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Swiss Path

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34.90 km long
Difficulty: medium
condition: easy
Great panorama
Hike
CC-BY-SA | Sascha Krähenbühl, Wiege der Schweiz
CC-BY-SA | Outsideisfree, Wiege der Schweiz
CC-BY-SA | Outsideisfree, Wiege der Schweiz
  • 10:30 h
  • 1,400 m
  • 1,400 m
  • 434 m
  • 873 m
  • 439 m
  • 34.90 km
  • Start: Seelisberg, Rütli
  • Destination: Brunnen
To mark the 700th anniversary of the Swiss Confederacy in 1991, the cantons gifted Swiss citizens their own hiking trail: the Swiss Path. This 35-kilometre panoramic walk runs around the southern arm of Lake Lucerne, Lake Uri. It invites you to take a walk through history, discover unspoilt nature and spendtime in private reflection.

The Swiss Path winds around the deep Lake of Uri, sometimes high up, then again directly on the shore. Sometimes it leads you over steps carved into the rock, then it runs along wide, comfortable paths, past many resting and bathing places. Again and again you can enjoy a magnificent view of the lake and the surrounding mountains. Thanks to the boat service, you have a choice of many possible starting points and destinations.

The initiators succeeded in linking a maximum sense of home with the trail. At the centre is the Rütli, an unspectacular meadow that is emotionally charged by historical symbolism like no other place in Switzerland. Tell's Plateau with the Tell's Chapel is also part of the obligatory visit programme.

The attachment of the Swiss to this path is further strengthened by the idea that the Swiss Path is divided into 26 cantonal sections. Their order results from the cantons' entry into the Confederation. The length of the cantonal sections, in turn, is based on the cantonal population in 1991, when each person was symbolically given 5 millimetres.

Good to know

Best to visit

suitable
Depends on weather

Directions

Seelisberg, Rütli – Bauen – Flüelen – Sisikon – Brunnen

Tour information

  • Cultural Interesting

  • Stop at an Inn

Equipment

Hiking boots with good tread or trekking shoes, rain jacket, drink, food, possibly poles.

Directions & Parking facilities

The motorway from Zurich and Lucerne leads directly to Brunnen via Rotkreuz. Parking spaces are signposted in the centre of Brunnen.
Muotaplatz – Gersauerstrasse 56 – 6440 Brunnen

P+Rail Brunnen – Bahnhofstrasse 46 – 6440 Brunnen

Ship. Most visitors come to the Rütli by boat. The shortest connection across the lake is from Brunnen. It takes just ten minutes. The boats run regularly. If you fancy a longer boat trip, you can board the boat from Lucerne. There are also regular scheduled boats from Flüelen to the Rütli from the southern end of Lake Uri. You can find exact departure times and information on round trips here: www.lakelucerne.ch

Train and bus. From Zurich and Lucerne, you can get to Brunnen every hour and half hour. The same applies from Ticino. There is a bus from Brunnen railway station to the landing stage. But you can reach the shores of Lake Lucerne comfortably on foot in just 7 minutes. www.sbb.ch


Lake taxi. If you want to travel to the Rütli or leave the Rütli at a specific time, there is also a lake taxi in Brunnen. The boat can take 7 people. The 10-minute journey to the Rütli costs around CHF 100. More information at: Speedy taxi boat. From the Rütli boat station you can reach the Schwurplatz and the Rütli meadow either on the gravel path or on foot via the steps in 7-10 minutes.

Additional information

The Swiss Path was founded with a forward-looking vision: it is intended to represent an example of nature conservation, whilst remaining a simple place of encounter. To this day, its main features remain the mountains, the lake and the glorious views. www.wegderschweiz.ch

The Swiss Path leads you through the homeland of William Tell. En route, you will spot traces of the past and encounter mythical heroes. You can engage with different images of Switzerland and rediscover the country for yourself.  www.wiegederschweiz.ch

Literature

Cultural landscape guide, Around Lake Lucerne. Waldstätterweg & Swiss Path. 2nd edition.

ISBN 978-3-03818-334-1

Author

Jonas Ulrich

Organization

Schwyzer Wanderwege

Website

Author´s Tip / Recommendation of the author

You can combine the hiking sections as you wish. From each location, a boat, bus or train will take you to another point along the route, turning your hike into an enjoyable excursion.

Map

Hiking map ‘Swiss Path’ 1:25 000 / Federal Office of Topography, Swisstopo.

ISBN 978-3-302-32599-6

Nearby

Getting there
Swiss Path
6377 Seelisberg
Getting there