Mount Bürgenstock: Resort for the Exclusive Clientele since 1883

Sunday November 11, 2018-- Still mild enough here for a lovely and almost too warm mountain hike! We stayed close to home again because I slept late (very rarely does that happen!) and did another piece of "Trail no.98: Waldstätterweg around Lake Lucerne"

We took a bus up to the recently-completed luxury hotels on the top of Mount Bürgenstock, a prominent smaller mountain just a stone's throw from the city of Lucerne, and walked down to the Lake at Stansstad. The trail was steep and slippery from rain the day before so we had to tread carefully, but we were thrilled that mid-November still offered us the possibility of a hike in the mountains accompanied by the sounds of cowbells and spectacular lake views, and most of all such mild weather that we can walk in short-sleeved shirts!

So close to home and yet the only other time I was on this mountain was when I was 8 years old and visiting my Grandpa together with my siblings and Mom. At that time so long ago we walked the 2-km cliff walk and rode the vertical elevator right to the highest point (Hammetschwand) -- something I want to repeat in the summer some time, as the elevator is now closed for the season and the cliffwalk is in shadow. Back in the very early 1900's, the owner of the Palace Hotel built up here for an exclusive clientele decided to offer them a walking opportunity along the North side of the mountain, so he had the trail blasted out of the mountainside, and then built the almost free-standing lift to take the clientele up another 150m to the highest point in the city of Lucerne. Back in 1905 this created a world-wide sensation, and is still the highest outdoor lift in Europe. I'm looking forward to visiting it.

In the meantime, a brand new and more modern hotels and spas offer equally exclusive clientele rooms for over 1000 SFr. per night, and transport with a funicular (built in 1888 and the oldest electric funicular in Switzerland) from the lake on the North side for a mere 25 SFr. for a 3-minute ride... Lucky for us, we can take the cheap bus up from the other side!

UPDATE 2019: We did come back in June 2019 to walk the cliff trail, although unfortunately half of it was closed due to danger of rock slides, but we rode the Hammetschwand Lift and continued the hike from the top. Here is the link to that album: Cliff Trail Bürgenstock

From Mount Bürgenstock the view North is directly to Mount Rigi, and at the back in the bay the town of Küssnacht where my grandfather lived.

The Palace Hotel was the third hotel on Mount Bürgenstock, opened in 1903 and catered to an exclusive clientele (electricity, private bathrooms, central heating). Behind it on the cliff face, the hotel owner built the cliffwalk and vertical lift to the top of Hammetschwand.

Bürgenstock Hotel and Resort, newly completed and also for exclusive clientele!

Directly below on the North shore is the funicular station. The catamaran brings guests from Lucerne

And the funicular arrives into the hotel building. This funicular is the oldest electric railway in Switzerland, but the wagons have been renovated.

Panorama View to the North: The bay with Luzern on the left, the Küssnacht arm of lake Lucerne in the middle, Mount Rigi on the right

Newly finished hotel

In the background Mount Rigi

Below is Kehrsiten on the lake; in the back is Luzern

Heading up along the slippery trail to the West, before descending to Stansstad

This was our picnic spot with table and spectacular view....

...and just around the corner we finally hit the sunshine. It was almost too warm!!

Heading down toward Stansstad

There was some wood-cutting going on along this stretch, but not on Sunday. We had to go carefully, climb over many felled trees, and the trail with its leaves and recent rain was slippery

Lovely colours in the forests and lots of sunshine on this mid-November day

And finally, late afternoon lighting over Lake Alpnachersee and Lake Lucerne, with the mighty Mount Pilatus in the background. Our goal is Stansstad on the isthmus below.

In Fürigen on the hillside here used to be a very large hotel with its own funicular, both no longer in use since approx. 2005

So pleasant to still have the cows in the meadows at this time of year, and to enjoy the sound of the cow bells

After a long section through a forested ravine, we got down to the lake, already in afternoon shadow. Unfortunately the tower is on private property and not accessible

From here we can see the peak where we walked along the cliff (picnic spot), made our way through the forest to Fürigen, and down to lake level through a ravine off photo to the right. 

