Baar - Kappel - Albis

During this interesting walk the scenery is lovely and there are many surprising views into the near and distant mountains. The area is also historically important.

Start is the End station "Laettich" of bus line 3 (ZUG - BAAR). Here are the Soccer fields , Swimming pools, one of the Tennis halls and some larger and smaller businesses. In this area the Baar brewery (still operating as one of the few independent brewery's) used to cut ice from what was later to be the nature ice field for the Baar ice hockey team (today the ice halls are located in Zug "Herti", and the Baar hockey team has now become "EVZ").

Following the Bitumen road north for another 100 m you're on a minor road. At the street crossing turn left and after another 100 m you enter the Bitumen road Baar - Deinikon. To the left is the concrete bridge over the river Lorze.

Following the Lorze to the Zugersee and proceeding to Zug or Cham with its Villette Park would be another enjoyable walk.

We turn right and walking along the road we recognize farms advertising there produces. There is also a plant nursery along the road.

At the crossing with the old saw mill we turn left. 
After 300 m at „Bueni" we have to turn right, but it’s well worth first to go on for another 20 m to the little memorial. It remembers the peace treaty of about 500 years ago between the fighting Catholics and Protestants (the second "Landfrieden"). The vista from this place is lovely.

Soon the path enters the forest. We underpass the Autobahn and follow the path leading us out of the forest and on to the farm Rueteli Hof. 

Having passed the farm houses, after 50 m we have to turn left. The track will lead to the small forest on the hill with the stone memorial, some stone seats and a fireplace. Milchsuppenstein! It's the perfect place for a rest and for having something to eat and drink and it's a perfect lookout too. 

For Kappel (Zwingli memorial, monastery buildings) we  would have to take the street leading to the main road to Ebertswil. But I propose to trace back to Rueteli Hof and there to turn right for Notikon. 

Here we head for Deibuel. Near the farm buildings we find idyllically situated the Chapel Antonius. The chapel is privately owned and maintained, but open to the public. Outside, above the entrance are two paintings. The left one is telling about the Milchsuppe, the one on the right tells about the peace treaty at Bueni. Inside there is another picture about the religious war near Kappel.

From Deibuel we follow the road down to Fruehberg. Descending we reach the bridge over the Autobahn. Near the other end of the bridge on right, the staircase will lead to the Garden Center below and to the road along the river Lorze. 

The bridge for crossing the river Lorze is about 50 m upstream. Here you may choose either the way back to Laettich by walking straight on, or after crossing the river take the pleasant track along the river Lorze to Blickensdorf and Baar. For to Zug you follow the road along the river.

1516 and 1712, despite the agreements, there were two more wars:
The first Villmergen war ended on March 7th 1656 with the third peace agreement, the "dritte Landfrieden". Winner were the Catholics. In the peace agreement the conditions of the former settlement were accepted again.
In the second Villmergen war (or Toggenburger Krieg), winner on July 25th 1712 were the Reformer. In the forth peace agreement (vierter Landfrieden) the supremacy of the Catholics were ended.
See www.villmergerkriege.ch/

Kappel-Uerzlikon

Ca. 4 hrs.

The first part of this route is the same as for the Milchsuppenstein.

Leaving the lovely lookout/picnic place we proceed towards Ebertswil. After crossing the main road at Ebertswil and passing the houses and stables we’re again walking between meadows and fields, enjoying the view into the Berne Alps.
The Albis hill is to our right (or East) and somewhat in the distance (NE) the spire of the Hausen church is embedded into the greenery. Then the route makes a turn to the West.
Approaching the woods edge there are two choices: straight on to the Zwingli memorial, or turning left to Kappel.

For the Zwingli memorial the detour takes some 20 Minutes.
On a podium between two giant Linden trees a board on a rock reads Zwingli’s statement that” they may kill the body, but not the soul…”  Just across the memorial the hamlet Naefenhaeuser reminds of the connected historical background: Adam Naef in the battle of 1531 had saved the banner of the Zwingli army from being taken by the Catholics. For that deed he was rewarded later on with the fief of the Sennhof  (part of the property of the former monastery Kappel), further with the Zuerich citizenship and the membership in the guild „zur Meisen“. Later descendants were entrepreneurs in the Silk and Half wool business.

In Kappel, after crossing the main road, the route passes a little pond, the former monastery and other houses belonging to that  property; one is now a Seminar center with the „Haus der Stille“ and cultural Center, another is a public Restaurant. 

Then we’re again crossing fields, marshland, and woods.
Arriving in Uerzlikon, we turn right and after some 180 m we’re on a Wanderweg again. Pretty soon the road enters a small forest and we find us walking down along a little gorge. Leaving the woods we’re again on a marshy plain on the way to Steinhauser Wald.

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Albishorn

see also Albis on Zuerich page
Restaurant closed on Thursdays (Apr 2009)

Active map:
http://map.search.ch/d/2fhmjm4zj
GPS-route:
GPS_Data/GPX-Albishorn.zip

Bus-Tickets: Although Line 280 (Baar-Hausen) is part of the Zug public transport System, the part "Bachtaler Hoehe" to "Hausen" has to be paid for in the bus.

Albishorn and the popular Restaurant is accessible by excellent hiking tracks.

At "Post Hausen" (Terminus) we cross the main road over to Restaurant Loewen. There after 20 m we get to the turnoff of the walking track which crosses the pasture and is entering the forest. Steady, but never really steep we will reach the hamlet Hinteralbis after some 20 Minutes.

