A Sunday Walk with Historical Highlights, Close to Home

Sunday August 20, 2017 -- Sometimes we think we have to go far from home to do a nice hike, but this does not need to be so. The area around Zug where we live has some very nice pastoral landscapes, historical locations, and even super views across the city and the lake.

For our regular 12-km walk this Sunday (seems like all our walks are at least 10 km) we took a 45-minute bus ride up the hill just North of us, to the foothills of the Albis Range and started in the town called Hausen. (This area is actually in Canton Zurich)

The walk started with a surprisingly pretty and unkempt trail through a wetland area, probably known only by the locals. We then followed part of a cultural/historical trail to the town of Kappel, a significant location in the history of the Protestant Church in Switzerland and an area that figured prominently in the religious wars of 1529 and 1531. The Cistercian Monastery in Kappel was founded in 1185 by monks who emigrated from France, and remained Catholic until the Reformation, when it was handed over to the City of Zurich in 1527. The Abbey in Kappel, built in the 13th and 14th Centuries, is one of the best preserved early Gothic buildings in Switzerland. 

Shortly after Kappel we crossed the Canton line into Canton Zug, and the trail continued through meadows, farmyards, forests and finally along the river Lorze back home just about at Lake Zug. 

This 12-km walk from Hausen a. Albis to our home in Zug took 3 hours, 15 minutes.

Community Hall in Hausen a.Albis

Two days earlier we had a storm with such heavy rains, that caused the streams to rise and overflow the banks, crushing all this vegetation.

A surprisingly wild and unkempt wetland between the towns of Hausen and Kappel

Approaching Kappel a.Albis, with the beautiful rolling hills in the background.

Pretty farmsteads all along the way.

Pretty farmsteads all along the way.

There are many half-timbered homes in this area as well.

The Abbey at Kappel is one of the best preserved early Gothic buildings in Switzerland. (Mount Rigi in the background)

The Abbey at Kappel is one of the best preserved early Gothic buildings in Switzerland.

The Abbey at Kappel, built in the 13th and 14th Centuries, is one of the best preserved early Gothic buildings in Switzerland.

The Kappel Monastery was founded in 1185.

Some very pretty half-timbered farm houses in this area

Pretty farm houses in this area.

Our first glimpse of Lake Zug above a very tall corn field!

This is a very good use of solar panels!

This view was a surprise to me. I've lived here 4 years and didn't realize we had these views so close to home (which is right in the middle of this photo at lake level)

Just 1 km from home, this fabulous building is a restaurant I pass every day on the way to work (Zur Alten Lorze)

The River Lorze which flows into Lake Zug. I ride my bike along this river every day to work.

All the hikes we have done in this area in the past four years

 

In and out of the Erstfelder Valley from the Reuss Valley

Three hikes in four days, and each a bit different than the rest....

August 16, 2017 -- Wednesday, our day off. We decided to discover a new valley close to where we live. Another side valley off the Reuss Valley. It was wild and the trail was barely 20-30 cm wide and very steep for most of the way into the valley, and the rain we'd had every evening for the last few days made walking difficult on the slippery larch needles and rocks that covered the trail. This kind of trail would cause us little problem in dry conditions, but on this day we had to be very careful...

So we just went very slowly. And the effort was so worth it, as we emerged from the forest into the back of the valley, with its steep jagged peaks and waterfalls, glacier and glacier river, alpine meadows and houses built to withstand avalanches, and even a herb garden and little self-serve outdoor curio cabinet where we purchased a little jar of AlpRose honey.

And best part was, the excursion started with one of those fun cable cars yet again (our plan is to try them all out) to cover the steep height. To return to the Reuss Valley, we walked back out of the Erstfelder Valley parallel to the river, right down to where it stunningly flows into the Reuss River, its milky glacier waters markedly separating from the blue waters of the Reuss River.

Another unique cable car, of which there are many in Canton Uri. You have to phone up to the operator to get a ride.

View into the Reuss Valley and Schächen Valley from above Erstfeld.

Reuss River at Erstfeld, where the longest train tunnel in the world enters the mountains.

Up here lives the elderly lady, the operator of the Wilerli cable car. It runs all year, even in winter.

Our 9 km hike took us to the back of the Erstfeld Valley along a very narrow forest path on a steep mountain flank, and then down and out the other side.

The narrow forest trail was very slippery after the rains we had had.

Emerging from the forest, these steep hillsides are simply stunning.

Looking West into the Erstfeld Valley

Looking East out of the Erstfeld Valley toward the Reuss Valley

 

To the North.

The homes here are all built to withstand avalanches (built into the hillside).

The homes here are all built to withstand avalanches (built into the hillside).

