Aeuli Gorge near Lichtensteig in the Toggenburg Region

Friday June 5th, 2026 -- It was only going to be a bit nice in the afternoon this day, so we did not plan a big hike. Instead we went to visit a friend in Mogelsberg in the Toggenburg reagion east of Lake Zurich. Since this is quite close to the Kägi Cookie Factory in Lichtensteig in the Thur River Valley (where I had hiked to Wattwil via this cookie factory back in November 2025), we decided to stop there again on the way home, to buy our favourite cookies. (And as it turns out--since this often happens with the few things I actually enjoy--they don't make my favourite cookies anymore... or so the ladies at the shop told me).

To make a bit of a walk out of this afternoon, we headed first from the Lichtensteig train station to a small and locally-known gorge of which I had seen a couple of videos on the Internet, where you can access a pretty waterfall via a very narrow passage through cliffs made of Molass Rocks. As we would never make a trip here for just this short walk, it was a good idea to add this on to today's outing. And to finish off, we walked up to the cookie factory. 

It was quite interesting to squeeze through the passage between the cliffs, but because of recent heavy rains, the trail was very slippery and steep in places. And due to a lot of water from the falls, we could not cross onto the popular rocky beach. But it was worth this detour in any case. 

This is how the day started out on our trip into the Toggenburg

Toggenburg countryside near Brunnadern at 9:40 a.m.

After our visit and lunch with our friends, we took the train to Lichtensteig, which lies on the Thur River near Wattwil. (This is a poor photo... I took much nicer photos on my November 2025 walk along the railway bridge at this exact place. See this photo--> HERE). 

At 2 p.m. we started on our short walk here at the train station in Lichtensteig. (Although the school children had boarded the train with us in Mogelsberg, and gotten out here as well, they luckily did not walk the way we were going!)

Strictly walking time is only 45 minutes for this short walk near the tour river. But starting at 2 p.m., we then caught the bus across from the Chocolate Cookie factory at about 3:15 p.m, with the 20 minutes which we spent in the little gorge. 

Cute little house along the way. This looks like it might once have been a train station!

We are walking on the west side of the Thur River, and this is the view of the village of Lichtensteig on the east side of the river. (I did not take a detour to that church at the time, as it looked too modern). 

Unfortunately we had a long stretch uphill on a paved road, not my favourite kind of walking, although at least the sun wasn't burning down! In the circle on the left is a picture of what Urs is look at on the hill above the road. 

Another good look at the row of houses along the main street in Lichtensteig. The road is on the other side, and this is the riverside view, although the river is quite a ways below. 

Another cute house and garden. 

Down below us is the road and the railway line, and up ahead we can see the bridge which we have to cross over them, and just beyond that is the little gorge we are going to have a look at. 

View from the bridge to the south. We came up past that house on the right. 

This is a particularly interesting (?) sculpture made of rusted tin cans!

After a 25-minute walk from the train station we get to the small side trail leading to the waterfall in the Aeuli Gorge. 

A few photos of Urs on the narrow and wet trail (it's really just a very short trail!) among the interesting cliffs. At least there was plenty of water in the falls!

From behind the falls you can see a "beach" area next to the river (pebbles, not sand) which we could not access because there was too much water flowing from here into the Thur River. 

VIDEO:

of the waterfall in the Aeuli Gorge

This is one of those fun trails where you can walk behind the waterfall! I had to be careful because the  surface was wet and slippery. Here is Urs taking a photo of me taking the video of the waterfall. 

It's always fun to walk behind a waterfall!

Through the trees I could make out the bridge which we were going to cross, continuing up the hill on the east side of the river to the Kägi cookie factory. 

A look behind us as we cross the little bridge. 

Looking up the Thur River in the direction of the waterfall which you cannot see from here (it's on the right side of the photo direction). 

Another view of the Thur River through this narrow gorge area. 

And this is what the river looks like on the north side of the bridge. 

According to the trail marker, it's 10 minutes to the Loreto Chapel on the main road, and very near there is the Kägi factory. 

Beautiful flowering bushes!

Up at the main road now at the Loreto Chapel. We did not go in this time, as I had a good look at it on my November 2025 hike through here. 

Here we are in the little shop at the Kägi Factory. They mostly make various flavours of chocolate-covered wafers. But my favourites, the chocolate Toggenburg butter cookies, which I was looking forward to procure, apparently they are not made anymore. This happens quite a lot to me, when I find something I really like. From here we caught the 3:15 bus for the < 2-hour trip home. 

The pink line is the walk we did this day from the Lichtensteig train station to the Kägi shop. In November 2025 (blue line), I walked through this town on an 8-km walk from Dietfurt to Wattwil. 

Location of Wattwil and Lichtensteig within Switzerland. 

By 4:15 p.m. my train is heading up to Biberbrugg from Lake Zurich. The late afternoon has turned out to be pretty nice!

A Short Stretch along the Thur River Trail, from Dietfurt to Wattwil

Saturday November 8, 2025 -- Urs had another commitment on this Saturday, so I had to consider if I would go walking on my own again. There was fog in many parts of the country this day (especially in Zug where we live) so it was hard to find a place where the sun was shining. 

