Short Afternoon Walk Nearby from Kappel a.Albis to Blickensdorf

Wednesday April 9, 2025 -- On this lovely day, Urs' day off, he had appointments in the morning and in late afternoon, so we couldn't really go far for our mid-week excursion. This was OK with me as I had done a 14-km walk the day before (photos HERE). So we headed into the hills north of our home, to the village of Kappel below the Albis mountain range in Canton Zurich, a 30-minute bus ride from here.

From there we walked a path we hadn't walked yet (we have done a lot of walking in this region!), a 6-kilometer walk on both forest and pasture trails, down to the community of Blickensdorf near Baar. It was only a 90-minute walk, but it was a hot afternoon and Urs still has pain when walking. It was just fine for a nice afternoon walk.

Kappel am Albis, the start of our hike, is the site of an ancient Cistercian Monastery, grounded in 1185, and we have visited the church building there twice before, so didn't go in this time. (November 2023 and August 2017). 

Along the way we enjoyed a large variety of flowering trees and bushes, some nice half-timbered houses, cows in the pastures and a buzzard on a branch much too small. Also, and always interesting, we crossed Canton border lines along the way, starting in Canton Zurich, and ending in Canton Zug.

It takes only 30 minutes by bus to get here, to the Monastery buildings in Kappel a.Albis. The bus stop is right next to this pond. 

The Cistercian Abbey church in Kappel, built in the 13th and 14th Centuries, is apparently one of the best preserved early Gothic buildings in Switzerland. We did not stop there this time, as we have seen the interior twice before. (2017 and 2023)

Houses in Kappel am Albis

One of many large blossoming trees we saw along the way. 

And here was a magnificent magnolia tree. 

A look back at the buildings surrounding the Abbey Church as we start out on our walk at about 2:30 p.m. 

At about 2:30 p.m. we started our walk in Kappel am Albis in Canton Zurich, via Uerzlikon (where I had ended a hike in April 2015) and through the forest, crossing the Canton Border into Canton Zug, and ending in Blickensdorf. Originally we wanted to walk to the train station in Baar, but there was a bus coming within a few minutes of our arriving there, so we ended the hike there. 

A look behind us as at the road we came down. Behind the village is the mountain range called Albis, which separates this region from Lake Zurich. 

Another close-up look at Kappel am Albis. 

My Dad used to have a tractor almost exactly like this. 

Past these large-growth trees we spotted a large bird high up on the skinniest of branches!

It always amazes me that these large birds can sit on such skinny branches!

A gorgeous bird of prey: The Common Buzzard. 

We are enjoying all the blossoming trees during this beautiful spring season!

After a stretch through the forest, we got to the next village called Uerzlikon. There were many pretty houses here.  

I also love the way many of these homeowners decorate their properties. So many loving details!

Another fabulous blossoming tree, pink this time. 

This cute little building is across from the bus stop in Uerzlikon. This is where I ended a my short walk from Knonau back in April 2015. 

More Magnolias

More white blossoms

More half-timbered houses. 

And the daffodils are at their peak right now!

More very pretty houses, still in Uerzlikon

What a fantastic house

This one is particularly cute because of the tiny half-timbered house next to the flag-pole!

At this time of year, the new leaves on the willow trees add a special green to the countryside. And it's so nice to see the cows out in the pastures again. 

Soon all of these trees will be blossoming as well. And far to the south we get a glimpse of the peaks in the Schwyzer Alps south of Lake Zug. 

At this point we have reached the Canton border. I am standing in Canton Zug, and Urs is still in Canton Zurich, taking a photo of me. 

Originally we were going to walk all the way to the Baar train station, at least 20 minutes more than the bus stop at Blickensdorf, where we then ultimately ended the hike (90 minutes instead of two hours) because there was a bus just arriving there. 

A view over the city of Baar as we descend to the bus stop in Blickensdorf

Such pretty blossoms!

And now the tulips are starting to show their colours!

This is what our walk looks like on Google Satellite Maps (blue trail). We had done several other walks in this region close to our home, but other than a short piece near Kappel am Albis, it was a path we had not yet walked before. 

Short Afternoon Walk in the Zug Back-Country (Neuheim to Baar)

Tuesday March 4th, 2025 -- After so much fog, we are finally having a week of sunshine and warmer temperatures, so I try to take advantage of time outside, preferably with a short walk. 

On Monday I spent a short amount of time at the lakeshore, but there were too many barking dogs and people on their cell phones. So for Tuesday, since I had something I needed to pick up in a shop at the north end of the neighbouring town of Baar, I planned to take the bus to Sihlbrugg (further to the north) and walk back the five kilometres to the shop, mostly on a forest road at the base of a small hill called Baarburg. 

