Appenzeller Weg
Overview
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Distance 28 km
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Duration 7 h 25 min
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Ascent 740 m
Intro
The fertile Rhine plains and Paspels bathing lake lie between the Rankweil fortified church and the Blatten hilltop castle in Oberriet. From Hirschensprung to Appenzell, the old pilgrimage path is lined with chapels, shrines and small pilgrimage churches.
Description
The first stage of the Appenzeller Weg begins at the station in Rankweil. Why not take a few minutes longer to visit the basilica in Rankweil? At a towering 500 metres tall, it's the landmark of the town. From here, you have an impressive panoramic view over the upper Rhine Valley towards Switzerland, the Principality of Liechtenstein and into the Alpine region of Vorarlberg.
For the first few minutes, you hike through residential and industrial areas. Passing by the Brederiser meadows, you reach the Paspels Seen lakes, a popular recreational area where you can swim. After the next agricultural area, you cross the Rhine canal and, at the same time, the Swiss border.
After Rüthi, you start climbing. It's around 700 metres of elevation up to the Bildstein chapel. The trail also passes through the Schwammtobel forest reserve, whose unspoilt landscape is preserved and conserved thanks to its typical animal and plant species. While you've now been underway for five hours, the end isn't yet in sight. It's around two more hours to your destination.
The trail takes you via Appenzell Eggerstanden and Appenzell Steinegg to the Sitter river and on to Appenzell. If you still have enough energy after the long hike, you should look around the cantonal capital and stroll along the main street and across the Landsgemeindeplatz square. The many painted and decorated buildings here are also impressive.
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 |
Rankweil (A)
|
|---|---|
| Destination |
Appenzell
|
| Direction |
One way
|
| Ascent |
740 m
|
| Descent |
420 m
|
| Distance |
28 km
|
| Duration |
7 h 25 min
|
| Duration back |
7 h
|
| Technical requirements |
Easy
|
| Physical requirements |
Difficult
|
| Season |
March - October
|
| More information | https://schweizmobil.ch/en/hiking-in-switzerland/r... |
Quick Facts
Route number
