Circular hike around Lake Sarnen

The main town of Obwalden, Sarnen, is the starting point of a large circular hike with two faces: on the east shore, always along the lake with a view over the Voralpensee into the gentle flysch landscape of Schwendi-Wilen; on the way back on the west side, elevated along the valley ridge because there is (still) no lakeside path here, with views into the more rugged pre-Alpine range with the two Melch valleys.

From Sarnen station, the path quickly reaches Seefeld Park. After the severe floods of 2005, sports facilities and the lakeside beach were generously expanded. Here, the hiking trail crosses over the delta of the Große Melchaa and follows the lakeside path to the Brother Klaus village of Sachseln. At the former customs house at the southern end of the lake, the little Melchaa flows into a newly constructed river channel at Hanenriet into the lake. After the nature reserve, the trail reaches the campsite at Giswil on the dam of the Dreiwässer canal, where a break in the shaded area is worthwhile.

Through the forest, one reaches the feared western Sarnersee wild streams. The first, the Steinibach, is crossed by the road through a ford, where the path then follows the stream upwards to Mattacher on the other side. A pretty chapel dedicated to Mary recalls the vow of a childless couple. Now the path climbs up to the Gerisbach. This is crossed to descend on the other side via Lindenmätteli to Holzmatt. A look back over Giswil and the Giswilerstock with the snow-white Wetterhorns in the background is worthwhile. On the valley ridge, the forest path leads with gentle ups and downs above the Wilerbad and over Güglen to Kirchhofen, the oldest district of Sarnen.
Past the baroque parish church, it goes down to the lake and along the shore of the Sarner Aa to the village square and back to the station.

Note(s)
The hike can also be undertaken only from/to Giswil and the return trip can comfortably be made by the Zentralbahn or by water with the motor ship Seestern.

See also
Obwalden Tourism
Bahnhofplatz 1
CH - 6060 Sarnen
Tel: +41 (0)41 666 50 40
Fax: +41 (0)41 666 50 45
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.obwalden-tourismus.ch