On the way back to Lucerne by train, this (unfortunately) blurred photo shows the Bürgenstock ridge and how we walked from the hotels on the left to the high point in the center, and down through Führingen, the village on the clearing.

This walk took us a little over three hours, including sauntering through the hotel gift shop and very careful treading through the forest. Normally would take about 2.5 hours.

Morschach and Brunnen on Lake Lucerne

Wednesday November 7th -- It was late in the morning when the lake fog lifted, so we started in the afternoon not far from our home to complete two missing sections on two separate regional trails that we have walked before: On the "Swiss Path" (Trail no.99) around Lake Uri (this trail was created in 1991 to commemorate the 700th anniversary of Switzerland's Confederacy)  we were missing the Morschach-Brunnen section on the East Side of Lake Uri, and on the first section of the "Waldstätterweg" (Trail no.98) around Lake Lucerne we were missing the first 4 km from Brunnen toward the West, so we walked both those sections, 4 km each.

Unfortunately the view wasn't clear and the sun disappeared quickly, but the day was mild and so we just considered this a leisurely 8-km afternoon walk along the lake, instead of a challenging mountain hike.....

From Morschach heading down to Brunnen. Across the lake is the section of the other trail that we were going to do as well.

We took a detour to the Golf Course to a rock called "The Druid's Rock" from which we got a view both to the South along Lake Uri....

...and to the North, to the city of Schwyz and the mountains called Mythen.

"The Druid's Rock" in the middle of the Axenstein Golf Course in Morschach

The rest of the trail was through forests. When we got to Brunnen, we were just in time to catch a bus out to the start of our second 4-km stretch, further West along Lake Lucerne

The town of Brunnen on Lake Lucerne

This is the short section along Trail no.98 which we still wanted to complete. Walking back to Brunnen.

It would have been easier just to make the trail along the street, as was the case closer to Brunnen, but this was way more fun, so glad of the expense!

Looking westward along Lake Lucerne to where we had started

Back down at the lake, the walk to Brunnen train station was along the road below. Across is Morschach on the hillside where we had started the other 4-km section.

Crossing the Muota River, which flows into Lake Lucerne

This old covered bridge (Wylerbrücke) on the Muota River was first covered in 1555. This one in its current state dates to 1716, although it was moved 15m upriver (in 1974) from its original location. It lies under heritage protection.

First section: 4 km from Morschach to Brunnen (1.5 hours), then by bus along the lake to where we started Trail no.98 this Spring, and walking the 4 km backward toward the train station in Brunnen, along the Muota River and the old covered bridge. This took us 1 hour.

Along Lake Walensee from Amden to Quinten

Sunday November 4 -- After a 20-day hiatus since our last hike (that's the longest period this year without a hike, including January!!! -- reasons: cold weather, rain, snow, foot pain) we tried one again according to the weather forecast which, yet again, didn't deliver, but it was a nice 3+ hour hike anyway, along the (usually) sunny side of lake Walensee in Eastern Switzerland.

There were enough highlights to make up for the lack of sunshine, particularly that we spotted two chamois in a clearing near the road where we started the hike. I'm sure they knew we were there, but must have realized we were far enough away to do them no harm. In any case, they seemed pretty blasé about our presence. Best part of the day! 

There is a 20-km trail along the North side of Lake Walensee beneath the massive vertical cliffs of the Churfirsten Mountain Range. In the very middle is a tiny village called Quinten, accessible only by boat or on foot. We have hiked four times here now, twice to the West and twice to the East starting or ending in Quinten each time. Today's fourth time was starting in the West, in Amden, and hiking eastward to end in Quinten.

It was mostly a forest trail above vertical cliffs, but because of the sunny exposure, this area has its own microclimate, with several clearings with farms and palm trees and vineyards... Figs and kiwis and khaki and banana trees do well here, as well as grapes and something new we'd never seen before: Mulberry trees. Learned something new: Mulberry leaves are the only thing silkworms eat, and here on this sunny slope was a mulberry farm for a new industry: silk worms. For 100 Fr. you can adopt a mulberry tree.

