Rorschach walks

This 10-stage Alpine panorama trail takes you from Rorschach on the shores of Lake Constance to Lucerne. The trail crosses numerous mountain pastures and offers a few small peaks with beautiful views of the Alps and lakes. You will visit Appenzell, world-famous for its cheese. You will enjoy the Säntis, the highest point of the Alpstein massif. You will meet many pilgrims in Einsiedeln. You will enjoy walks along the lakes of Zug and Lucerne.

This stage will take you from Rorschach to Speicher. After a beautiful walk along the shores of Lake Constance, you will climb up to the village of Heiden. At Kaienspitz, the highest point of the stage, you will be rewarded with a beautiful view of Lake Constance and the Alps.

This stage will take you from Speicher to Appenzell via Trogen. At Hohe Buche, you will enjoy a superb view of Lake Constance and the city of St Gallen. Another hill will take you to the summit of the Säntis. A descent through the mountain pastures will lead you to Appenzell, famous for its cheese. A visit to the town is a must.

Easy walk with beautiful viewpoints You can explore this beautiful and varied landscape along narrow lanes and footpaths. The circular route leads from the lake, through fertile orchards and vineyards, to stunning vantage points and historic sights against the magnificent backdrop of the Alpine panorama.

A varied circular walk with lovely views across the surrounding countryside to Lake Deger and Lake Schlein. A very varied circular route awaits you through the ‘hinterland’ of Nonnenhorn to the beautiful Degersee and Schleinsee lakes, offering stunning panoramic views. You’ll pass through the villages of Selmnau, Poppis, Riedensweiler, Wettis, Busenhaus, Nitzenweiler, Gattnau and Retterschen. Parts of the route follow small roads, and often take you along field tracks, woodland paths and meadow paths.

This stage will take you from Appenzell to Schwägalp at the foot of the Säntis. This day is devoted to climbing the Kronberg, a ridge parallel to the Alpstein massif. The Kronberg offers superb views of the Säntis to the south and the plain stretching to Lake Constance in the north. In the evening, you will appreciate the tranquillity of Schwägalp.

This varied hike leads from Friedrichshafen through the idyllic Eriskircher Ried – one of the most important nature reserves on Lake Constance. Two viewing platforms with magnificent views over the unique reed landscape await you. Impressive views of Lake Constance open up again and again before the tour ends in a relaxed manner at the lido in Eriskirch. Ideal for nature lovers, families and anyone looking for a peaceful hike in beautiful surroundings.

Almost all of the elevation gain is in the first two kilometres. Your efforts will be rewarded once you reach the lake. A peaceful and relaxing spot, with views of Santis and Ebenalp among others, which will make you forget the tingling in your thighs.

Circular hike starting from Wasserauen: an ascent to the tranquil Sämtisersee, passing by the magnificent Fählensee, then climbing to the spectacular Saxer Lücke, which offers exceptional views of the Alpstein. The route then descends towards the Seealpsee before returning to Wasserauen. This is a challenging hike through some of Switzerland’s most beautiful landscapes.

A relaxing, accessible walk around Immenstaad: the route follows fully tarmac-surfaced paths along Lake Constance and through the region’s apple-growing areas. The walk is well suited to pushchairs and wheelchairs and combines the lakeside, sweeping views and a rural atmosphere to create a pleasant outing for everyone.

This short stage will take you from Schwägalp to Stein. You will cross numerous mountain pastures until you reach Lutertannen. From Risipass, you will continue through meadows and mountain pastures until you reach Stein (Canton of St. Gallen).

This short and easy hike will take you to a picturesque covered bridge. In June, you will be able to walk through lush green meadows. You will also be able to see two covered crosses.

Nineteenth stage: From Les Rousses to Lake Constance via the Jura mountain range. For this final stage, you will take the ViaJacobi, the ancient pilgrimage route that leads German pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela via Geneva. Following in their footsteps, you will reach the city of Constance (Konstanz), nestled in southern Germany. Constance charms visitors with its medieval charm, particularly in the picturesque Niederburg district, where narrow streets and half-timbered houses tell centuries of history. Its majestic Romanesque cathedral, the Münster Unserer Lieben Frau, has watched over the city since the Middle Ages. Finally, Lake Constance (Bodensee), a true natural gem, stretches out at the foot of the Alps and unites three nations — Germany, Switzerland and Austria — in a landscape of serene beauty.

This cycle route takes you round the main part of Lake Constance. I recommend doing it on a gravel bike, as the route alternates between roads, cycle paths and dirt tracks. For the fittest cyclists, the tour can be completed in a single day. Otherwise, it’s perfectly possible to do it over several days. The lakeside areas are popular with tourists, so you’ll easily find accommodation and places to eat all along the route. To follow the official cycle route around Lake Constance, look out for the signpost showing a cyclist with a blue rear wheel.

A lovely circular route starting from the Unterwasser car park, passing by Grappelensee and descending towards Alt St Johann. The route follows small tarmac roads before reaching the higher ground. The same applies on the descent. These roads are quiet.

This stage will take you from Stein to Amden. You will walk alongside the Dürrenbach, a torrent with numerous waterfalls, for a long time. At Vordere Höhi, you will enjoy a superb view of the Glarus Alps. You will pass at the foot of the Mattstock as you descend to Amden. As you approach this village, you can also admire the Walensee.

The Alpspitz is a small peak situated above Vaduz, which can be reached fairly easily from the car park next to the Clinicum Alpinum above Gaflei. The view from the summit is superb, taking in the surrounding mountains and the Rhine Valley. Do take care, however, as the circular descent via the suggested route is particularly exposed and vertiginous.

This fourth stage will take you from Chrüzegg to Rapperswil on the shores of Lake Zurich. The trail quickly leads to a ridge line, passing through Tweralspitz. In the distance, you will recognise Chrüzegg. You will then descend gradually towards Rotstein, Schwammegg and Köbelberg, with panoramic views on both sides. From Rüeterswil, the Züri Oberland-Höhenweg and the Via Jacobi merge. The arrival in Rapperswil is achieved by avoiding roads as much as possible.

An exciting circular walk for the whole family The circular walk along the Wilhelmsdorf Ried Nature Trail begins right next to the Wilhelmsdorf Nature Conservation Centre, home to the interactive exhibition ‘Experience the Moor’. Here, over a relatively short distance and along soft, well-maintained paths, you can walk through the various moorland habitats and make many exciting discoveries. A visit to the Ried Nature Trail is particularly worthwhile for families with children.

A historic hiking trail surrounded by rich flora Rising a good hundred metres above the surrounding landscape on the edge of the Pfrunger Ried, the isolated Ringgenburg-Höhe proves to be a wonderful area for walking. Vertical Nagelfluh cliffs and caves still bear witness to the erosive power of the meltwater that carved out the Ostrach and Rotach valleys on either side. The porous Nagelfluh layers support a rich variety of flora. Despite the woodland, the 725-metre-high mountain spur offers magnificent views down into the Ried. The fact that the Rinkenburg or Ringgenburg, a prehistoric refuge fortress whose moats are still visible, once stood here adds to its appeal for many.

This long, almost flat stage will take you from Amden to Siebnen, crossing three cantons: St. Gallen, Glarus and Schwyz. You will walk along the Walensee and then the Linth Canal. Several small villages follow one after the other before you arrive in Siebnen.