Emme-Reuss

From our starting point at the Lucerne Theatre on Bahnhofstrasse, we cycle downstream beside the Reuss, passing the Jesuit Church and turning right after 200 metres to cross the river by the Reussbrücke bridge. At Mühlenplatz we head along the right-hand bank of the Reuss towards the Nölli Tower and then turn right into St. Karlistrasse. We cross the Reuss again by the St. Karli bridge and immediately turn right before the railway embankment. We cycle some 600 metres between the embankment and houses and negotiate a tight bend to end up riding beside the Reuss. On the cycle/footpath we zoom along the river to the Nordpol and on over the Kleine Emme, keeping to the cycle path. A little later the cycle path narrows and at the first car park we turn left into Schwanderhofstrasse. We follow it until the Restaurant Kreuz, where we cross the Seetalstrasse and follow the cycle path until we reach the church. After this we turn left into Kirchfeldstrasse, heading for Emmen airfield. We cross the airfield and pedal hard to master the first ascent to the roundabout and further on up Kasernenstrasse. On Adligenstrasse we start by descending a little over the railway and then climb steadily to Rothenburg. After the ascent to Adligen we follow the signposts to Rothenburg railway station and then take the cycle path to the right of the railway line. At the end of the cycle path we turn left to take the underpass and head for the road to Lohrensäge. Before reaching the road, we turn right onto the newly built cycle path. Passing the Lohrensäge we reach the Lohren crossing. Depending on the traffic, we choose the pedestrian crossing or the left-hand turn-off to Ruswil. On the now steadily ascending road we can again follow a newly built cycle path. At Oberstechenrain farm we cross Hellbühlstrasse to continue our outing on the side road towards Spitz. At the Spitz landfill we keep right to be able to turn left at the Spitzhof and follow the winding, gently descending road towards Malters. About one kilometre before Malters we come to the main road and pedal into the village. Shortly after the bridge over the trunk road and Kleine Emme, we find the factory shop of biscuitmakers  Hug on the right-hand side of the road. If refreshments are needed, now is a good time.

We then cross the railway to the centre of Malters and turn left at the Hotel Kreuz. We can seize the opportunity to refill our drinking bottles at the village fountain with fresh spring water from the Pilatus.

Shortly after the Restaurant Brauerei we turn off into Rothenstrasse at the large car park on the right to gain some more height. The road first leads through a built-up area and then past various farms. The view steadily improves the more it opens to the east and into the Littauerboden. After a short descent, we reach the main road again in the small hamlet of Blatten and continue along it, keeping to the right. It leads steadily uphill. At the hairpin bend we follow the road to the right towards Renggloch. There can be a lot of traffic on this section depending on the time of day.

After the ascent, we now ride downhill through the Obernau quarter to Kriens. After the "Schappe-Center" we follow the sign to the Sonnenberg cableway on the left into Schachenstrasse. On the gently descending road we pedal past the Eichhof brewery into Taubenhausstrasse and further into the Bruch quarter. These roads are optimised for cyclists and have little traffic.

At the Restaurant Drei Könige we turn right into Klosterstrasse to cross Hirschengraben at the traffic lights and return to Bahnhofstrasse through Rütligasse. Passing the Canton Lucerne government buildings, we arrive back where we started at the Lucerne Theatre.