Walk out of the Wägital Valley from Innerthal to Siebnen

Tuesday April 8, 2025 -- Another beautiful day, and not wanting to waste it, I went on another hike on my own. 

Near Lake Zurich is a little-know side valley called the Wägital, ending with a beautiful and very large reservoir lake called the Wägitalersee. We have been at the lake a few times, to either start or end hikes in the mountains surrounding the lake, but I have long wanted to walk down from the dam and out the valley back toward lake Zurich. The only problem is that about 10 kilometers of the 14-km hike out of the valley is on paved roads, which can actually become tedious.

But it wasn't a hot day and I really wanted to do the entire valley walk, so I ended up walking 14 kilometers from the village of Innerthal (last stop on the bus route to the lake), to the train station in Siebnen, which is on the railway line on the east side of Lake Zurich, a stretch we have traveled dozens of times. The day started almost too cold (only about 8 degrees C) and I wasn't dressed warmly enough, and was worried I might be too uncomfortable. But by the time I got to the paved road section, the air temperature was perfect, the walking not at all tedious, because it was a mountain road with little traffic. 

By the time I got to my destination in the town of Siebnen, the day had definitely grown warmer. As usual I checked out the two churches there, but they weren't particularly ornate. Another point to note: I seem to always luck out that classes of children (about 25 this time) often ride the same buses I do. They got out at the dam for what appeared to be a guided tour). 

After only one hour of travel time from home (having left at 9:20) to Siebnen near Lake Zurich, a bus heads up the Wägital Valley, a lesser-known valley but starting or ending point of many very nice hikes in the Schwyzer Alps. This valley (Vorderthal) opens up after the first gorge, and then the bus heads into a second gorge before reaching the dam at Lake Wägital. 

After heading across this upper pastoral region, the bus heads into the next gorge, which I walked down later. That mountain is called Gross-Aubrig. 

A look back at Vorderthal as the bus continues up to Lake Wägital. I passed through this community on my way back down the valley. 

After reaching the dam, the lake (Wägitalersee) appears with the backdrop of the Schwyzer Alps. This view is from the bus window just before we reach the final bus stop at the village of Innerthal. By the time I walked back to here, the wind had picked up and the water surface no longer reflected the mountains. 

At 11:00 the bus reached the village of Innerthal, final stop on the bus run. Shortly afterwards, I started on my way back to the dam. A very cold wind was blowing and I wasn't dressed warmly enough. We have ended several hikes here at Innerthal or the dam. 

The water level is currently very low. On previous occasions the lake was much fuller. On our second excursion to Lake Wägitalersee in May 2020 (Photos HERE), we started at the dam and headed straight up the hill on the far side of the dam and to the left of that large hill, which is called the Gross Aubrig. The smaller peak is the Klein Aubrig, both popular hiking goals from the other side. 

A look up at the little church in Innerthal as I head back toward the dam. On another May hike (May 2022, photos HERE), we started here, walked up to the church and higher up on the east side of the lake, descending to Vorderthal. 

On the southwest side of the lake is a mountain called Fluebrig, and on its northern base the pass called Fläschlipass. End of May 2023 (Photos HERE), we crossed that pass starting on the other side, and coming down past the farms along the road in that green clearing. 

Close-up view of Mt. Fluebrig. 

I have to cross the dam, and then descend into the gorge on the far side. 

A look at the village of Innerthal and the east side of Lake Wägitalersee from the dam. 

A look down into the gorge on the north side of the dam. I descended from the left and walked down the gorge. 

I found a spot for a self-timed photo. 

Incredibly, there is absolutely no water coming down the mountain under the bridge. When we crossed that bridge on the May 2023 hike (photos HERE), the lake was full to the top and the water filled the arched space below the bridge.  

Before heading down the steep trail on the west side of the dam, I stopped at a picnic spot to enjoy the view for a while. 

Here is where I start the descent to the bottom of the dam, and then through the gorge. Originally I had only planned to walk to Vorderthal, but I ended up walking all the way to Siebnen, another about three hours from here. 

In all, this was a 14-km walk, about 3½ hours. I started at 11 a.m. in Innerthal, and got on the train station in Sieben-Wangen at 4 p.m.  

The descent to the bottom of the dam was steep and full of leaves, but had a couple of interesting bridges and stairways. 

A set of steps makes the steep trail easier to navigate. 

A look above me as I descend to the base of the dam. 

