SwitzerlandEXPLORING EASTERN SWITZERLAND
If Switzerland was divided into 3 equal parts(vertically), you may observe that tourists seem to concentrate on visiting the middle third. Most of the tourist groups fly into Zürich, travel on to Lucerne, then to the Bernese Oberland (eg: Interlaken), and perhaps finish up in Zermatt. Some may visit the French-speaking cantons, such as Geneva, but Eastern Switzerland seldom features in the itinerary- which is fine by me, because I love exploring the Appenzell region without the crowds!
The Alpstein massif, which makes up most of the Appenzell Alps, differs from the main chain of the Alps in that the Alpstein peaks are predominantly limestone, whereas the Alps are mostly granite. Add tectonic folds to the mix and you will find that the scenery here is a whole new experience!
The end of the road, and our hotel
We stayed in Wasserauen, which is essentially the end of the road for cars, unless you live locally. The Gasthaus Alpenrose is perfectly located and is a great place to base yourself for all your hikes.
Our first hike was up to the beautiful Seealpsee (Lake Seealp). From the hotel, the trail follows the local road. At first the climb is barely noticeable but soon you find yourself puffing and panting up a very long and steep incline!
Part the way up, the track to the 'Berggasthaus Aescher-Wildkirchli', usually referred to as simply the Aescher branches off to the right.
It was raining for most of our climb and many frogs were out on the road!
However, as we neared the Seealpsee, the weather miraculously began to clear: it stopped raining, and the clouds gradually lifted to reveal the spectacular mountains surrounding the lake. It was magical!
The hike around the Seealpsee is easy and takes around 20 minutes (stopping for pics along the way, especially with the placid cows!). We stopped for a delicious early dinner at the Berggasthaus Seealpsee as the visibility continued to improve; it's a meal we won't forget! Then it was time to make our way back down that long and steep road- a little hard on the knees!- and get back to the Alpenrose to rest and prepare for the next full day of hiking.
Such a beautiful and peaceful scene! (Gasthaus Seealpsee is in the background).
Clear skies and beautiful sunshine greeted us in the morning, so off we went (after a traditional Swiss breakfast) for a long ,but rewarding, day of hiking. Firstly we had to tackle that climb up the road but at least we were able to leave it to take the trail to the Aescher. However, there was much more climbing to be done. The trail zig-zags through the forest and there are stairs cut into rock, but none of it is particularly treacherous, and you are rewarded at the top with stunning scenery of the Aescher, seemingly teetering on the side of a cliff. There, you can celebrate your achievement with a drink and even a meal if you wish!
Berggasthaus Aescher-Wildkirchli ("Aescher")
The good news for those less enamoured with hiking is that the Ebenalpbahn (cable car) takes you from Wasserauen, a short walk from the carpark, right up to the top of the Ebenalp. From Ebenalp, it is a simple walk downhill, past 3 prehistoric caves (including the St. Michael Cave Chapel), to the Aescher.
The Ebenalpbahn
After a drink at the Aescher, we set our sights on the Schäfler mountain- in particular, the Berggasthaus Schäfler- and it was an enjoyable hike of around 1.5 hours (including photo stops!). There is a steep zig-zag path as you approach the Gasthaus but overall the hike was not too challenging- and the views were breathtaking, with the striking blue waters of the Seealpsee twinkling far below us.
The weather station on the summit of the Säntis can clearly be seen in this pic
Berggasthaus Schäfler
Again, we enjoyed drinks at the Gasthaus before taking photos on the ridge just beyond, which is only for the sure-footed! In the picture below you can see the (rather treacherous!) trail cut into the side of the mountain which leads to the Säntis, where there is a weather station, guesthouse and restaurant. To reach the Säntis we needed at least another 4 hours, plus... those tracks (!!!)... so we were happy to enjoy the view from 1923m rather than 2502m (the Säntis being the highest point in the Alpstein massif).
There are plenty of hiking trails in the area, including a couple that lead all the way down to the Seealpsee, but we elected to take a trail around the northern side of the Ebenalp-Schäfler ridge and met the main road down near the base of the Ebenalpbahn. I didn't particularly enjoy the steep and gravelly roads towards the end, trying not to end up on my bum(!), but we made it down OK and simply followed the road back to the Alpenrose .
It was a long and hot day, so it was off with our hiking boots and into the stream for a paddle: yes, there's a lovely, cool stream that runs by the hotel!
Things to note:
*The Gasthaus Alpenrose has a 'Ruhetag'- or day of rest- every Wednesday except for during peak season (mid-July to mid-August). This means the restaurant is closed. It may still be possible to check in to a hotel room, as we did, but only at a specific time. We had been notified of the Ruhetag and planned the dinner at the Seealpsee restaurant for this reason.
*Travel by train from Zürich HBF to Wasserauen involves at least one change, usually at Gossau, and takes a little over 2 hours. Wasserauen is the end of the line (as well as the end of the road!) and the hotel is a short walk up through the carpark.
*The area is very popular with paragliders, as you can see in at least 2 of my shots!
*GO AND SEE THIS AMAZING AREA!