The Toggenburg Region of Canton St.Gallen is often fog-free when we here in the lake region drown in fog, and webcams early Saturday morning showed good weather there. As it only takes me two hours to travel into the Valley of the Thur River, I headed there for a short walk (8 km) along the Thur River, on a themed trail called "Thurweg", of which we have done a few stretches. Back in November of 2023 we had walked an 8-km section of the "Thur River Trail" further to the north, ending in Dietfurt at the time. (Photos HERE). So the plan for this Saturday was another short, 8-km stretch starting in Dietfurt heading south again, and ending in Wattwil. That way I could enjoy some sunshine and non-strenuous exercise.

The other reason for chosing this stretch is that right between the two cities is a town called Lichtensteig with a nice Medieval flair, which we see every time we pass on the train through here. A town I had not yet been to!. And in that town is another of Switzerland's famous cookie factories named Kägi, which produces, among lots of waffel-type cookies, a local butter cookie aptly named "Toggenburger". I love the chocolate version of this cookie, and stopped at the factory store to buy a few rolls.

Due to an issue on the tracks, I missed my connection getting to Dietfurt, and took a different route by bus via Brunnadern where I had been just a couple of weeks earlier. This means I started my walk 30 minutes later than planned. 

This is the view of the town of Lichtensteig we see every time we take the train up the Thur Valley (usually to visit my friend in Mogelsberg nearby). I have long wanted to come see this village, so I planned an 8-km walk that took me through the village. 

Due to an issue with the railway line, I had to ride to Brunnadern and take a bus from there. The bus travels over the mountain, with a look back at the town of Mogelsberg, from where I had done a similar hike about a week earlier. (photos HERE). 

Typical house of the Toggenburg region, on the way from Brunnadern to Dietfurt. (Normally I would have changed to a train from Wattwil to Dietfurt, but I missed the connection due to issues on the railway tracks). 

I got to the bus stop next to the Thur River in Dietfurt (no need to go all the way to the train station) at 11:37, from where I started my hike along Trail no.24: "Thurweg" ("Thur River Trail"), with about a 2-hour walk to Wattwil, where I was going to take the train back home. 

This was a relatively short walk, just 8 kilometers and about two hours. The first part from Dietfurt to Lichtensteig was via pastures and towns, and the second half was all along the Thur River. 

It's nice to see that the cows can also still enjoy the outdoors at this time of year!

A look behind me at the town of Dietfurt before continuing southwards to Wattwil. It was in November 2023 that we did another walk along the "Thurweg", ending here in Dietfurt. 

An old farmhouse... there were a few of these along the way as the first part of the hike was through farmland. 

Also a couple of small forested sections. 

 I got to the outskirts of the town of Lichtensteig at noon. This was the first surprise! A "family" of mannequins in traditional costumes, hanging out on someone's balcony!

Heading down to the main street from the hiking trail, on my way to the Cookie Factory, I noticed this church bell tower, so obviously was going to do a detour. 

Detour to the St.Loreto pilgrim church along the main road in Lichtensteig. 

Inside of the St.Loreto pilgrim church. It was built in 1678. 

St. Loreto pilgrim chapel in Lichtensteig. 

Cute!

A look behind me as I continue down the main road. 

This is the Kägi factory. They make cookies and various chocolate-covered waffle cookies. I like the chocolate butter cookies called "Toggenburger" and bought three rolls of those, plus some well-priced chocolate wafer cookies!

Back on the hiking trail I pass through residential areas, on the way to the old town. 

More nice houses. 

Arriving into the main part of Lichtensteig. 

The following photos are various streets in Lichtensteig as I walked up and down the three main roads.

This is the Rathaus (Town Hall)

Town hall in Lichtensteig

I try to photograph as many of this shop signs as I can!

Main street

This half-timbered house was particulary beautiful

Side alley with cobblestone streets. 

Back on the main street again

Look at all the neat dormer windows!

Returning down the main road now to continue on my hike at 1:10 p.m. 

Heading out on my hike now with a look at the west side of the row of houses in Lichtensteig. 

The trail crosses the railway bridge over the Thur River. 

Final look back at the town of Lichtensteig as I cross the Thur River on the railway bridge. 

A look at the railway bridge after crossing the Thur River. 

I surprised a heron which flew off. Cool photo. 

Crossing to the east side of the Thur River. From here, the trail follows exactly along the river for the next 2½ kilometers, crossing the river back and forth on various bridges four times. 

For the next half hour the trail followed the river like this. 

Following the Thur River. 

The city of Wattwil comes into view, as well as the snow-covered Churfirsten mountains in the background. 

It's not even 2 p.m. yet, and the sun will soon be disappearing behind the low hills to the west. 

As I crossed the final bridge just shortly before the train station, I came right into the middle of a market of some kind. Hurrying on now, I could just make it to the 2 p.m. train. 

Hurrying to the train station, I made the 2 p.m. train for the 1-hour and 43-minute trip home. I hadn't really needed to hurry, as there is a train every half hour, but there were too many people in town, and I didn't feel like sitting for another 30 minutes on a bench at the river. 

What my walk looks like on Google Satellite Maps, from Dietfurt to Wattwil. 

These are the walks I have done around Wattwil and the Thur River here. 

Location of Wattwil and the Thur River Valley within Switzerland.