Behind the waterfall and way up to the left is a Swiss Alpine Club hostel. A trip for another day or year.

 

The glacier river runs mightily here

The glacier river runs mightily here

A pleasant surprise to find a herb garden up here.

A pleasant surprise to find a herb garden up here.

Self-serve homemade syrups and honeys (the one I'm holding we purchased and have yet to try: Alp Rose Honey). The second little "shop" we passed on the way down, in a section of the valley with very high danger of rock slides, and "Absolutely no stopping allowed"... 

This is the furthest up the valley we went, it's time to head back down to Erstfeld, on the other side of the river.

On our own little glacier river beach. The water is almost white.

Heading back down out of the Erstfeld Valley.

Heading back down out of the Erstfeld Valley.

Once in a while I turn around for another last glimpse up this magnificent valley.

This strange creature is called a Slowworm, which is actually a legless lizard.

The trail out of the valley was also pretty narrow and wild and wet from the rain, with some very steep slopes.

Finally back in Erstfeld in the Reuss Valley

Here the glacier river joins the Reuss River. The separation of the waters is pretty evident.

Here the glacier river joins the Reuss River. The separation of the waters is pretty evident.

All the hikes we have done in this area in the past four years.

Gorges, Lakes and Monasteries in the Land of Gruyère

Three hikes in four days, and each a bit different than the rest....

Tuesday August 15, 2017 -- In some of the Swiss Cantons (only the Catholic ones), August 15th is a holiday (Assumption of Mary), so that means another opportunity for an excursion. This time, something not so strenuous, since I had twisted my ankle on the hike two days earlier, and wasn't too sure of it. And uphill for a change. 

We traveled to the land of Gruyère again, to finish a piece between two trails we had done there before. Our day included a one-hour hike through the "Gorges de la Jogne", along the lake "Lac de Montsalvens", then with a cable car up the hill for lunch at a simple restaurant with a view over the Gruyère Region, then back down and on to the La Valsainte Monastery. 

(This monastery is a Charter House, the only remaining functioning Cartusian Monastery in Switzerland. Founded in 1294, the monks who live here live in almost total silence, each individual in his own little cell-like room, receiving visits from family only twice per year. They don't have any particular spiritual doctrine. They believe the key to Cartusian spirituality is solitude. The monastery is not open to the public). 

It wasn't one of our most exciting excursions: The gorge wasn't as stunning as I'd hoped, and we didn't see much of the lake along the way. And for me, too many people on the trail, as it was a holiday in this area as well, so there were many familes on the trail. We prefer hiking higher up in the mountains, but this was a good choice for my foot, plus it started to rain just as we finished the hike...

Heading by train to Broc, you pass the Chateau de Gruyère

This is the Cailler Chocolate Factory in Broc. You can tour the factory (museum etc., but probably not where the chocolate is REALLY made), but we didn't do that.

Cailler Chocolate Factory in Broc, near Gruyère

The cute train station in Broc.

The 13-km hike (always slightly uphill) from Broc to La Valsainte took us 3.5 hours. We interrupted the hike at Charmey, where we took a cable car to the hill called Vanoutse, and had lunch there before descending and continuing up the valley.

Les Gorges de la Jogne, first part of the hike. This took one hour to cross.

Les Gorges de la Jogne, first part of the hike. This took one hour to cross.

 

Although not as exciting as other gorge hikes we have done, there were many interesting geological formations to observe.

This is the end of the gorge. From here it is steep uphill to the dam at Lac de Montsalvens

The dam at Lac de Montsalvens

The dam at Lac de Montsalvens, looking into the gorge

The dam at Lac de Montsalvens. Behind the first hill is the town of Charmey, and behind that, right in the center, is Vanoutse, where we had lunch.

Crossing the lake on the suspension bridge, right before Charmey

Charming buildings in Charmey

Taking the cable car from Charmey to Vanoutse for lunch

View from Vanoutse across the Gruyère landscape. Below is the Lac de Montsalvens and behind it the Gorges de la Jogne.

Heading back down by cable car to Charmey

 

From Charmey we head North toward La Valsainte monastery. It looks like rain, and the farmers are madly collecting the hay that had been drying in the fields. (The view is Southward with the distinct peak of Le Moléson)

Zoomed view of La Valsainte Carthusian Monastery with its typical cell-like houses where the monks live in semi-solitude.

Last crossing of the river before heading up to the monastery

At the monastery, you can walk around the courtyard and visit the chapel (behind me) but no other access is allowed.

Our friend from a year earlier is actively handing out a beautiful book about the Carthusian Monks. I told him we already had one and loved it. I think he really wanted me to take another one!

 

Here's the little bus to take us back out of the valley. It only makes three runs per day and two on Sundays.