Hiking in Switzerland – Gabrielle and Urs

April 18, 2020

A walk from Küssnacht to Immensee on Lake Zug

Saturday April 18 -- We had to go help my Aunt Ruth with something in her garden, and she lives only about 20 km away in Küssnacht at the foot of Mount Rigi, so on this gorgeous afternoon we walked from Küssnacht (on an arm of Lake Luzern) to Immensee (on Lake Zug), and then around the peninsula called Chiemen, which juts into Lake Zug. This is an area where both Urs grew up and my father lived for a few years as a young man. It has been a couple of years since we walked in this area, and I had forgotten how pretty it is here. Some of the blossoming fruit trees are long past that stage, but the apple and cherry trees are now in full bloom.

Aside of the large number of people on the lakeside promenade in Immensee, we didn't run into too many people in the forest of Chiemen. On the map, the small trail looks fairly flat, but there was quite an amount of tree roots to navigate on an undulating trail, and so it was more than a simple Saturday afternoon stroll after all, and took longer to walk than predicted on the map!

Interesting fact: Whereas Küssnacht and Immensee are both located in Kanton Schwyz, the Chiemen Peninsula is in Canton Luzern, and at the very end of our walk, where we caught our bus in Risch, we had just crossed the Canton border into Canton Zug. So another afternoon walk in three Cantons!

This building in Küssnacht is called the "Knochenstampfe" or "Bone Grinder". The building was erected in 1877, and operated with the waterwheel. The ground bone was a very sought-after fertilizer

Küssnacht and Immensee lie at the foot of Mount Rigi (peak at the back)

Some lovely blossoms

A look back at the town of Küssnacht which lies on an arm of Lake Lucerne. In the background is Mount Pilatus, the main mountain of the city of Lucerne

It took about an hour to walk from Küssnacht to Immensee, then another 1.5 hours around the peninsula

Walking through the farms between Küssnacht and Immensee, another look at Mount Rigi

More trees that look covered with snow (a cliché, but looks like it!)

Curious cow babies.... they have faces of Simmentalers, but with a grey colouring instead of brown

Crow in the cherry tree!

A spectacular high growth cherry tree in full bloom

This is one of my favourite scenes

Approaching the outskirts of the town of Immensee

A very pretty Mandarin Duck!

This stunning huge barn belongs to the Bethlehem Mission Society which is situated in Immensee

Catholic Parish Church St. Sebastian in Immensee, built in 1934. In the background, across the lake, is Mount Zug (Zugerberg)

"Downtown Immensee"

Along the lake promenade in Immensee. This view is to the South along Lake Zug toward the Uri Alps. On the right is Mount Rigi

Zoomed view of the Uri Alps

More lovely blossoms

A Villa fit for the Riviera!

Start of the forest trail around the peninsula. Here we are crossing from Canton Schwyz into Canton Luzern.

A male Merganser

A very enjoyable hike along the forest / lakefront trail

On the North side of the peninsula, a view to the North across the lake to the town of Zug

This beautiful barn is located just across the border line where we crossed from Canton Luzern into Canton Zug

At the road where we caught the bus, a final look back toward Mount Rigi

A pleasant ca. 2.5-hour afternoon walk from Küssnacht to Immensee and Risch, crossing two Canton borders

We have covered lots of ground on foot in this area!

April 15, 2020

A Walk through the Countryside near the City of Luzern

Wednesday April 15th, 2020 -- For our Wednesday outing we went slightly further afield, although still only about 20 km from home. We decided to start in Inwil near Rotkreuz (Canton Luzern) and walk along a variety of streams and rivers (Waldibach, Rotbach) to a town called Rothenburg, basically a stroll through the countryside parallel to the Reuss River, but not along it, as we have done so often recently. This time the air was clearer than recently and although we were viewing the horizon from a low altitude, we still had a very nice backdrop of mountains, mainly of course the nearby Mounts Pilatus and Rigi, as well as the Central Alps with the distinctive peak of Mount Titlis near Engelberg.

The walk started, of course, with a look inside the church at Inwil, and ended with NOT a look at the church in Rothenburg, as that one appeared too modern for my taste. In all it was actually a simple, pleasant ca. 12-km walk with a variety of trails (paved roads, forest trail, narrow trails along the creeks) and lots of other things to see besides the mountains, namely freshly-ploughed fields, blossoming fruit trees, large farms, marshes, horses, wooden covered bridges,... and best of all the weather was perfect for this walk, mild but not hot. This kind of walk would have been uncomfortable in the heat of the summer.

Oh, and an added plus: The walk we did took us right past the Emmen military airfield (home of the Patrouille Suisse military jets) which can get quite noisy under normal circumstances, but we had the luck that at this current time not a lot of flying is going on, so other than some of the car noise from the freeway, it was a rather peaceful afternoon!

