Hiking on WEG der SCHWEIZ, The Swiss Path

WEG der SCHWEIZ, The Swiss Path, is a 35 km long hiking route along with Lake Uri. It is divided into three sections, from Rütli to Brunnen, but it is, of course, possible to walk any desired distance.

It is even possible to start parts of the hike by taking a boat to one of the starting points. The path was constructed to celebrate the 700 years anniversary of Switzerland in 1991 and can be hiked in both directions.

The 35 kilometers is about 5 mm per Swiss citizen  So each Canton has its own distance, reflecting the number of its inhabitants at the time of the construction, marked by a stone and in the order of which they joined the federation, beginning with Uri and ending with Jura. Some parts are suitable for strollers and roll chairs.

However, the part we walked from Sisikon includes hundreds of steps and steep paths. From nearly everywhere there is a fabulous view over the lake. There are a number of restaurants along the path but also plenty of options to picnic or even make a barbecue by one of the many public fireplaces and in some areas, it is even possible to take a swim in the lake. A couple of highlights are the Tellskapelle, Tells Chapel, built directly by the shore in 1879, and the largest carillon of Switzerland with 37 bells built in 2001 near the Tellsplatte. A funny fact is that the bell installation was sponsored by Swiss chocolate producers.

You might wonder about the name Tell – and yes, it is, in fact, the famous Swiss legend and folk hero Wilhelm Tell and his son Walter, of which probably the most known statue is placed at the busy townhall square in Altdorf. So all in all a very, very beautiful hike full of interesting and important ancient Swiss history. We will definitely be back to explore other parts of the Weg der Schweiz.