A Swiss Tradition: The Alpabzug (Alpine Cattle Descent)

Saturday October 1, 2016 -- The Alpabzug in Switzerland is basically that time of year when the cattle which had been grazing at higher altitudes get brought down to lower pastures before the first snows fall. This happens usually mid-September / early October depending on regions. The farmers lead their cows from the higher pastures on hikes of about 10 km or more.

It has long been a tradition that to celebrate this event, the cows are fancifully decorated with their huge bells, handmade leather embroidered collars, and headdresses or waist girdles of flowered wreaths and state flags. The herds are brought through the villages in procession, with the owners proudly representing their farms and families, and sometimes laboriously navigating the tired cows through the gathered crowds. 

But it's a wonderful sight, and depending on area can attract crowds of 10,000 or more. The number of cows on parade can be anywhere up to 1500 or so. The community then also organizes food and entertainment (consisting naturally of yodeling and alphorns). These events have in fact become so popular that the communities are starting to have problems with traffic control.

The Alpabzug that we witnessed on Saturday was a small one in Kerns in Central Switzerland, with about 400 animals descending from higher pastures, including a few sheep or goats. I loved it!  

I put together a little video, it's worth watching HERE, or view at the end of this blog entry.   

Town Square in Kerns, Central Switzerland. Waiting for the cows to come down from alpine pastures

Entertainment with Alp Horns while waiting for the cows.

Family members proudly advertise their farms

Fanciful decorations

These tired cows have sometimes walked 10 km or more.

Sheep and goats also come down from higher pastures.

Sheep and goats also come down from higher pastures.

This interesting goat was a bit much to handle for the young farmer!

And then there was this random decorated tractor....

Farmer children wait with their parents to watch their cows come down the road. They will join the parade later.

It takes a lot of work and manpower to keep the animals moving in the right direction.

Such a pretty cow!

Heading down the road toward the village square.

We were offered some very weak coffee laced with schnapps. That's the traditional mountain coffee!

The next group coming down the hill toward the town.

Getting them through the village streets can also be a bit complicated.

And at the very end we got to enjoy a bit of traditional Swiss yodeling.

Quick Hike after Work: Kerns to Sarnen South of Lucerne

 (This post created on June 5, 2025, from a text posted to Facebook)

Wednesday April 8, 2015 -- Spring is finally here with some warmer weather and the longer days... so we decided we can even meet up after work for an evening hike somewhere other than our regular walk along the lake. So last Wednesday I met Urs in Lucerne at 4 pm, and by 5 pm we started our 2-hour hike in Kerns, a village near Lake Sarnen somewhat south of Lucerne. (Actually, there was a cheese shop there that I wanted to buy a special cheese from, but of course they were closed on Wednesday afternoon!) 

So we hiked up the hill to a small chapel to eat our pasta salad, then walked along the St.James Trail (Part of the Camino de Santiago within Switzerland) and went to see the "High Bridge", which is the highest covered wooden bridge in Europe (100m above the river at the bottom of the gorge. I couldn't photograph the gorge because it was in shadow, but my knees got weak looking down.). From there we walked back down to Sarnen, and were home by 8:30 p.m. It was a lovely 8-km hike, but I couldn't do it every evening!

Having met at about 4 p.m. in Luzern, the train now takes us on a 25-minute trip to Sarnen. Along the way we enjoy the view of Mt.Pilatus, which is the main mountain in Luzern. 

Heading south along Lake Alpnachsee, the view is to the Obwalden Alps of Central Switzerland.  

This is the view of the Obwalden Alps from the bus station at Sarnen, as we wait for the bus to the starting point of our hike in the village of Kerns. 

Starting at 4:50 p.m. in Kerns (which we reached on a 20-minute bus ride from Sarnen), we first headed up to the little chapel at St.Antoni, a 30-minute walk from here. (I had done this same stretch the year before on my own, and wanted to show the little chapel to Urs). 

Starting at just before 5 p.m. in Kerns, we headed up the hill to the St.Anton Chapel, then along a piece of the St.Jame Trail and down to the "Hohe Brücke" and after that down the hill again to the train station in Sarnen, where we caught a train back to Luzern at just after 7:30 p.m. In all it was a 7½-km walk... 

Walking along the main road in Kerns (A look behind us to where the bus stop was). 

Those cute little wooden buildings are called Spycher. They are actually grainaries with living quarters above them. We see them all over Switzerland. 