Because of a bus delay that the passengers weren’t informed of, I missed my connecting bus, which turned out OK for me, as only a few minutes later a different bus arrived, headed to a nearby village called Neuheim, which surprisingly was a village we had never actually been to yet! From there I joined my originally-planned trail, with nice views over the village all the way to the snow-covered mountains in the eastern part of Switzerland. Along the way there were three church buildings to check out. And how surprised was I to see the forest floor already sprouting with bear garlic, a sure sign of spring!

I started my walk shortly before 2 p.m. at the bus stop in Neuheim. Obviously, the first thing I am doing is heading to that church. 

Houses in Neuheim

Main square in front of the church. The building on the left is the "Gemeindehaus" or Town Hall. 

Across from the square was this very beautiful half-timbered house. Unfortunately the Power Company was doing some work there and parked the truck right in front of the building. 

Next to the church is a smaller chapel. According to the placard on the wall, there was an ossuary here in 1509, but the current cemetery chapel was built in 1724. The door was locked. 

This is the inside of the church in Neuheim, called "Maria Geburt" (Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary). Since medieval times, this has been a pilgrim church.

Back of the church with the organ. 

A look back at the church and a fun playground, as I head out of the village. 

The route I took from Neuheim to Baar was about 30 minutes longer than I had originally intended, as I was going to start in Sihlbrugg. Descending from Neuheim, I joined the trail I was planning to walk anyhow, at the Ruessenhof farm near Walterswil. I then walked along the forest road on the west side of Baarburg. 

Outside of the city of Zug is a lot of agricultural land, with lots of farms and loads of green grass, even in winter. I am headed to the left. 

On a rise to the west of the town you get this view over Neuheim and far away to the hills to the east. 

In the back are the mountains in eastern Switzerland close to the border with Liechtenstein. 

Far to the east you can see all the way to Mount Säntis, on the left (close-up view). 

An even closer view of Mt.Säntis

After spending some time admiring the views to the east, I descended through the forest toward Sihlbrugg. 

What a surprise to see the forest floor all covered in bear garlic! This is a definite sign of Spring on its way!

Enjoying the trail through the sun-dappeled forest. 

At 3 p.m. I got to the farm at Ruessenhof. We passed this farm once before on a hike we did through here in 2017 when we started on the Lorze River near the Baar Caves  (photos HERE). 

A look back at the lovely half-timbered house at Ruessenhof.

The next stop is the church in Walterswil. It sounded and looked like a school here, and I discovered later it is currently the site of an International School. This site was once an important Health Resort and Spa from the 1700's onwards. 

A very cool and very old covered walkway joins the school building with the church. This whole site is under Federal Monument Protection. 

Although the building itself is fairly new (built in 1903 to replace the original chapel here, which was an important pilgrim stop on the trade route between Zurich and the Gotthard region), the interior fixtures were taken over from the original building, especially the Pièta above the left side altar, created in Zurich in 1520. (Of which I didn't make a photo).  

An interesting corner organ and a beautiful stained-glass window. 

More details of the inside of this church. It is apparently very popular for weddings. 

I discovered a bunch of snow-bells in the grass next to the church. So exciting! Another sign of Spring. 

After Walterswil, I entered the forest on the west side of the little mountain called Baarburg, and walked on this road for about two kilometers. 

At this junction, just 15 minutes from the bus stop in Baar (near the shop which I first went to), the trail descended into a cute little gully, before emerging into a clearing at the Heiligkreuz Chapel.  

A short section of lovely footpath through the woods, only five minutes to walk. 

And a little bridge, which I love. 

Out of the forest now at a clearing called Bruederhus is a lovely large wooden house. Also here is a small detour to a chapel called "Heiligkreuz" (Holy Cross). 

I did a little detour to the Holy Cross Chapel here. 

Heiligkreuzkapelle (Holy Cross Chapel). The first chapel here was built in 1642.

Inscription above the door on the inside informs us that the cross above the altar was created in 1737 by a wood carver from Schwyz. 

A look behind me to Bruederhus and the Holy Cross Chapel as I make my way to the main road now. I finished my walk at 4 p.m., so it was just over two hours of walking, and about 7 kilometers.  

What my walk looks like on Google Satellite Maps, starting in Neuheim and walking to the north side of the town of Baar. From here it was a 20-minute trip back home, bus/train/bus!

These are all the hikes we have done in the region of Baar and Sihlbrugg. The only other time we got close to Neuheim was at the end of the 2015 walk from Finstersee (see photos HERE), although we caught the bus below the village on the main road.