Returning to the Pastoral Landscape of Luzern: Ruswil to Werthenstein

Wednesday December 28, 2022 -- With this warm spell and all the snow melted in the lowlands, we can do some walking in the agricultural landscapes in our own neighbourhood. 

A very pretty region to walk in is the Luzern Backcountry, where we recently almost completed the second half of the Themed "Luzern Chapel Trail" (photos are HERE), having missed only one chapel of the 17 chapels highlighted on this trail. Also at that time, the mountains were obscured by clouds, so this being a good visibility day, we returned to the area.

As luck would have it, the final chapel in Rüediswil was closed for restoration! Nevertheless, we had good views of the mountains, walked around a lake (Soppisee), and found an even more interesting chapel (probably privately-owned, belonging to a family farm) in a tiny village called Buholz. Our 10-km walk was on relatively level ground and would have been more enjoyable if the recent rains hadn't made the pasture trails all muddy

As I had recently had surgery, we walked much slower than usual. And originally we had planned to visit the former monastery at Werthenstein at the end of the hike, but I was too tired for that. Also, it was quite a cold day, but we had lots of sunshine!

Heading toward Luzern by train, this is a familiar sight on a clear day across from our lake, Lake Zug. Those are the Bernese Alps. 

A couple of the towers on the old Luzern City Wall, as we leave the city by bus heading toward Ruswil

Farm buildings along the way. 

We started our hike in Ruediswil where we ended the previous time, hoping to have a look at the final chapel on the "Luzern Chapel Trail". From there we walked around Lake Soppisee and joined the St.James Trail (No.4) to Werthenstein. Of particular interest was the private chapel in Buholz. 

St. Jost & Wendelin chapel in Rüediswil, built in 1639, apparently has some nice paintings inside, but the chapel is currently undergoing renovations. This was the final chapel on the official "Luzern Chapel Trail" which we still wanted to look at. We started our hike here. 

On this day we really did have a very nice view into the Alps!

South of us is Mt. Pilatus. There were very many sheep in the pastures here. 

This looks like a very specific breed of sheep. I'd have to look it up. 

How cute is this!

Next part of the trail goes around Lake Soppi (or Soppisee). On the other side of the lake, the trail was very muddy. 

With less foliage on the trees, we actually saw more of the lake!

Far to the East a close-up look of St.Ottilien, one of the more interesting chapels on the "Luzern Chapel Trail"

Heading slightly uphill on the west side of Lake Soppisee

Urs and Lake Soppisee

It's always kind of fun when we pass such gardens, whose claim it is to produce herbs for the world-famous Ricola Candies!

Another look south across the beautiful pastures to the snow-covered Alps

Maple or Linden?

There were quite a few interesting things to see in the tiny village called Buholz. 

An old storage barn in Buholz

Of paticular interest was this chapel in Buholz. We think this might have been a private chapel for an old established family from the area

For such a small chapel, there was a lot going on in terms of decoration inside this church. On the lower part of the right and left altar pieces, there were skulls on display, something we had never seen before. 

Details inside the Buholz chapel, including two skulls on display, and a gravestone for a couple with the name of Amrhyn-Faller, probably the forefathers of the people currently living on the farm next to the chapel 

Further along the trail near Buholz was another tiny chapel, with an unusually low door!

For a little over a kilometer we followed this path, which would have been enjoyable if it hadn't been so muddy!

Heading south, with Mt. Pilatus ahead of us

We passed this farm with loads of newly-born lambs, they can't have been more than a day or so old!

Lots of new-born lambs here, the bleating was so loud!

Many interesting old farm houses along the way

Final approach to the town of Werthenstein with the former Monastery high on the hill. By the time we got to valley level, I was too tired to want to go look at the church on the hill.  

The village of Werthenstein. Before catching the train back to Luzern, we had time to go have a closer look at the covered wooden bridge. 

Crossing the covered wooden bridge in Werthenstein. 

Some interesting painted detail. 

It's 3 p.m. now and time to head back home (we started the hike at 11 a.m. in Rüediswil). The river here is the Kleine Emme (Small Emme) River. 

The part of the Luzern Chapel Trail east of Ruswil we did in November, and the northwestern section a year ago. This time we walked to Werthenstein via Lake Soppisee and Buholz, about 9 kilometers. 

Two weeks earlier, on December 13th, we passed through Werthenstein on our way to the Kambly Cookie factory. This is what the monastery looks like from below on a snowy day!

Passing the Werthenstein Monastery on a snowy day in December!

Also, in May 2021 we did another hike starting here in Werthenstein. There are some nice photos of the village from a different angle in my Blog Album from that hike. Those photos are HERE.

