Herzschlaufe Wil

Setting off from Rikon, this route gets off to a challenging start, with steep hairpin bends leading the way up to the Oberlangenhard plateau. The route is lined with handsome half-timbered houses and antique signs painted in the colours of the canton of Zurich. You will cycle through the delightful hilly landscape to the historic Gyrenbad. The former spa hotel dates back to the 17th century and is now run as an inn and hotel. Some rooms have been faithfully restored to their original condition. The route winds its way up through small patches of woodland, meadows and pastures around the Schauenberg hill. It’s worth getting off your bike here for a moment to climb the hill with its ruined castle. The sweeping views over the Alpstein and Lake Constance here are magnificent.

Tortuous tracks will lead you to the country road that precedes Sennhof by the secluded Restaurant Guhwilmühle. Elgg Castle sits atop a hill and a rapid descent into the small town of the same name follows. Lindenplatz centre is home to the Late Gothic church, while the alleys are lined with stately timber-framed houses. Side streets take you back into Thurgau. Continuing through the planes, you will soon arrive at Tänikonerweiher pond, where the inviting picnic spot is a great place to take a break. At Guntershausen, you will cross the major railway line that connects German-Speaking and French-speaking Switzerland, followed by the east-west axis of the N1 motorway with its heavy traffic a little further on. If visibility is good, you may be able to make out the Alpstein massif and the Säntis to the south, towering over the hilly landscape. Once you arrive on the hill above Lommis, you will follow the edge of the forest. The most impressive building in the long, thin settlement of Tobel is the former Tobel Commandry of the Order of St. John (Johanniter-Komturei Tobel) that dates back to the 13th century. Its most prominent features are its church and mediaeval fortified tower on the hill.

After another uphill stretch, the route leads over the hills past isolated farms and hamlets. If so inclined, you can take another detour to the wooden Wil Tower. It gives views over the city of Wil and the surrounding villages, the Vorarlberg and Glarus Alps, and towards the Alpstein massif. The final descent ends at the Stadtweiher pond in the park, which reflects the silhouette of the historic old town. The densely packed little city with its prized architecture from various epochs is just behind the crest of the hill. It is worth taking a detour before returning to the railway station.