From Zürchersmühle to Appenzell via Hundwiler Höhi

Thursday July 4, 2019 -- (Vacation Week) To start our three-day vacation in the Appenzell region, we first went to visit Urs' brother and mom who live about 3 km North of the town of Appenzell. But instead of going straight there, we decided to do a 4-hour hike which would take us right to his front door. 

There is a look-out hill called Hundwiler Höhi which is a hike that Urs has wanted to do for a long time, and luckily for us there was a pretty decent breeze blowing, otherwise the steady 500m ascent in the heat would have been too difficult for me. Never-the-less it was a challenging 2-hour climb to the restaurant at the top of the hill, but the views all across the rolling Appenzellerland hills made it worth it.

What was a bit tougher was: It is haying season. So all day we were accompanied by the noises of weed-wackers, leaf blowers, high-pitched mowers (and then chain saws because there was a forest being cleaned out)... and those horse flies being released through the mowing! Never been bitten by so many horse flies.

At the restaurant they had Rösti on the menu, but we were told that because of the heat, they were serving potato salad instead.... but then the cook figured, today wasn't so busy, so she made us the Rösti as an exception! Other than the one loud dude talking through the entire meal at the next table, it was a good place for a break, especially because NO ONE SMOKED on the terrace, which is the first time that has ever happened.

And then, when we got to our destination, turns out the neighbor also decided it was mowing day, so instead of the peace and rest I was expecting, there was more mowing and harvesting... ah well, that is the life in the mountains.

The hike starts in Zürchersmühle near Urnäsch, at this beautiful Appenzeller house, possibly the old mill (the name of the house is "Haus zur Mühle" or "House at the Mill")

Up some steep sun-exposed slopes (everywhere they are mowing). Good thing there was a breeze, or it would have been too hot.

A water trough is always a welcome sight!

The town of Urnäsch in the background, close to where we started the hike.

My favourite section, it was cool here!

At this farmyard the cows had just been let into the barn, and for some reason this one had to stay outside! She was really upset, was kicking the door! We could hear her from quite a ways up the hill

Below us the farm where the cow is waiting to go into the barn

Made it to Hundwiler Höhi. It was a tough uphill hike. 

But we were rewarded with some fine Rösti Potatoes, made for us as an exception on this hot day, because there were not so many people up here.

I loved the interior of the old building, with all the "Swiss" touches.

Enjoying the rolling landscape from the highest point of the hill. Unfortunately the air was hazy, so we didn't see much of Mount Säntis and the Alpstein Massif

Sharing the water trough with the cows

Some very nice large maple trees

Heading eastward we recognize this landscape North of the town of Appenzell. Behind the little forest is Urs' brother's house

Behind me is the city of Appenzell, and right above me (all the way at the back) the ridge we are going to hike the next day, starting on the mountain called "Hoher Kasten".

Just lying right across our trail.

This farmer puts his cows in the barn in the hot afternoons and lets them out for the night when it gets cooler

Our destination for the night. This is where Urs' brother lives. A lovely peaceful spot, except also here the farmer must harvest the hay

Right next to the house the meadows are also being harvested. Every steep square foot of land is mowed

Early morning in the Appenzell countryside

 

This 11-km hike took us a good four hours or more, because of the steep ascent, then we had to make a couple of short detours due to forest work and cows on the trail, and at some places we couldn't find the trail at all....

Hike down Mount Niederbauen to Stockalp

Wednesday July 3 (Vacation Week) -- After three days of hikes and excursions (Sat-Sun-Mon), Tuesday was cooler so we stayed home. Wednesday dawned "iffy", the skies were black above the mountains, so we almost changed our plans for the day, but I'm glad we didn't!  