The mountains had just gotten new snow a few days before, and they look fantastic!

Leaving the main road now for the smaller path which goes up the hill. Lovely weather for this early evening walk!

Some very pretty farm-houses here. 

Eating homemade pasta salad on the porch of the little St.Anton Chapel (5:30 p.m.). This chapel was originally built in 1540, but rebuilt in 1639. 

These photos, taken on my May 2014 visit to this chapel, show some very interesting frescoes around the entrance door. 

Inside of the little chapel. The right side altar still dates from the 1639 build, but the left side altar is from 1860. The most recent restoration from 1974 exposed some very nice paintings and frescoes. 

A look back at the chapel as we continue on our walk after a 20-minute break here, heading south. 

Walking along the St.James Trail in Canton Obwalden. 

Along the St.James Trail. Our shadows are getting long!

A really nice foot-path here. 

Looking to the north, we get a very nice look at Mt.Pilatus. 

Panorama view to the north: Mt. Pilatus on the left, Mt.Stanserhorn on the right. 

Down below we catch sight of the bridge over the ravine. We're headed down that way. Lake Sarnen (Sarnersee) is in the background. 

Down below on the right is the bridge. Far in the distance and just barely visible is the church in Ranft, the village where Nicholas von der Flüe, (later Switzerland's Patron Saint) was born and had a family before he moved into the ravine to live as a hermit. 

At 6:50 p.m. we got to the "Hohe Brücke" (High Bridge) which spans the Grosse Melchaa River,  which comes down out of the Melch Valley. One of 200 covered bridges in Switzerland, this one happens to be the highest covered bridge in Europe, lying exactly 100 meters above the river. The bridge was built by the military in 1943 during the Second World War. 

A look at the bridge from its south side. (Afterwards, we are continuing down the mountain along that path on the left). 

The highest covered bridge in Europe: "Die Höhe Brücke" ("The High Bridge"), with a 30-meter span 100 meters above the Grosse Melchaa River. 

As we head down the hill, we get views of Lake Sarnen. 

A small trail follows the edge of the forest. It's 7:20 p.m. now and the sun is about to go down. 

Here on the way down into the town of Sarnen is an outdoor "worship" site. It's called a "Lourdes Grotto". The sun has gone down now. 

This is what our walk looks like on Google Satellite Maps. 

Heading back along Lake Alpnachsee toward Luzern at 7:45 p.m. Same view as about three hours earlier.... 

Following the Bruder Klausen Weg from Kerns to Flüeli via Ranft

(This post published on Aug.5, 2023)

May 20, 2014 -- A lovely Spring day means I can get out and do some hiking on my own. I chose to do a short section along the St. James Pilgrim Trail, Switzerland's section of the popular European pilgrim trail called "Camino de Santiago", from Kerns to Flüeli in Canton Obwalden. 

Switzerland's most famous Saint, and in fact, the country's Patron Saint, is "Bruder Klaus" (Brother Klaus), originally Nicholas von Flüe, born in 1417 in a small village in Central Switzerland called Flüeli, where he married and raised 10 children before deciding (with the support of his family) to move into the ravine nearby to live a solitary life of prayer. He had always been involved in politics, and many people sought him out to settle disputes even in international business, so even as a hermit, he didn't have a totally solitary lifestyle. He died in 1487 and is buried in the burial chapel in the town of Sachseln on Lake Sarnen. In 1967 he was canonized as a Saint by Pope Pius XII.

I started my hike in the town of Sarnen, hiking uphill to the village of Kerns, and joining the St.James trail at the tiny chapel called St.Anton (or Antoni), with its superb frescoes on either side of the main door. Continuing on through the most lovely pastureland, with views of Lake Sarnen, I also visited the St.Niklausen chapel (oldest building -- 1350 -- in its original form in the community of Kerns, with a fabulous wood-panel ceiling) before descending into the ravine to look at Brother Klaus' hermitage and nearby chapel before finishing my 10-kilometer hike at the bus stop in Flüeli, next to the house where Brother Klaus had raised his family. In the end, it was a hike of over 3 hours!

Heading by train from Luzern to Sarnen along Lake Alpnach. (Alpnachersee)

Near the start of the hike from Sarnen to Kerns. That mountain ahead of me is Mt. Stanserhorn. I started at about 10:30.

Lovely pastoral landscapes and enjoyable walking trails. The mountains on the left are actually the Bernese Alps. 