Also learned this: There is a waterfall here, at 585m one of the highest in the world, it has three sections and the middle section falls 305 meters; that's the highest free-fall waterfall in Switzerland, and worth a detour to the viewing platform, which we didn't do this time, because we saw it last time when it had way more water....

We were hoping to spend a couple of hours in the sunshine in Quinten, eat some dessert on a lakeside restaurant terrace, but it got cold and uncomfortable, so we took the boat to the other side, back to the train line. With less daylight these days, 2 p.m. feels like the end of the day anyway....

On the way up by bus toward Amden... it's on the left that we are going to be walking above the first cliff. Clouds are already blocking the sunshine even though the Webcam two hours earlier showed lots of sunshine

At the start of our trail, a look back at the foot of the lake toward the Linthal Valley, I spotted a chamois in the clearing. A few minutes later, a second one showed up.

Two chamois came out of the forest, weren't bothered by us just 100m away, nor the noise of the cars on the road above

It's always a treat when we get to see chamois

In a steep-sided inlet, we had to cross this dam

This inlet shows how steep the cliffs are on this side of the lake

Several farms, ancient barns, Gasthof restaurants and farmshops along the way gave our hike a nice variety. This is in Betlis, a community on the sunny terrace above the cliffs.

These sheep are called Dorpers, a South African cross of two other breeds, and according to information posted by the owners: Abundant in South Africa, North America, the Middle East, Australia and here in Betlis!

In Betlis there is also this 585m high waterfall (in three sections) called Seerenbachfälle. In its second section, the water falls 305m, and according to information posted nearby, this is the highest freefall waterfall in Switzerland and one of the highest in the world. When we came through here 3 years ago, there was much more water. There is a trail that you can go up to get closer to the falls, but we skipped that this time, having seen them up close last time, with more water.

Most of the trail was through "sun-dappled" forest, as we did get a bit of sunshine along this stretch

It was a good time of year to do this hike, as the trees still had leaves and the autumn colours are always a pleasure.

Most of the trail was easy-going, nice mountain trails or wide forest paths. As if a small vehicle could pass here.

The 30 minute descent toward Quinten was steep and you had to watch your step

I didn't recognize these trees at all, didn't look like any fruit trees I'd ever seen, until we read this big sign: White Mulberries: This farm will feed 40,000 silkworms, and create a new industry here. 

The rest of the walk was pleasant and mild

Fig tree

Vineyards do well on these sunny slopes

Looking across the vineyards to Quinten, the end of our 3-hour 8-km hike.

I love this little cellar store. Last time we were here (2015) I bought fig jam for my Dad. 

There are all kinds of jams and preserves and syrups and ointments (all home-made) available for sale in this Cellar Store, and you pay into a little strongbox. I would have liked one of the clay pots, but those had no price on them.

Along the way are random baskets with fruits, nuts and preserves that you can also pay for in that cute little strongbox (not sure if it's secured, but no one walks away with it...)

The trail continues past Quinten, and from here you get a good view of the village.

Village of Quinten on Lake Walensee. Accessible only by boat or on foot

Our boat is arriving to pick us up for the trip across the lake.

Heading across to the South side of the lake, looking back to Quinten among the vineyards.

This is the little ferry that takes people to Quinten. It was very full for this trip because the next crossing wasn't for another two hours.

This time we walked from Amden to Quinten. In 2015 we walked from Quinten to Weesen (June), from Walenstadtberg to Quinten and from Quinten to Walenstadt, both in December.

In the morning, the Webcam was showing nice and sunny where we wanted to walk. By 10:30 the sky was overcast.

Marked by the circle: The highest free-fall waterfalls in Switzerland, so easily accessible to us, how wonderful...

And this is what the Seerenbachfalls looked like in June 2015 (See also HERE):

June 2015