Our plan was to hike down Mount Niederbauen in the Central Alps on the South side of Lake Lucerne, a beautiful area not far from where we live. (Also the same area where we hiked twice the week before). A quick look on the Internet at the webcams showed us clearing views of the lake, so we decided to risk it. Interestingly enough, the fastest way for us to get to the starting point of our hike at 10 a.m. with public transit was: Bus-Train-Train-Bus-Boat-Funicular-Bus-CableCar, and took us about 2 hours! The "Getting There" was a treat in itself.

The trail we hiked was called the "Emmetten Game Observation Trail", but hard as we looked, we saw no game. It is simply too hot for them to come out of the caves. But we saw loads of cows, which is almost always as great. The trail was nicely varied just how we like it, the downhill not too steep, and even the two steep uphill portions quite do-able. And the weather very pleasant. Nicest thing was, THERE WERE NO OTHER PEOPLE! Unusual for this area, although it is more over-run in winter.

Another thing that I found special: At one point we were just above the village of Bauen which featured in two very recent hikes, and looking across Lake Uri, this time we got a super view down onto the area near Eggbergen where I did the Wild Hay Trail only four days earlier. It is always so cool to see where we've been from a different angle!

Crossing the lake from Brunnen to Treib (where we then changed to a funicular) was cold and not looking too hopeful for our choice of hike for the day (view South along Lake Uri)

To get to Mount Niederbauen, first buses and trains to Brunnen (upper left), then a boat to Treib (20 minutes, upper right) then the funicular up mount Seelisberg (8 minutes, bottom left). Bottom right is the view over Lake Lucerne on the funicular ride. It's looking better!

From Seelisberg by bus to Emmetten (the start and end of our excursion), then with the Niederbauen cable car to the start of the hike.

This is the landscape we are hiking, below the cliffs on the left, to Stockalp on the right, where we take another cable car down to Emmetten

A few puffs of clouds still, but it's looking good. And always happy to hike where the cows are grazing, because the cow bells and the countryside are so relaxing. 

Just before the steep ascent to Faulberg we got some spectacular views into the eastern Glarner Alps and below to Lake Uri

Starting on the hike near the cable car station. In the back are the distinctive peaks of the two Mythen, and on the right is the top of mount Niederbauen (we did not go up there).

This one probably hasn't seen too many people today, wondering what we are. On the right is the steep trail up to Faulberg. From there it was mostly downhill

Lovely landscapes

Behind the cows is the Schächental Valley going up to the Klausen Pass

Below is Lake Uri, and behind it the Ober Axen alp, where I hiked four days earlier

A steep climb to Faulberg

At the highest point on our hike. First we have to see what the cows are up to before venturing into their midst. A whole lot of them had just raced past, and we didn't want to be among them when they are running!

View to Lake Lucerne and Mt. Bürgenstock on the left, Mt. Rigi on the right. Cable Car station where we started is right in the center on the rise.

Walking along the upper ridge looking for a suitable place for a picnic lunch.

This cow has freckles!

This is the perfect place for a picnic lunch. We searched the cliffs in vain for game. But we could admire the trail we were going to take, past the house with the red roof and down into the gully and up the slope behind my head. 

This is the closest we came to chamois or ibex.

On these hot days I take every such opportunity to wash my hands and face and fill up my water bottle!

The trail was very varied and wonderful to walk. 

Here was another good spot in the shade for a coffee break

Above the little cabin where we had a break, there was a waterfall and an upper valley that you could also hike up to.

This little guy looked like he was drowning in the cow pie, so I rescued him. On the other hand, maybe he was just cooling off from the heat as well!

Before heading up the final ascent toward our destination, here's to savouring our effort for the day. The entire stretch from left to right below the cliffs...

At Stockalp, before descending back to Emmetten on the next cable car, admiring where we started. Because we started late (at noon) we were pretty lucky with the timing. When we got here it was 16:45, the final cable car run this day was 17:30. (not sure why so early...)

View over Emmetten and Lake Lucerne on the way down in the Stockalp cable car.

Back down in Emmetten, we were just in time to buy and eat icecream before the bus came. (Return trip via Lucerne, not Boat etc. like on the way here)

A wonderful hike, not too strenuous, splendid landscape. 9 km, took us a about 4 hours.

