Winterthur walks

Four-day tour through the cantons of Zurich and St. Gallen. This route offers views of Lake Zurich and the peaks of the Bernese Alps, the Glärnisch massif and the Alpstein, including the Säntis Winterthur, the starting point, and Rapperswil, the finish, both have remarkable historic centres.

For this first stage, starting from Winterthur station, after exploring the old town, you will very quickly find yourself in the countryside. You will cross an animal park. The route is quite varied, following the Töss river and passing through the peaceful village of Kollbrunn. Then, a ridge path will lead you to Gyrenbad, a place of tranquillity and rest.

Seventeenth stage From Les Rousses to Lake Constance via the Jura ridges. Through the landscapes of northern Zurich, this stage takes you from Embrach to Uesslingen-Buch, following the rivers and villages that line the Huguenot Trail. From hamlet to hamlet, you will walk along well-marked footpaths, between discreet forests, peaceful farms and typical bell towers. Gradually, the scenery opens up onto the vast agricultural expanses of the Thur Valley, signalling the proximity of the German border. This route, rich in heritage and contrasts, ends gently by the river, in the peaceful countryside of Uesslingen.

This second stage will take you from Gyrenbad to the Hulftegg Pass. The Schauenberg offers a magnificent view of the Alps. The route to Sitzberg offers more interesting views, particularly of the Bichelsee. From Sitzberg (on the border between the cantons of Zurich and St. Gallen) to Allenwinden, the route follows a small road, which fortunately is not very busy. When you arrive at the Hulftegg Pass, you will enjoy a superb view of the Toggenburg and the Appenzell region.

Stage 18 From Les Rousses to Lake Constance via the Jura ridges. This stage, starting from Uesslingen, first takes you through peaceful agricultural pastures before skirting the vineyards of an old monastery. You then reach Warth, home to the Ittingen Charterhouse, which bears witness to more than 850 years of history and spirituality. Passing through Frauenfeld, the capital of the canton of Thurgau, you leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind and return to the tranquillity of the banks of the Thur. The route takes you to Pfyn, then offers a beautiful immersion along the river, punctuated by the passage of the superb Eschikofen customs bridge. A stage combining heritage, nature and the gentle flow of the river.

Departure from Zurich Hauptbahnhof station. Walk along the Letten, first through Platzspitz park and then along KlosterFahrWeg. Then take the Lettensteg bridge and walk along Sihlquai to return to Platzspitz park via a footbridge. Return to the station via another bank of the Letten.

Sixteenth stage From Les Rousses to Lake Constance via the Jura ridges. This transitional stage marks the departure from the Jura ridges and their mountainous panoramas to begin the descent towards Lake Constance. You leave the Jura Höhenweg to cross a more urban landscape, bypassing the metropolis of Zurich while skirting the runways of its imposing international airport. This contrast between nature and infrastructure gives the route a unique character. The stage ends gently on the banks of the peaceful Töss Valley, where the river meanders between woods and meadows, offering a relaxing setting after a varied day's walking.

This is an easy route. You will follow various streams through forests and villages, exploring the outskirts of Zurich as far as the beautiful Lake Greifensee, where you can go swimming (in summer, at least).

The Rhine Falls are waterfalls located between Neuhausen (right bank) and Flurlingen (left bank) in Switzerland, downstream from Schaffhausen. With a height of 23 metres and a width of 150 metres, they are among the largest in Europe. When the Rhine has its average flow, 750m3/s of water rushes over the rocks.

This third stage will take you from the Hulftegg Pass to the isolated inn at Chrüzegg. The start of the route alternates between forest and pastures before taking a ridge trail at Roten. You will follow this ridge between the cantons of St. Gallen and Zurich to the Schnebelhorn, the highest point in the canton of Zurich and also the highest point of the hike. This summit offers a splendid panorama stretching from Lake Constance to Lake Zurich. The scenic route then passes through the Schindelberg, Rossegg, Habrütispitz and Chrüzegg peaks, offering more superb views.

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 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 accessible hike around Lake Türlen, pleasant in summer thanks to the coolness of the lake and forest. You will pass through different landscapes: a wetland area, forest, and the climb to the village offers beautiful views of Lake Zug, the Titlis summit, and Lake Lucerne. You will descend through meadows before arriving at the more touristy beach.

The Schluchtensteig trail leads in 6 stages over 119 km from Stühlingen to Wehr across the southern Black Forest. "Exposed paths along steep rock gorges with some spectacular views down into the depths. Wutachflühen, Wutach Gorge, Schleifenbach Falls, Haslach Gorge, Windberg Waterfall, Hohwehraschlucht and Wehraschlucht are destinations for anyone who enjoys hiking through wild gorges, marvelling at thundering waterfalls, enjoying the natural silence and wanting to escape everyday life for a week," according to the Schluchtensteig website, and the trail delivers what it promises. We have changed the third stage slightly to save you the mountain between Lenzkirch and Fischbach. Instead, we hike in Schluchsee to the Riesenbühlturm tower with its panoramic view.

The Schluchtensteig trail leads in 6 stages over 119 km from Stühlingen to Wehr across the southern Black Forest. The first stage takes us from Stühlingen to Blumberg along the Wutachflühen. High above the Wutach, we hike on narrow paths and exposed trails. We pass the Sauschwänzlebahn railway line several times and, with a bit of luck, we will see the museum train steam past. The Buchberg with its long ascent challenges us in the last third of the tour before we descend to Blumberg.