Map
Elevation Profile
Useful Links
Short Description
This route follows the shores of Hallwil lake in Aargau, Switzerland, and features a medieval castle as a halfway point and highlight.
Notes
- There is parking at both the northern and southern ends of the route. Both cost 6 CHF per day, while the northern space has more modern payment terminals (and options).
Impressions
I needed something easy but of decent length to test my recovery following a minor but temporarily and partially debilitating piriformis injury that was most definitely not related to running down the mountain and through Davos with hiking boots and a 19kg backpack, trying to catch the train so I would not have to wait an hour for the next one at the end of my recent two day ‘Mittelbünden-Panoramaweg’ hike – no siree.
The choice was between Seeuferweg Hallwilersee and Senda Val Trupchun, whereas I decided on the former due to the relative remoteness of the latter just in case I do run into any issues with my soft tissues. In retrospect, I should have chosen the vastly more interesting route through the national park, but hey, hindsight is always 20/20.
The waters of lake Hallwil are indeed beautiful and at times reminiscent of turquoise caribbean beaches, but while it may be a perfectly decent place for a walk with the dog, I was a bit underwhelmed.
I did not expect anything more exciting than a long walk in a populated area, with all that entails, but given the theme of the route, I had imagined a lot better view of the lake along the way. In fact it seemed like the view was intentionally blocked by hedges most of the time, and not only near the numerous bathing areas.
The castle meanwhile might be somewhat interesting, but I didn’t feel like paying to see it from the inside.
In short, if you’re in the area and specifically looking for this kind of long walk along a rarely visible lake, then why not. But this route is nothing to write home about.
If only doing half, I’d recommend the western bank, as that one featured both better views and less foot traffic.
On a brighter note, I seem to have recovered sufficiently, so that’s nice.
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
Full size images without watermarks are available for licensing to interested parties. Check romans.pictures for a selection of my favorites, or contact me for details.
NEWSLETTER
Don’t miss a hike 🙂
Basic Data
| Date of Hike: | 2022-09-11 |
| Participants: | Roman (Solo) |
| Technical Difficulty: | T1: Easy |
Stats
| Km | 22 |
| Net Hours (Est.) | 5 |
| Net Hours (Act.) | 4 |
| Ascent (m) | 240 |
| Descent (m) | 240 |
| Max. Alt. (m) | 459 |
| Loop? | Yes |
| Cable Car? | No |