Kartäuser-Fürstenland-Route

The oval-shaped, slightly elevated old town of Wil will leave you with delightful memories. Looking out over the city’s local lake to the old abbey town, where the prince-abbots of St. Gallen lived over 500 years ago, you will see the rows of pretty house fronts. Shortly after setting out on this leg, you will reach the river Thur, which also runs alongside the motorway for a stretch. The rest spot at Thurau is also perfect for cyclists in need of a mid-morning snack.

There is a somewhat weathered sign reading: “Dear visitors, you are standing in front of the last remaining intact section of what is known as the concrete road”. The main road here was built between 1933 and 1936, making it the first concrete road in Switzerland. The route then takes you from one Wil to the next, as you head to Niederuzwil, Uzwil and Flawil. The section of the main road between Uzwil and Flawil is not quite so leisurely. You might feel a touch envious of the people taking the train, looking out over the cycle lane and the Fürstenland beyond from comfort of their carriages.

After that, you will come to Burgau, a secluded hamlet of national importance in Flawil, which is fascinating and worth a look. It has a well-preserved enclosed group of historical wooden buildings dating from the 17th and 18th century. The atmosphere in the quaint little village with its shingled or panelled log houses is special. An imposing bridge now leads over the river Glatt, connecting Flawil with Gossau. There is also an impressive view down into the deep chasms below. The Espel nature conservation area offers plenty of fun for cyclists: over the course of four decades, this area where gravel was once mined has now become a haven for amphibians, dragonflies, birds and reptiles.

In Gossau, the route leads straight to the railway station and open-air swimming pool. You are now getting closer to St. Gallen and with it the next bridge, at vertiginous heights above the river Sitter. Although it is only 670 metres above sea level, the UNESCO World Heritage site of St. Gallen feels like a mountain city. The magnificent limestone massif of the Alpstein rises up in the distance. Yet the final stretch of this leg is almost all downhill, passing through Goldach to the harbour town of Rorschach. You will catch several glimpses of the splendid, silvery shimmer of Lake Constance along the way. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a nice cool down when you’re finished?