After crossing the road a smaller street (Bitumen) is leading in wide loops to the forest. Then we're on a field track that follows the edge of the woods. At the turnoff we're entering the forest track that will bring us up to the summit.

Up here on the Restaurant terrace as well as on the platform above we enjoy a superb panorama.

The way down to Sihlbrugg is generally following the rim of the mountain. At first we're on a forest track, later it's an excellent gravel road that will bring us finally to Schweikhof. At Oberalbis there are two options: either the track along the rim, or the "Aussichtsweg". Latter will allow lovely sights over Lorze-plains, into Urner and Nidwalden mountains and the lakes. At Mattli the two routes merge.

At "Schweikhof" we find the continuation of the track after we've surrounded the popular Restaurant. The grass path turns off to the right and crosses the pasture over to the forest.
Reaching the forest we follow the road along the ravine. The creek has cut almost vertical walls out of the mountain. It accompanies us all the way down to Sihlbrugg.

The bus stop for Baar is at the river Sihl (Near Restaurant Loewen) on the road to Neuheim.

As an alternative there is a forest track from Albishorn down to Sihlwald or Langnau stations (about 1 hr) with railway connections to Sihlbrugg.
To Albispass it's about 70 Minutes, to Felsenegg 2.5 hrs.

Option for private car:

You may drive up to the parking after Mittleralbis. The turnoff is near the "end" sign of the village Hausen towards Albis pass (sign "Albishorn", shooting range).

From the parking it's a half hour walk up to the summit and about 20 Minutes back on a good road.

If you'd like to extend the walk by some 20 Minutes:
Follow the driveway for another 200m. After reaching the first stable at Oberalbis, a track to the left is leading upwards to the woods. There, a lovely path runs along the rim  to Albishorn.
 
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Baar - Cham

Along the old Lorze river to Zugersee

Interactive map:
http://map.search.ch/d/gzkyty1nd
GPX-route:
GPS_Data/GPX-Baar-Cham_Alpenblick.zip

 
On plane and well maintained roads one gets a good impression both of the history of industrializations and the changes in the habitat. The Lorze plains has gone through drastic changes in the last years. Reed has been transformed into roads and industrial zones. The river Lorze was moved into a new bed. By successful renaturation new nature zones have been built.
Boards of the "Industriepfad Lorze" on many places illustrate the development in the region. (www.industriepfad-lorze.ch).

Right at the Baar railway station stands a unnoticed relict from industry history; the useless Obelisk at the eastern end of track 3 (Zuerich) is a forgotten remainder of the power line pylon who carried the wires from the electric power generator in Schochenmuehle to the nearby Neumuehle (grain mill).
From today's parking lot a subterranean channel under the road made it possible to move grain, delivered by train wagons, directly into the store rooms. The blue building with the Restaurant was the mill, the silo has been replaced by the modern high-rise building of "Gotthard Center".

The walk begins right at the northern side of the railway station in the direction of "Waldmannhalle".
Passing through between gym of the school and the Waldmannhalle we're at the bridge over Lorze. Across are leisure ground a modern Toilette boot.
Instead of crossing the river, we stay on the path along the left side of the brook until we reach the next bridge.
On closer look one recognizes some 50 m downriver a small concrete block. Here water is collected for supplementing the old Lorze some 300 m down.

After crossing the next bridge we're standing, right at the arched bridge over the Autobahn, in front of a board of the "Industriepfad Lorze". It shows the utopian (?) plans, after which right here a Mega city should be built. See box below. In 2010 Zug, Baar, Cham, Steinhausen had a total habitation of some 70'000.

From here to the Autobahn access the Lorze river got more space. By the expansion, a small meadows is developing. An arm is now meandering on the side of the main river. To the West of the Autobahn ramp Biotopes have been built and the water of the above mentioned tube is here flowing into the old Lorze.

To that original brook it's a short detour, river down to the next bridge and then some 200 m to the right we're at the river walk. The path follows the murmuring water, lined by many old trees. Actually we are walking on the old river bed, which was divided by the new river and a new track. At Schochenmuehle with the Garden restaurant info boards tell of the industrialization and the mentioned electric power plant which supplied electricity to the Neumuehle at the Baar railway station.

The brook still accompanies us, passing Ammansmatt where a board explains the development of the "Bossard group". Later we reach Kollermuehle, where again we find explanations to the "Distillery Etter" with the "Zuger Kirsch" and the former mill. Nearby is also the "Kollerhalle".

After the underpass under main road and railway line we reach the wooden "Steinhausen" bridge. Soon we are near the lake. At the joinery there is a modern toilette.

Now we proceed along the lake. On boards there are explanations about nature and environment. Places invite for leisure, for a bath in the lake, for a picnic.

Between lake and the reed the path is heading to the gravel road along the rail track. It's odd to think, that many years ago it was considered of using this swampy area as a garbage dump. An area nearby is called "Sumpf" (swamp).

The Stadtbahn stop "Alpenblick" is probably one of the more pleasing. Not because of the shop at the adjoining filling station, it the beautiful view over reed, lake, to Zugersee and the Zugerberg with the Gnipen in the background. To the Southwest Rigi Hochfluh and Rigi are visible.

Instead of taking the train back, one may proceed to Cham and "Villette park" (15 Min) with Restaurants, children's playground, Minigolf just across the railway station Cham.