Brunnadern in the Necker Valley

Tuesday October 28, 2025 -- I went to visit a friend in Mogelsberg in the Toggenburg region of Eastern Switzerland (Canton St.Gallen), with the plan for a nice afternoon walk afterwards, as the weather forecast was for cloudy in the morning and sunshine in the afternoon. Unfortunately it was just the other way around, and for the four-kilometer walk to the train station in Brunnadern after my visit, the sun was hidden for most of the time. And then, being as the sun sets sooner now, by 3 p.m. I was already in the shadow of the low hills to the west, as I walked southwards in the valley bottom next to the Necker River.

Nevertheless, it wasn't cold, and the sun did sometimes shine onto the colourful forests on the east side of the river. So here are a few photos of the lovely fall colours. One thing I did notice: With all the rain we have had lately, the lovely meadow paths which we usually prefer over paved roads were very muddy and slippery, so it's that time of year to start walking on roads.... 

Also, I like to "join" trails, and this little 5.5-km walk nicely joined starting and ending points of other walks we have done in this area. 

It's less than a two-hour trip to visit my friend in Mogelsberg, but requires about four connections with bus and train. This here is when the train from Pfäffikon arrives in Rapperswil 

Along the way, the train passes via Lichtensteig, a village I still haven't visited but really want to!

This is the landscape I will be walking through later, after my visit. 

The train arrives at the Mogelsberg station at 10:08 (having left home at 8:25), but the station is down in the valley and you have to walk 15 minutes into the village. 

First I had to walk 15 minutes from the Mogelsberg train station into the village. Then, after my visit (I left again at about 2:15 p.m.) I headed down to the Necker River and walked another four kilometers to the train station in Brunnadern, which I reached at 3:25 p.m. 

After visiting my friend (her house is on the right, next to the Gasthaus Löwen), I headed out on my afternoon walk at 2:15 p.m. 

This is the village church, where my friend works. She took us on a grand tour of the bell tower back in August 2023. This church, built in 1810, is shared by both local Catholics and Protestants. 

Another interesting house in the typical style of the Toggenburg region. 

This is the village school. 

And now I start my descent into the Necker Valley. The village at the back, which I will walk through on my way to the train station in Brunnadern is called Necker. 

Crossing the railway line. (Well, via a tunnel beneath the line). There is just a small amount of sunshine, unfortunately. 

The cows are still enjoying being outside. The ground was very wet though, and the trail through the pasture was slick and hard to walk down. 

I love it when the cows watch me walk past. 

Bridge over the Necker River. 

View down the Necker River. 

This trail is part of the aptly named Regional Trail no.92: "Neckerweg" (Necker Trail). 

A relatively newly-built farmhouse. A cat approached me from the building on the right, but it was scruffy and had only one eye. Poor thing. 

Down below is the village of Necker; until the 19th Century it was called Neckerthal. 

This information panel explains that the Necker River was notorious for its fast-rising waters, flooding the valley bottom. In the 19th Century, there also existed therapeutic baths, and both spinning and weaving mills, employing 635 people. 

The only photo of me on this walk! Heading down into the village of Necker now, where the trail follows the river into the next town of Brunnadern. I'm in the shadow of the mountain already on this side, with sunshine on the other!

Another gorgeous farmhouse. It's not even 3 p.m. yet, but this part of the valley is already in shadow. 

On the other side of the village of Necker is the railway viaduct. And sunshine on the eastern hills!

The trail follows the river here. (Well actually, the official trail was higher up and through the forest, but I chose the road next to the river instead). 

Another section of railway viaduct, and the beautiful fall colours. It's almost over, though....

A bridge across the Necker River with a nice view of the railway viaduct. I didn't actually cross here, as the trail continues along the west side of the river. 

The trail continues along the west side of the Necker River. 

At 15:24 I was across from the train station at Brunnadern, which is the end of my hike. Unfortunately (and rather unusual), there is no over- or underpass here, so you have to walk quite a bit further past the train station and return to it from the south. 

Through a little opening between two hills, I can see some snow-covered mountains, probably part of the Alpstein Massif. 

Here are the buildings at the south end of Brunnadern. I was about 20 minutes too early for the 15:52 train (from here only 1 hour and 45 minutes to home), but I didn't go into the village to look around, as we had already been through here on a superb hike in November 2024. 

The 15:52 train, right on time. From here I return via Rapperswil/Pfäffikon/Thalwil and was back home by 5:45 p.m.

These are the hikes we have done in this part of the Toggenburg region. 

Heading out of Wattwil toward the Ricken Tunnel, I always enjoy this view of the Churfirsten mountains, even with the three highrise buildings in the front. 

A look in the direction of the Glarus Alps as the train heads along the Obersee Lake toward Rapperswil. 

Next to the land bridge between Rapperswil and Pfäffikon, which separates the Upper and Lower portions of Lake Zurich, is a lovely wooden pedestrian bridge, which we walked once about 10 years ago... it would be time to do it again!

From the passerelle bridge at Thalwil train station is the fabulous view of the Glärnisch Massif in the evening sunlight. 

Location of the Necker Valley within Switzerland.