A favourite hiking region for us, we can get to all these places in about 2 hours.

Forest Walk from Baden to Turgi and a visit to the Oldest Linden Tree in Switzerland

Monday July 1 (Vacation Week) -- This was another hot day in this ongoing heat wave, but we didn't want to sit in our hot apartment so we picked a short hike nearby, that offered a lot of forest trails. 

We started in Baden with the intention of walking to Brugg, which city is the conflux of three of Switzerland's major rivers: The Limmat, the Reuss, and the Aar. (The river continues as the Aar to flow into the Rhine River further North). 

After passing the castle ruins above Baden, we discovered a look-out tower in the forest (a 38-m water tower with 172 steps) which we ascended for a rather hazy view into the mountains, but from up there we looked right down into a garden restaurant, where it turns out a lovely cool breeze was blowing. We decided to have lunch here and spend the vacation day watching the farmers mow their hay.

The walk to Brugg would have been a three-hour walk, but the last hour was through residential areas, and it was much too hot for that. So we cut the 12-km hike short after 8 km and descended into Turgi instead. 

On the way to the tower we had passed several linden trees in full bloom, and remembered that the oldest linden tree in Switzerland (800 years) was near here, so instead of that extra hour of walking in the heat, we hopped a bus in Brugg and got an air-conditioned tour of the lovely pasture land on Mount Bözberg, a 30-minute ride with last stop at THE tree. Only problem was the bus driver told us he could not wait as he had to do the return trip right away. After a bit of begging, he gave me enough time to hop out of the bus and take three photos.... The alternative? Waiting another hour for the next bus. Sure the tree gave shade, but a whole hour was too long to wait...

INTERESTING NOTES: My Dad when he was young used to work at ABB in Baden. Also, my forefathers are from this area. 

Old city tower in Baden

 

City tower seen from the castle ruins

Old town Baden from the Castle Ruins

Ruins of Castle Stein

The day has only just started getting hot

Along the way to the forest we passed a couple of large, sweet-smelling, in-full-bloom Linden Trees. It gave us the idea to hop a bus in Brugg to go to Linn to see the oldest Linden Tree in Switzerland

We came across this 38-m water tower quite unexpectedly.

Urs climbing the 38-m water Baldegg tower. It was very cool inside as the top part had solid concrete walls

 

The 360 degree view from up here was fantastic. All the way to the Jura mountains and to the Alps in the South, although it was quite hazy to the South. Below is the little garden restaurant we ended up eating lunch at.

There was a lovely cool breeze blowing at this shady spot, so we decided to stay a while and have some lunch.

We were a little too early for lunch so had refreshments first. At 11:15 we could order. From here we could watch the farmer mowing his fields below

They had a very nice salad buffet

The rest of our hike to the Gebenstorfer Horn was through cool forests. But here before our descent to Turgi, there were lots of mosquitoes, so we didn't stay long. 

From the Gebenstorfer Horn you get a view of the Limmat River flowing into the Aar. Slightly to the left, the Reuss also flows into the Aar. In German this is called a "Wasserschloss".

On our bus ride on Mount Bözberg (we were the only people in the bus!) we passed a town called "Ursprung" which means "Origin". I thought it was funny.

This town is called "Kirchbözberg", which means "Church Bözberg" and really only consisted of these three buildings!

Near the town of Linn stands the oldest Linden Tree in Switzerland. It is estimated to be about 800 years old. The bus driver agreed to let me out to photograph it before we took the same bus back to Brugg. 

 

Approaching old town Brugg on the way back by bus

Crossing the Aar River into Brugg. From here we took the train back home. 

Our walk from Baden to Turgi was only 8 km, rather short for us. But with this heat it was much more pleasant to sit in the garden restaurant at Baldegg, and then take the bus to Linn, instead of walking through the residential area of Gebenstorf and Brugg.