SwitzerlandEXPLORING EASTERN SWITZERLAND
If Switzerland was divided into 3 equal parts(vertically), you may observe that tourists seem to concentrate on visiting the middle third. Most of the tourist groups fly into Zürich, travel on to Lucerne, then to the Bernese Oberland (eg: Interlaken), and perhaps finish up in Zermatt. Some may visit the French-speaking cantons, such as Geneva, but Eastern Switzerland seldom features in the itinerary- which is fine by me, because I love exploring the Appenzell region without the crowds!
The Alpstein massif, which makes up most of the Appenzell Alps, differs from the main chain of the Alps in that the Alpstein peaks are predominantly limestone, whereas the Alps are mostly granite. Add tectonic folds to the mix and you will find that the scenery here is a whole new experience!
The end of the road, and our hotel
We stayed in Wasserauen, which is essentially the end of the road for cars, unless you live locally. The Gasthaus Alpenrose is perfectly located and is a great place to base yourself for all your hikes.
Our first hike was up to the beautiful Seealpsee (Lake Seealp). From the hotel, the trail follows the local road. At first the climb is barely noticeable but soon you find yourself puffing and panting up a very long and steep incline!
Part the way up, the track to the 'Berggasthaus Aescher-Wildkirchli', usually referred to as simply the Aescher branches off to the right. It was raining for most of our climb and many frogs were out on the road!
However, as we neared the Seealpsee, the weather miraculously began to clear: it stopped raining, and the clouds gradually lifted to reveal the spectacular mountains surrounding the lake. It was magical!
The hike around the Seealpsee is easy and takes around 20 minutes (stopping for pics along the way, especially with the placid cows!). We stopped for a delicious early dinner at the Berggasthaus Seealpsee as the visibility continued to improve; it's a meal we won't forget! Then it was time to make our way back down that long and steep road- a little hard on the knees!- and get back to the Alpenrose to rest and prepare for the next full day of hiking.
Such a beautiful and peaceful scene! (Gasthaus Seealpsee is in the background).
Clear skies and beautiful sunshine greeted us in the morning, so off we went (after a traditional Swiss breakfast) for a long ,but rewarding, day of hiking. Firstly we had to tackle that climb up the road but at least we were able to leave it to take the trail to the Aescher. However, there was much more climbing to be done. The trail zig-zags through the forest and there are stairs cut into rock, but none of it is particularly treacherous, and you are rewarded at the top with stunning scenery of the Aescher, seemingly teetering on the side of a cliff. There, you can celebrate your achievement with a drink and even a meal if you wish!
Berggasthaus Aescher-Wildkirchli ("Aescher")
The good news for those less enamoured with hiking is that the Ebenalpbahn (cable car) takes you from Wasserauen, a short walk from the carpark, right up to the top of the Ebenalp. From Ebenalp, it is a simple walk downhill, past 3 prehistoric caves (including the St. Michael Cave Chapel), to the Aescher.
The Ebenalpbahn
After a drink at the Aescher, we set our sights on the Schäfler mountain- in particular, the Berggasthaus Schäfler- and it was an enjoyable hike of around 1.5 hours (including photo stops!). There is a steep zig-zag path as you approach the Gasthaus but overall the hike was not too challenging- and the views were breathtaking, with the striking blue waters of the Seealpsee twinkling far below us.
The weather station on the summit of the Säntis can clearly be seen in this pic
Berggasthaus Schäfler
Again, we enjoyed drinks at the Gasthaus before taking photos on the ridge just beyond, which is only for the sure-footed! In the picture below you can see the (rather treacherous!) trail cut into the side of the mountain which leads to the Säntis, where there is a weather station, guesthouse and restaurant. To reach the Säntis we needed at least another 4 hours, plus... those tracks (!!!)... so we were happy to enjoy the view from 1923m rather than 2502m (the Säntis being the highest point in the Alpstein massif).
There are plenty of hiking trails in the area, including a couple that lead all the way down to the Seealpsee, but we elected to take a trail around the northern side of the Ebenalp-Schäfler ridge and met the main road down near the base of the Ebenalpbahn. I didn't particularly enjoy the steep and gravelly roads towards the end, trying not to end up on my bum(!), but we made it down OK and simply followed the road back to the Alpenrose . It was a long and hot day, so it was off with our hiking boots and into the stream for a paddle: yes, there's a lovely, cool stream that runs by the hotel!
Things to note:
*The Gasthaus Alpenrose has a 'Ruhetag'- or day of rest- every Wednesday except for during peak season (mid-July to mid-August). This means the restaurant is closed. It may still be possible to check in to a hotel room, as we did, but only at a specific time. We had been notified of the Ruhetag and planned the dinner at the Seealpsee restaurant for this reason.
*Travel by train from Zürich HBF to Wasserauen involves at least one change, usually at Gossau, and takes a little over 2 hours. Wasserauen is the end of the line (as well as the end of the road!) and the hotel is a short walk up through the carpark.
*The area is very popular with paragliders, as you can see in at least 2 of my shots!
*GO AND SEE THIS AMAZING AREA!
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