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Journal: |
I ate at 7:30am and was walking by 8:30am on an overcast, foggy
and drizzly morning. The day started with a steady climb
through fields and then forests to a high saddle at St Meinrad
(950m). Not much in the way of views because of the low cloud,
but at least the rain had stopped. From there my route
followed a back road across an undulating rural plateau towards
Silhsee, a high mountain lake, and the town of Einsieldeln.
Going down a steep hill en route, I encountered an elderly (well,
older than me) couple pushing their heavily laden bikes up the hill
towards me. You have to be tough to ride bikes in Switzerland.
Einsieldeln turned out to be quite a large and historic town
dominated by a huge cathedral and monastery. There were about
five tour buses parked nearby and the historic town had many hotels
and tourists. I'm realising that, not surprisingly, Jakobsweg
seems to visit every significant church and chapel along the way.
I walked through the town's cobbled streets and found a small
supermarket where I bought some sandwiches to carry with me for
lunch.
Outside of the town the trail followed minor back
roads and farm roads south up the valley of the Alp River and
quickly became rural and remote with quintessential Swiss farms in
the valley and high forested mountains on either side. At the
village of Apthal I found a picnic bench in the grounds of the
primary school for my lunch and then began climbing steeply out of
the valley up a stony forest road. It was hard work, and warm,
but I gained altitude quickly and soon reached a farm road which
followed a contour round to a saddle at Haggenegg (1414m) with views
of the spectacular rocky spire of Haggenspitz (1761m) directly
ahead.
There was a gasthaus at the saddle and wonderful views
down to the lakes and towns ahead. From there the path
descended steeply, first through forest and then through farmland,
to the sizeable town of Schwyz, with the usual cobbled narrow
streets, plazas and cathedral. By this time it was getting
close to 5pm, but I decided to push on the Brunnen, 5km ahead,
across the flat farmland in the valley floor, reaching the railway
station there at 6pm. Twenty minutes later I caught a train
for the 30 minute very scenic ride to Zug where I was picked up from
the station by friend and former work colleague, Jamie, and taken to
the apartment he shares with his wife, Vivian, also a former work
colleague. It was like going from the ridiculous to the
sublime because, an hour later, I was sitting in a comfy armchair
admiring the spectacular lake and mountain views from their hillside
apartment and being fed delicious home-cooked food. A day off
tomorrow. I may find it hard to leave!
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