Zürichsee-Rundweg
Overview
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Distance 8 km
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Duration 2 h 10 min
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Ascent 240 m
Intro
A contrasting walk between country farm dwellings and country mansions. Cornfields and pastures converge with mansion dwellings –whereas pure nature with erratic boulders and waterfall beautify the way to the Küsnacht Tobel.
Description
The first thing that comes to a Swiss person’s mind when they think of Meilen is probably ferries, stylish villas or the tax rate. And they wouldn’t be wrong. Yet Meilen also has a hidden side, boasting fields of corn, swathes of calcareous grassland and pastures for cattle, which come one after the other on this beautiful high-altitude hike. To get to the starting point, take the boat, car ferry or train and walk through the village and up towards the ravine. You will soon be on the opposite side of the ravine to the ruins of Friedberg Castle, which seems impregnable from here.
In 2022, an old shipwreck was found far below here, in the silt along the shore. Two cargo boats are said to have collided in the area in 1906, sinking one of them instantly. Fortunately, the crew survived. Back on land, you will encounter places with names such as Chleeweid, Tambel, Biswind, Wetzwil and Pfluegstein as you go. Although you can sometimes guess at the origins of their names if you know some German, at other times it remains a mystery. In the case of the Kittenmühle, a restaurant inside a listed building, the story is easy to follow: one former owner, a man named Heinrich Kitt, operated a mill (in German «Mühle») on the site. These days, it is owned by Herrliberg local council. This came about after concerned citizens urged both Herrliberg and the neighbouring municipality of Erlenbach to buy the building to prevent the canton from turning it into a drug detox centre. Passing along the path that connects the Erlenbach and Küsnacht ravines (both of which are well worth exploring), the stage comes to an end at the Küsnachter Allmend. If you want to get to the railway by the lake shore on foot, you’ll have to choose one of the two ravines. You definitely won’t regret it.
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 |
Meilen
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Küsnacht ZH
|
| Direction |
One way
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| Altitude (meter above sea level) |
600 m
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| Ascent |
240 m
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| Descent |
140 m
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| Distance |
8 km
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| Duration |
2 h 10 min
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| Duration back |
2 h 5 min
|
| Technical requirements |
Easy
|
| Physical requirements |
Easy
|
| Season |
All year
|
Quick Facts
Route number
