Säuliamt–Schwyz
Overview
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Distance 29 km
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Ascent 280 m
Intro
Along Zugersee lake with a backdrop of peaks. Deer between boulders from rock slides in Goldau animal park. The Rigi and Mythen mountains overwhelm the Lauerzersee lake. Resolutely on to the heart of Switzerland, to Schwyz, keeper of the Swiss Federal Charter.
Description
With its favourable tax rates, Zug is a popular town for international companies to be based in. Besides an attractive old centre full of town houses, it’s best known for its 52-metre-high Zytturm, a 13th-century tower that served as a watchtower for fires for many years. From Hirschgarten, the route starts by cutting through the village centre before hugging the lake shore. Waterfowl congregate on the water here, while cyclists mostly stick to separate cycle paths next to the main road. The region was once dominated by lakeside settlements of the prehistoric inhabitants known as pile dwellers. Some of these settlements, including Oterswil and the island of Eielen, were awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2011.
The stage continues alongside Lake Zug and through several villages, one of which – Walchwil – enjoys a picturesque location nestled between vineyards and sweet chestnut trees. If you look out across the water, you’ll spot the Chiemen peninsula on the opposite side of the lake. The steep flanks of the Rossberg and Rigi mountains watch over the «Lake Zug Riviera». Shortly after Walchwil, the route passes the chapel of St. Adrian, which dates from 1480.
It then continues on a straight and flat stretch all the way to Arth, where it turns away from Lake Zug and picks up local streets, at least initially. In Oberarth, it crosses the Rigiaa, a tributary of the Lorze River around 22 kilometres long. Next up is Arth-Goldau, the twin towns in the Canton of Schwyz positioned between Lake Zug and Lake Lauerz. Together, they form a well-known transport hub on the Gotthard route as well as being the starting point for a trip up the Rigi and home to the Nature Reserve and Wildlife Park Goldau, a zoo managed in line with scientific principles. It houses around 100 species of wild animal – mostly native to Switzerland – in an area spanning just over 42 hectares.
At this point, the green of the countryside returns as you pass through Goldau’s Schuttwald forest on a slight uphill slope. This area is part of that devastated by a major landslide in 1806, when huge boulders came crashing down into the valley from the Rossberg mountain, burying entire villages beneath them. Sägel-Schutt, between Goldau and Lake Lauerz, forms a nature reserve with extensive reed meadows and a wealth of flora and fauna. It is through this moorland landscape that the cycle path now passes on its way to Lake Lauerz, with amazing views of the Mythen peaks en route. These are especially beautiful in the light of evening, when they take on a reddish glow above the limestone rockfaces.
There is a slight climb shortly after Steinen as you head up to Seewen, from where it’s not far to the finish line. The route runs briefly alongside the Seeweren stream, which flows out of Lake Lauerz, before continuing along flat terrain to Schwyz – your destination for this stage. The area and the small town itself, which is well worth a visit, are famous for their many specialities made from cherries and kirsch. Schwyz’s Forum of Swiss History also houses the 1291 Federal Charter, the most important founding document of the Swiss state.
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 |
Zug
|
|---|---|
| Destination |
Schwyz
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| Ascent |
280 m
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| Descent |
190 m
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| Distance |
29 km
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| Distance on tarred ways |
27 km
|
| Distance on natural surface |
2 km
|
| Physical requirements |
Easy
|
Quick Facts
Route number
