Hike Report – ‘Hundwiler Hoehi’ (SM 981)

Short Description

Hundwiler Höhi (“Hundwil Heights”) is a short, but sweet hike in Appenzell, Switzerland.

The loop leads through various meadows and forests, offering wonderful views of both the typical Apenzell landscapes and farmer’s houses, of which there are so many here that locals even came up with legends as to their origin (A giant was carrying them in a bag with a tear, and basically littered all over the place).

On either side of the top you can see the Alpstein region and lake constance, respectively.

Impressions

I was off to a good start on this one. Genius that I am, I forgot to bring my hiking shirt with me, so I went in my undershirt to still have a fresh shirt waiting for me for the drive home.

That slight discomfort did not stop me from enjoying this hike though. Seeing as it’s rather short, I took my time, literally stopping to smell the flowers (and then to take pictures of some other creatures enjoying them…)

The “peak” was quickly reached, and I used the opportunity to try out my tripod, which I hadn’t taken along on the longer hikes so far, due to backpack-space management issues. Well, I think it’s safe to say a tripod is not needed at all for landscape shots in bright daylight, as I couldn’t find a difference between the handheld and tripod test pictures I took. Lesson learned.

On the way back, I met more than one group of cows, and I have met more than a few in my lifetime, but I think these gals and their suspicious looks will always stay with me:

Still one of my favorite pictures I’ve taken.

The descent was as peacefully-idyllic and lovely as the ascent, and can heartily recommend this route to anyone as a short and/or family friendly option on a mild summer day.

Would you like to share your own experiences with this hike? Do you have any questions? Something to add? Feel free to leave a comment below 🙂

Route Report / Gallery

This is one of my first hikes with my new camera, so obviously any good pictures are a matter of pure luck. Nonetheless, full size images without watermarks are available for licensing to interested parties. Check romans.pictures, or contact me for details.