The first snowbells are always a joy to discover

I got to Kerns at 11:10. Next stop is St.Antoni in 30 minutes, and St.Niklausen in just over an hour. 

It's a church-themed hike today. This is the parish church in Kerns

I could have started in Kerns, and then continued on from Flüeli to Sachseln, it would have been a better use of the 3 hours, but I didn't know this at this time. Ascending from the train station at Sarnen, I joined the Jakobi Trail at about the half-way point on this diagram, at the St. Antoni Chapel. I started at about 10:30, and got to Flüeli at 14:10

This is the St.Anton Chapel (built in 1540), where I joined the St.James trail which comes up from Stans from the left. I got here at 11:30.

The frescoes on the front of the St.Anton chapel are spectacular. 

The inside of the St.Anton chapel 

The bus station called Flüeli-Ranft is in the village called Flüeli (Ranft is the hamlet in the ravine where Brother Klaus lived as a hermit for 20 years). 1 hour and 20 minutes from here. This trail is part of both the St.James Trail no.4 and the TransSwiss Trail no.2, as well as the very specific themed trail no.571: "Bruder Klausen Weg"

Some very nice old farmhouses in this area. 

St. James Trail between Kerns and Flüeli-Ranft

A view down to Lake Sarnen. It always smells nice when the grass is freshly-mown. 

A look behind me at Mount Stanserhorn. There are other people on the pilgrim's trail!

Panorama view to the Northwest, to Mount Pilatus

There are such nice colours in the forests in springtime. The valley on the left is the Melch Valley. 

At first I had good weather, but then it got hot and muggy. 

Up ahead is the St.Niklausen chapel, next one to inspect on the pilgrim's trail. 

Another very attractive house!

The St.Niklausen Chapel, built in 1350, is the oldest church in the community of Kerns which is still in its original build. 

Inside St.Niklausen chapel with its frescoes and lovely wood-panel ceiling. 

These painted wood-panel ceilings in the old chapels are simply amazing. 

Heading on now, a final look up at the St.Niklausen chapel. 

From the chapel, you can look down a the village of Flüeli on the left (the end of my hike) and the Paxmontana Art-Nouveau hotel below. 

So many lovely flowering meadows.... 

And of course, it's not a complete hike in Switzerland if there aren't any cows. Between here and Flüeli is the ravine where Brother Klaus spent 20 years away from his family. 

A look into the ravine shows the second of two chapels. This is the lower Ranft Chapel, built in 1501 to accommodate all the pilgrims who came to visit the Hermitage. 

Information about Bruder Klaus: In Fall of 1467, Nicholas von Flüe left his family to spend his life communing with God in this remote ravine. (This is when he took on the name "Bruder Klaus".) Even though he planned to live in solitude, his reputation as a shrewed politician meant that many people sought him out for advice. He died here in 1487.

In the bottom of the canyon at Ranft, where Brother Klaus spent the last 20 years of his life. This is the Melchaa River. Behind the trees is the Lower Ranft Chapel.

The lower Ranft chapel, built in 1501 to accommodate all the pilgrims who came here to seek solitude. 

The interior of the Lower Ranft Chapel. The depiction of "Bruder Klaus" is typical of what one finds all over the country. This is apparently a nice example of Post-Gothic architecture. 

Heading out of the ravine now. Nicholas' neighbours built him a chapel and small adjoining room in 1468. The upper and original Ranft Chapel was rebuilt in 1693, but the attached hermitage is in its original form from 1468.

The inside of the Hermitage, a building with two stories (4.6 square meters each), the bottom level being like a small jail cell with a stone bench for a bed, but nice and cool!

It was a steep climb out of the Ravine to the village of Flüeli. In the back is the Melch Valley. 

Here in the village center of Flüeli, I caught a bus back down to Sachseln on the lake. I didn't go up to see the church on the hill this time (Built 1614-1618). 

This is the old farmhouse where Nicholas von Flüe lived with his wife Dorothee from 1445 to 1467, where they raised 10 children. When Nicholas chose to live in solitude in the ravine not far from their home, his oldest son was 20 and could run the farm. His family supported his decision. 

This map shows the feeder trails for the official and popular pilgrim's trail: "Camino de Santiago". In Switzerland it is called the St.James Trail (Via Jakobi) and ist designated by the number 4, basically going from Lake Constance to Geneva. There are a couple of additional feeder trails, marked in blue.