A look at the Wägital dam once I got to the bottom of the dam. There was no water here in the riverbed, as there was no need to empty water from the lake. (Water levels were also too low). 

Comfortable walking path through the gorge. 

The empty riverbed of the Wägitaler Aa River. 

Now I am out of the gorge and out into the wide open upper valley near the village of Vorderthal. 

The section of trail here was strewn with lots of rocks, fallen at some point from the mountain (Gross Aubrig) to the west. This is the village of Vorderthal, where we ended our May 2022 hike, coming down from the mountain on the right (photos HERE). 

A look back at the mountain called Gross Aubrig

Now there is water in the Wägitaler Aa River. 

A half-timbered house in the town of Vorderthal, as I get to the main road. 

Church of St.Peter and St.Paul in Vorderthal, built 1785 (?)

Details of the inside of the St.Peter and St.Paul church in Vorderthal.

A look at the front of the church. There is a bus stop here, where we ended our May 2022 hike when we came down the mountain from the east.

Another very nice house, called Haus Hof, dates from 1798 and is on the list of protected heritage items for this valley. 

I continued down the main road toward the second gorge, and visited with these little guys, who were very curious about visiting with me. 

A look behind me at the mountains around Lake Wägitalersee, where I walked down from. 

A sign welcomes you to the Wägital, i.e. "Wägi Valley". 

From here (where we ended another hike in September 2024, coming from the Sattelegg Pass in the west, Photos HERE), the main road continues northwards along the east side of the gorge, but there is a less-used paved road on the west side, which is the one I followed as I headed out of the valley. 

Looking behind me at the upper part of the Wägital, as I now head northwards on the west side of the gorge of the Wägitaler Aa River. 

I really like these spring flowers. They look so happy!

Looming large at the back of the valley is a mountain that I have no idea what it is called! (A very close-up view). 

For five kilometers I walked along this paved road, which wasn't too bad, as there was very little traffic, and the views were great. 

A look behind me at the two popular peaks in this region: Gross Aubrig and Klein Aubrig (Greater and Smaller Aubrig). 

Lots of nice views up the valley behind me as I head north along the paved road. 

More nice views up the valley behind me as I head north along the paved road. 

Now the front part of the valley toward Lake Zurich opens up ahead of me. 

Looking northeast toward the mountains of the Zurich Oberland. The city below is Siebnen, where I am ending my hike. 

Panorama view

View behind me before I start my descent to Siebnen. 

Another close-up look at the mountains at the back of the valley, beyond Lake Wägital

From here I can see into the front part of the gorge

From here I can see the upper part of Lake Zurich (Obersee). 

As I wind my way down the road, I pass several blossoming fruit trees. 

More blossoming trees. 

The city of Siebnen below me. 

Spring lambs!

Isn't this the cutest?

Bell towers of the two churches in the center of town: Large Catholic church on the left, and the Protestant church on the right. 

The first of the two churches was the Evangelical church. I did go inside, but it was the typical plain interior. The church was built 1875-1878. 

Crossing the Wägital Aa River, with a view to the Wägital Power Station. 

This large building is the Catholic Church "Herz Jesu" ("Sacred Heart") which was completed in 1927. It was very modern inside, even though from the outside it looks like a monastery. 

Near the cemetery at the catholic church. 

This retaurant called "Chapel Restaurant" is surely no longer in operation. 

A look up main street in Siebnen, with view of both church bell towers. 

The inscription on the bell in front of this house reads: "E.Messner Glocken", indicating that this is, or was, a place where bells were manufactured. 

A look down a side street as I make my way to the train station. 

I got to the train station in Siebnen-Wangen at shortly after 4 p.m., after a 14-km walk down the Wägital Valley. This is where I had caught a bus up to the lake earlier in the morning at 10:34 for the 15-minute ride up the valley. (An entire class of smallish children got on later in the town proper, heading up for a tour of the dam. Good thing it was a short bus ride!)

The 16:10 train arrives for my one-hour trip home!

This is what my walk looks like on Google Satellite Maps

These are all the hikes we have done in the region of Lake Wägital and Vorderthal. We can be in this beautiful hiking region in less than two hours!

Location of Lake Wägital within Switzerland. 

I left Zug on the 9:34 train toward Thalwil (Lake Zurich), and this was the visibility of the Central Alps this morning, looking south past the town of Baar.

