Evening Walk along Lake Zug, from Risch to Hühnenberg

(This post published on March 3, 2023)

Wednesday May 23, 2018 -- Usually Urs has the day off on Wednesday, but this day he had to fill in for a colleague. But it was a nice day and we wanted to take advantage of a walk, so even after his work, we still managed a 90-minute and 7 km walk nearby, parallel to the West shore of our Lake (Zugersee). Additionally, this was a stretch of the National Trail no.3: Alpine Panorama Trail nearby, which we hadn't walked on yet.

I tend to forget that there are many wonderful things to discover near home as well. In fact, the farms and farmhouses here are very attractive, as are the view of the lakeshore, and the comfortable forest paths. We even discovered a 17th Century chapel in our own "backyard"!

The following photos are mainly of the farm houses along the way. 

We started at 5 p.m. in the community of Risch on the western side of Lake Zug

Sun-dappled stretches in the forest are acceptable!

Thick expanses of stinging nettles. 

As we round the little hill into Buonas, a glimpse of the Lake and our city of Zug in the back (looking northeast)

St.German Chapel in Buonas, built in 1631-32

Details of the St.German Chapel. Especially impressive is the massive iron lock. 

A sign on the side of that building says it was the old fire station in the community of Buonas!

Farmers are always busy

Another look back at the chapel in Buonas

A restaurant called "Der Wildenmann" (The Wild Man) and some of the decorations around the property

Old "Beehive" glass windows, and lovely shutters on this house

We are always pleased to catch sight of grey herons

Lovely rhododendrons

A look behind us to the south to Mt.Rigi as we get to the train station in Hühnenberg for a short train ride home (although there is still a 10-minute walk home from the train station). 

A short 90-minute evening walk on the West side of Lake Zug

We have done many walks around the lake.... This one was 6 kilometers along the Alpine Panorama Trail from Risch to Hühnenberg.

Walk along the Lakeshore from Zug to Cham

Friday May 11, 2018 -- The five-kilometer stretch from our home to the train station in Cham follows the lakeshore of Lake Zug from the public park called Brüggli through a very nice bird sanctuary. The most common birds we encounter here are coots and crested grebes, mallards and grey geese and swans. Very special is when the cormorants come and spread their wings! On the nearby wheat fields you can also often spot grey herons waiting to pounce on mice....

Other interesting features along the way are the St.Andreas Castle (private residence) and the Vilette Park. 

We used to do this stretch quite often as an evening walk and to get out of the house, but not so much lately. On this particular morning, the temperature was mild and the view across the lake to Mount Rigi was good. A really nice spring day for this short walk. 

Near the Brüggli Park, these rushes are home to lots of waterbirds. On the far side of the lake is Mt.Rigi

If we're lucky we can see some cormorants stretching their wings.

Beautiful birds, these cormorants

VIDEO:

Cormorant drying its wings

Where the Dorfbach river from Steinhausen enters the lake, it's a haven for grebes. There are many nests in these bushes. 

Many crested grebes in the river here

Crested Grebes

VIDEO:

Many grebes and coots on the Dorfbach River

St.Andreas Castle

Grounds of the St.Andreas Castle

Old farmhouses

Villette Park in Cham

Villette Park near Cham

Villette Park near Cham

Pretty four-leafed clematis

Clematis

We have done this walk many times. We start from home and walk to the train station in Cham, but when we return by train to the station nearest to us, we still have to walk from there to home. So this is in effect a 5-km walk