Bürgenstock Felsenweg circular route

To enable his guests to take a walk on the northern slope, the tourism pioneer Josef Bucher-Durrer had the Felsenweg created at the beginning of the last century. The construction of the path took five years. Building the Felsenweg at Bürgenstock involved considerable difficulties. To create a stable route, blasting had to be carried out and six to seven meter high retaining walls were erected. At the same time, rock excavations were made and tunnels built. In the rear section of the path, suspension devices are embedded in the rock and the path is guided over these support structures. The construction and current maintenance are challenging and dangerous due to the topographical conditions. At the beginning of the last century, the work was done by miners from Tyrol—for a daily wage of five to six francs.

The Felsenweg is a simple and wide gravel path that leads from the Bürgenstock Resort to the Känzeli Honegg. You can take the path through the forest from Känzeli Honegg up to the Hammetschwand or go directly up with the Hammetschwand lift (paid). The Hammetschwand lift is accessible at the first section of the Felsenweg and is for those not afraid of heights. The view of the steeply falling rocks down to the lake is very impressive and breathtaking. In less than a minute, the highest freestanding outdoor lift in Europe carries people up to the impressive viewing terrace of the Hammetschwand. The 152.8 m high lift is one of the boldest tourist installations of the "Belle Époque".