As has become tradition, most of our hikes start with a quick look at the local parish church. Although there was a church here in Inwil (documented) in the mid 13th Century, this building was built in 1777.

Lovely bright inside with a very attractive organ (parish church in Inwil, Luzern)

From Inwil we headed in the direction of the Reuss River, but then walked West along the Rotbach River, then left it to follow the Waldibach Stream, and later joined the Rotbach River again for a pleasant final 2½ kilometers in the Rotbach Gorge before reaching the train station in Rothenburg

In the 13th Century there was a fortress here. Usually they are found on higher elevations, but this area near the Reuss River offered a good observation point for traffic through the Seetal Valley

This is the Rotbach River, parts of which we are following toward the town of Rothenburg. To the right is the location of the old fortress and the former town of Alt Eschenbach.

We were very happy with the clear view we had of Mount Pilatus to the South, and the Central Alps

Small marsh area next to the Rotbach River

There is a blue heron in the meadow

A small section through a forest along the Waldibach Stream

More nice views of the Central Alps to the South, including the recognizable peak Mount Titlis, where there is usually year-round skiing (the white slope on the right)

The road, though asphalt, had little traffic and was quite enjoyable to walk

Large farm areas, and below is the Seetal train emerging from the tunnel

We are still able to enjoy the blossoming fruit trees. This stage of spring usually passes by too quickly

Fruit trees blossoming, Mount Pilatus in the background

Entering the gorge through which flows the Rotbach River

Final 2½ kilometers along the Rotbach River through the cool forest

Just before heading to the train station in Rothenburg, we discovered there was a wooden bridge over the Rotbach River, so we had a quick look. We decided not to check out the church above on the hill, as it looks too modern

Walking back across the bridge to head to the train station. This particular bridge was built in 1715.

12-km walk along the Rotbach River near the city of Luzern

April 11, 2020

Easter Weekend Walk on our Local Mountain: Zugerberg

Saturday April 11 -- We still try to do our twice-weekly excursions, close to home instead of all over the country, usually with a short train ride or a bike ride or walk near home.

This excursion was a combination bike/hike on Mount Zugerberg, first riding about 2-3 km to the edge of town, where we locked up our bikes and hiked a short piece up the mountain along a small stream called Fridbach, then across the hillside to a popular chapel called Verenakapelle, and then down again to pick up our bikes. This is an area of our local mountain that we had not yet discovered, and we were quite pleased with the lovely view over the lake, the pastoral landscape that smells like fresh-mown hay (plus the cows that are just heading out into the fields), and the wonderful blossoming high-growth fruit trees (probably pears used later for juice). This is such a lovely time of year and the blossoms are so short-lived, that it would be a shame not to be able to experience this at least once or twice.

On this lovely Easter Saturday we encountered several other people on the hill, so not altogether "out of the way", but the worst part was our return by bike along the lakefront. Too many people still out on Lake Promenades, but the worst are the bike riders (us not included) who are still using this opportunity to meet up in groups, riding side by side and not leaving space for oncoming "traffic". And the very worst of all are the ones all dressed up in their bike gear, speeding through the pedestrians in their apparent desperate need to continue their training....

On the South end of Zug Old Town, we head slightly further South to lock up our bikes near a creek, where we head up the hill on foot.

We parked our bikes near the building at the back, then walked up the hill to the left

Our 6-km walk started with an uphill section along a creek called Fridbach, then northwards through forests and meadows to the Verena Chapel, then back down via the Capuchin Monastery (Maria Opferung) and St. Michael's Church

Heading uphill along the idyllic Fridbach Creek

Best time of year in the forest, with all the new and fresh greens

Walking along the flank of Mount Zugerberg

A wonderful Spring Day on a trail near home which we were not yet familiar with

Heading North along the flank of Mount Zugerberg

Across a lovely meadow, we get the first views of the lake and Mount Pilatus in the background

And here a view over Old Town Zug and the prominent St. Michael's Church

High growth pear trees in full bloom, simply spectacular

Here we stopped on a bench for a small break, and to admire the blossoming trees and the view across the lake

Cows are happy to finally be out of the barns and back in the meadows!

At the northmost point of our little round tour is the popular St. Verena Chapel. This location is along the old pilgrim trail from Zug to Einsiedeln, and this chapel, built ca.1710, was designed by the same Benedictine Monk who designed the huge Baroque church in Einsiedeln.

On the hillside above the town of Zug

A single residence stands next to the Verena Chapel

Heading back down the hill again via the Capuchin Convent called "Maria Opferung". This site was expanded early 1600's, but a residence for the nuns seems to have existed here in the 13th Century already