Second Section of the Luzern Chapel Trail (Kapellenweg) from Hellbühl to Rüediswil

Saturday November 19, 2022 -- The day was mostly cloudy but we thought we might have some sunny breaks, so we ventured out anyway, but not too far... namely to the "Luzern Backcountry", just an hour away from home. We had long wanted to finish the other half of the 21-km "Kapellenweg" or "Luzern Chapel Trail" which we had started in March of 2021, so we took the bus to the south end of this themed trail, namely the village of Hellbühl, from where we walked northward after having looked into the first of the 17 churches and chapels featured on this trail.

This "lower" half of the Chapel Trail wasn't nearly as interesting as the northern half, maybe because much of the way was along paved roads, or because it was very cold with little sunshine, or maybe because the otherwise fantastic views of Mt.Pilatus were obscured by clouds. There were also fewer of the churches on this stretch, although one small chapel with frescoes was worth the detour, and the magnificent Baroque church in Ruswil (which we had just stopped short of last time) was definitely worth the trip.

Originally we had planned to walk all the way to St.Ottilien Chapel, where we basically ended the last time, but stopped to visit friends instead, and of course that's when the sun really came out.

Since the photos of the first half of the trail were better, in my opinion, I have linked the blog entry here again --> HERE. Also, there is additional information in that blog entry.

St. Wendelin's Church in Hellbühl is the first church featured on the 21-km route. It was built in the 1830's but there were churches in this location since 1499

Interior of St.Wendelin's church in Hellbühl

Heading up the hill on the "Chapel Trail", we had a nice look over the village of Hellbühl and to Mt. Rigi in the background. It was sunny at this point (11 a.m.) and we were hoping it would stay like this. 

Looking toward the mountains of the Entlebuch region of Canton Luzern

We ended our hike at about 9 km because it was too cold when the sun wasn't shining. There are only a couple of kilometers missing to join the other section of Trail no.528 which we did in March 2021. 

The trail takes us through a series of small farm properties. Each farm has a name, this one is Tannen

A lovely barn structure at the Tannen Farm. 

Before long the dark clouds moved in and it got cold. 

At the farm called Undere Herrenweg was this very quaint chapel with loads of frescoes inside. This chapel was built in 1614.

The frescoes inside the chapel at Unter Herrenboden were painted in 1625!!! What a magnificent work of art.... 

Details of the paintings inside the chapel, depicting 14 Saints, the "Fourteen Holy Helpers" of Catholic religious belief. 

Another look at the chapel as we continue on the trail. There was a large pig farm here, and the farmers had spread pig manure. Even though this is a typical smell in the Swiss countryside, we were eager to keep going!

The next farm was called Sonnhalde, there were pigs here too!

Such a pretty farmhouse

The next section of trail to the next farm called "Honig", which means "Honey"!

This is an apartment building with several stories, for little animals and insects! They called it a "Lebensturm" or "Living Tower"

The Luzern Backcountry is a very lovely pastoral region!

Some of the animals we saw along the way, lots of cats and pigs!

The farm called "Honig" (they actually did sell honey!)

Being observed by the sheep

Arriving in the town of Ruswil. The parish church here is the most monumental village church building in the Luzern back country. 

The fabulous St.Mauritius church is considered the most epic of all the churches in the Luzern back country. It is a Baroque Church built in 1783, and the interior is a real work of art. 

Baroque artwork in the St.Mauritius parish church of Ruswil, Luzern. 

Baroque artwork in the St.Mauritius parish church of Ruswil, Luzern. 

All of these baroque churches are like art museums. Even the ceilings are works of art. 

Baroque artwork in the St.Mauritius parish church of Ruswil, Luzern. 

Baroque artwork in the St.Mauritius parish church of Ruswil, Luzern. Down below on the right, a small group of actors is video-taping a message from "St.Nicholas" to the children.

The European version of "Santa Claus", i.e. St.Nicholas. This group of actors was making a video with the story of St.Nicholas, to be broadcast on a children's network, possibly? December 4th is the celebration of St.Nicholas. 

VIDEO:

European Santa Claus singing for the children. I wasn't quick enough to turn on the video for the whole song!

The fifth and final chapel on the 9-km section of the trail we walked this day. This new-gothic chapel called Eschkapelle was built in 1862.

Inside the Esch Chapel. The old painting on the right has a date of 1784 on it, and depicts the "Theft of the Holy Wafers from the church in Ruswil in 1690"

A depiction of the "Luzerner Kapellenweg" Trail from Hellbühl to Ettiswil. In March 2021 we walked fom Ettiswil to St.Ottilien. This time we started in Hellbühl but didn't make it all the way to St.Ottilien. 17 churches and chapels are featured along the trail, and we have seen 16 of the 17 now. 

Brochure with information on the 17 churches and chapels along the "Chapel Trail". The only one we have not yet seen is no.6, the Chapel in Rüediswil. (We ended our hike in Rüediswil, but didn't make it to the chapel). 

Location of the Luzern Back Country

Blog entry for the other section of the Luzern Chapel Trail is HERE