City walk around historical Sursee in Canton Luzern

Sunday April 6, 2025 -- There were cold winds blowing from the northeast this day (it's the dreaded "Bise") and even though there was a lot of sunshine, we passed on the opportunity for a hike, and visited my cousin in the city of Sursee, located on the north end of Lake Sempach in Canton Luzern, and only an hour's travel time from our home. 

We did walk through the city though, one we have surprisingly not seen yet, and enjoyed some very nice sites, including city walls, town gates, town hall, several religious buildings, a river (Suhre) which passes right through the city. Best of all were the gardens at the former Capuchin Monastery with more varieties of daffodils than I knew existed! In the end, we walked about five kilometers!

And the air was so clear, that we had really superb views of the mountains on our trip back home. 

Our train heads up the west side of Lake Sempach, as the city of Sursee lies at the north end of this lake. 

The magnolias are currently in full bloom. This splendor lasts only a few days, unfortunately. 

Other lovely blossoming trees.

After a nice lunch and visit, we headed out for a walk into the old town of Sursee at 3:45 p.m. Here in town we were somewhat sheltered from the cold winds. 

This is the City Hall (Rathaus). 

Main street in old town Sursee (Rathausplatz). The bell-tower is from the parish church (St.George), but we did not go that way. 

Very typical old town features are the signs that hang outside of buildings, advertising the type of business that operates there!

Several of the buildings have decorations under the roof overhangs. 

The Suhre River flows right through the center of the old town. 

Crossing the Suhre River at Mühleplatz, the site of a former mill. 

The daffodils are currently in full bloom!

We passed via the "Diebenturm" (Thief-Tower, built 1682/83, also called "Hexenturm" or "Witches' Tower", originally the prison tower) and walked along a row of houses along the "Unterer Grabe". 

More magnificent flowering trees. 

We then walked to a second city tower called the "Untertor" or "Baslertor", and the "Schützenhaus" (Marksman's Clubhouse). 

Untertor and Schützenhaus were built in 1674 (resp.1679) at the site of an older, medieval city gate. 

The relief coat of arms which adorns the lower city gate dates from 1676. On the left is a popular restaurant called "Wirtshaus Wilder Mann", where is it apparently difficult to get reservations, as it is that popular! It has apparently also been a popular meeting place since 1495. 

A look back to the Schützenhaus as we cross the Suhre River again. 

Heading toward the former Capuchin Monastery, we see the tower of the St.George parish church on our right. 

This building is called Sankt-Urbanhof, originally the administration office for the Cistercian Monastery in St.Urban (built in 1596, although the original administration office was built in 1256), it is now a museum. 

On the right is the church building of the former Capuchin Monastery (dissolved in 1998) where we are headed to next. The cute little half-timbered building has a name: "Rothüsli" (= Little Red House)

The cross in front of the church is Late-Renaissance, erected in 1628!

Interior of the former Capuchin Monastery Church. The original monastery was grounded 1606, and received a new building and church in 1705. Meanwhile, the church building was expanded in 1936.

A look back at the monastery buildings as we walk through the huge gardens. What caught our eye were the many daffodils blooming here, and there were many different types. 

I spent a lot of time photographing all the various daffodils in the monastery gardens! I never knew there were so many different types! Especially the ones with the frilly trumpets were exquisite. 

On the website burgwelten.org, I found this sketch of what old town Sursee would have looked like in 1653. On the bottom right is the site of the Capuchin Monastery. 

On the way back to my cousin's house, we passed this very old building. Above the door is the date 1755 engraved in the lintel-piece. 

Passing a lovely villa

I'm always impressed when a building's roof has been totally covered with solar panels!

We saw a couple of these posts with the old systems of power lines! (Mostly they are underground here in Switzerland). 

Crossing the Suhre River again. 

To the north we see the bell-tower of the city's Evangelical church (and the Catholic Parish Church bell tower at the back on the right). 

This is approximately the path we walked through the city. 

At 6:15 p.m. we are back at the train station in Sursee for the one-hour trip home. 

On the train ride to Luzern, the lovely late afternoon lighting shows Mt.Pilatus in clear relief. 

To the southeast we have a really good view of Mt.Rigi

And a nice clear view of the Central Alps (You can just see the summit of Mt.Titlis on the right). 

Changing trains in Luzern, we now head along Lake Rotsee with this always fantastic view of Mt.Pilatus. 

A peek into the Schwyzer Alps, with the popular Mt. Fronalpstock. 

And finally the view of Mt.Rigi past Lake Zug. 

Location of Sursee within Switzerland.