Kulturspur Appenzellerland
Overview
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Distance 15 km
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Duration 5 h
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Ascent 820 m
Intro
The steep climb up to Rehetobel is rewarded with stunning views of Appenzellerland with the Alpstein in the background. On over the Kaienspitz to the Biedermeier village of Heiden, with an impressive panorama of the Bodensee. Gentle descent to Rheineck.
Description
This hike sets off from Herisau’s fruit market square with its ornate government building. You can look forward to your first glimpses of the Säntis massif from the Churzenberg hill. It is said that Paracelsus, the famous naturopath, lived in this area for a while. In the Urnäschtobel gorge below, cross the “talking bridge”, which is named for the various sayings that adorn its roof trusses. A steep, forested ascent takes you to Hundwil, where the final Ausserrhoden People’s Assembly took place in 1997. The stately buildings that surround the field where the assemblies were once held bear testament to this period.
Over undulating terrain, you will arrive at the steep hill ridge of the Höggwald forest. The benches beneath the mighty lindens are a good spot to sit for a quick rest. In Stein, a row of well-maintained houses points the way to the village square with its impressive church. In the lower part of the village, you can visit the Appenzeller Volkskunde-Museum (Appenzell Folklore Museum) (temporarily closed as of January 2025). This focuses on Appenzellerland’s culture of farming and cheesemaking, along with its small-scale textile manufacturing. Another local attraction is the Schaukäserei, where demonstrations show the famous Appenzeller cheese being made.
The trail descends steeply into the Sittertobel ravine, where the river has carved a deep gash into the layers of sandstone and conglomerate rock known as “Nagelfluh”. Bizarre rock formations line the way to the Strom swimming area at the confluence of the Rotbach and Sitter rivers. The hiking trail continues in a zigzag to Wonnenstein Friary. If so inclined, you can take a detour of 40 minutes or so down into the Rotbachtobel ravine and to the Höchfall waterfall, which is over 20 metres tall.
This cultural trail follows one of the most important regional transport projects of the 20th century: the imposing ring road with its innumerable concrete bridges and retaining walls. Sometimes you will go under the bridges and follow the road. Passing through the forested Hörlibachtobel gorge, you will get straight to the village road of Teufen, which is shared with the railway line. The opulent Rococo houses with tail gables, once belonging to textile merchants, are a striking sight. After the collapse of the textile industry, several children’s homes, health clinics and special needs schools were founded here. Nowadays, Teufen is a popular place to live not far from the city thanks to its sunny location.
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 |
Herisau
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Teufen
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| Direction |
One way
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| Ascent |
820 m
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| Descent |
760 m
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| Distance |
15 km
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| Duration |
5 h
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| Duration back |
4 h 50 min
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| Technical requirements |
Easy
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| Physical requirements |
Medium
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| Season |
March - October
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| More information | https://www.schweizmobil.ch/en/wanderland/etappe22... |
Quick Facts
Route number
