Zürichsee-Rundweg
Overview
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Distance 23 km
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Duration 5 h 50 min
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Ascent 400 m
Intro
Numerous places to take a break or swim are found along the lake shores – and the unspoilt Lachner Horn landscapes and Schmerikon estuary cordially invite you to rest a while. Attractive contrast on this leg is the crossing of the woods by Buchberg.
Description
From Pfäffikon in the Canton of Schwyz, your route follows the railway tracks, with a narrow reed marsh on your left cutting you off from Lake Zurich. You reach the harbour with its leisure boats by crossing the tracks and passing under the causeway. Once back between the lake and the railway line, the path continues on towards Altendorf and Lachen SZ. Although it sounds like the German for «laughter», this «Lachen» actually has a different meaning: it comes from the Old High German «lahha», which means «pool» or «swamp». Fortunately, however, the harbourside and promenade are now invitingly dry and a great place to walk or simply spend time.
Next up is the Obersee adventure trail, a thrilling journey of discovery through the region’s nature and culture. On a large expanse of open grass lies Wangen-Lachen airfield, from where light-sport aircraft can often be seen taking off for the Glarus Alps or the Engadin. On your way here, you’ll already have come across numerous benches and leisure facilities inviting you to take a break – all the more so when you get to the restaurants on Lachen’s lakeside promenade.
Underneath a mighty broad-leafed tree on the outskirts of Nuolen, a small stone house adorned with a picture of a saint welcomes you. The large church itself is located in the actual village. Passing through agricultural land and alongside an impressive golf course, you reach one of the many hills in Switzerland named «Buechberg». A barbecue area and log cabin are the perfect spot to take a breather, while information panels tell you about the trees and shrubs around you. Passing through the forest and along its edge, where you get to see vines and the Linth Plain, it’s not long until you reach the Schloss Grynau restaurant. The imposing tower used to protect the crossing point over the River Linth at a time when it was untamed and had no bridges. These days, everything seems peaceful and idyllic. After following the Linth Canal downstream for a bit and crossing the Aabach delta, the hike comes to an end in Schmerikon. This means that you’ve reached St. Gallen, the third canton that borders Lake Zurich, and are halfway round the lake itself.
While in Schmerikon, it’s worth marking the end of the stage by the harbour and, for example, enjoying the sunset as you look out over the lake at the boats returning home. Although the region has been inhabited since the eighth century BCE, until the Early Modern period the people here lived off fishing, winemaking, a sandstone quarry and the pilgrim traffic to Einsiedeln, because no bridge from Rapperswil to Pfäffikon had yet been built.
An enjoyable tour includes the careful planning of the same. Please inform yourself in advance at the local information center about the route and weather conditions. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this route may be blocked or interrupted
| Start location |
Pfäffikon SZ
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Schmerikon
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| Direction |
One way
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| Altitude (meter above sea level) |
400 m
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| Ascent |
400 m
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| Descent |
400 m
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| Distance |
23 km
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| Duration |
5 h 50 min
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| Duration back |
5 h 45 min
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| Technical requirements |
Easy
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| Physical requirements |
Difficult
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| Season |
All year
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| Theme |
Along Water
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| More information | https://schweizmobil.ch/en/hiking-in-switzerland/r... |
Quick Facts
Route number
