Rickenbach route

Nestled between Baldegger, Hallwiler, and Sempachersee, surrounded by the hilly landscape of the Michelsamt, is the Rickenbach route. It starts near the well-known monastery of the community, which was built in 1984 in honor of Cherubine Willimann (1842–1914). The native of Rickenbach is the founder of the Dominican Sisters of Arenberg (D). The monastery is the only Swiss branch of the papally recognized religious community.

With the church at your back, the route leads over wide fields towards Feldenmoos. There it passes a typical farm that can be visited. Agriculture has traditionally been of great importance in the area around Rickenbach. The contiguous meadow landscape between Lindenberg, Blosenberg, Bogeten, Buttenberg and Stierenberg belongs to the last large agricultural areas of Switzerland.

High above the Surental and Sempachersee, at about 800 meters above sea level, the route turns. The climb is rewarded: on the sparsely populated, sunny high plateau, winter sports enthusiasts enjoy a view over the wide sea of fog and towards the nearby Alps. Skillful descent is then required on the last third of the route: always downhill, first along the forest edge and then over open fields, the trail returns to the start at Rickenbach.