Day 11: Travel by train & bus to Rodi & walk to Faido. Travel by train to Lavorgo & walk to Giornico. Travel by bus & train to Bellinzona (MAPS 3 & 4).
After breakfast they headed to the railway station of Airolo (1141m a.s.l.), which is the highest railway station of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) (BAHNHOF AIROLO). There they boarded the "Treno Gottardo" to Faido. In Faido they changed to a bus and got off at Rodi "Dazio Grande".
The "Dazio Grande" is a building from the middle of the 16th century. It served as customs house for goods, transit traffic, hoarse-changing station, guesthouse, hostel and warehouse until 1803, the year when the Ticino became part of the Swiss Confederation. It remained in operation, until the Gotthard railway line was inaugurated in 1882. Nowadays, it is still open for the public as a museum and provides a rustic restaurant and overnight accommodation (DAZIO GRANDE).
From there they started their hiking, which took them along the "Via Gottardo Süd", passing by the two most impressive gorges ("Piottino" and "Biaschina"), which are shaping the landscape of the upper Ticino, and ending by the village Giornico.
Day 11: Travel by train & bus to Rodi & walk to Faido. Travel by train to Lavorgo & walk to Giornico. Travel by bus & train to Bellinzona (MAPS 3 & 4).
After breakfast they headed to the railway station of Airolo (1141m a.s.l.), which is the highest railway station of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) (BAHNHOF AIROLO). There they boarded the "Treno Gottardo" to Faido. In Faido they changed to a bus and got off at Rodi "Dazio Grande".
The "Dazio Grande" is a building from the middle of the 16th century. It served as customs house for goods, transit traffic, hoarse-changing station, guesthouse, hostel and warehouse until 1803, the year when the Ticino became part of the Swiss Confederation. It remained in operation, until the Gotthard railway line was inaugurated in 1882. Nowadays, it is still open for the public as a museum and provides a rustic restaurant and overnight accommodation (DAZIO GRANDE).
From there they started their hiking, which took them along the "Via Gottardo Süd", passing by the two most impressive gorges ("Piottino" and "Biaschina"), which are shaping the landscape of the upper Ticino, and ending by the village Giornico.
Day 11: Travel by train & bus to Rodi & walk to Faido. Travel by train to Lavorgo & walk to Giornico. Travel by bus & train to Bellinzona (MAPS 3 & 4).
After breakfast they headed to the railway station of Airolo (1141m a.s.l.), which is the highest railway station of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) (BAHNHOF AIROLO). There they boarded the "Treno Gottardo" to Faido. In Faido they changed to a bus and got off at Rodi "Dazio Grande".
The "Dazio Grande" is a building from the middle of the 16th century. It served as customs house for goods, transit traffic, hoarse-changing station, guesthouse, hostel and warehouse until 1803, the year when the Ticino became part of the Swiss Confederation. It remained in operation, until the Gotthard railway line was inaugurated in 1882. Nowadays, it is still open for the public as a museum and provides a rustic restaurant and overnight accommodation (DAZIO GRANDE).
From there they started their hiking, which took them along the "Via Gottardo Süd", passing by the two most impressive gorges ("Piottino" and "Biaschina"), which are shaping the landscape of the upper Ticino, and ending by the village Giornico.
Day 11: Travel by train & bus to Rodi & walk to Faido. Travel by train to Lavorgo & walk to Giornico. Travel by bus & train to Bellinzona (MAPS 3 & 4).
After breakfast they headed to the railway station of Airolo (1141m a.s.l.), which is the highest railway station of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) (BAHNHOF AIROLO). There they boarded the "Treno Gottardo" to Faido. In Faido they changed to a bus and got off at Rodi "Dazio Grande".
The "Dazio Grande" is a building from the middle of the 16th century. It served as customs house for goods, transit traffic, hoarse-changing station, guesthouse, hostel and warehouse until 1803, the year when the Ticino became part of the Swiss Confederation. It remained in operation, until the Gotthard railway line was inaugurated in 1882. Nowadays, it is still open for the public as a museum and provides a rustic restaurant and overnight accommodation (DAZIO GRANDE).
From there they started their hiking, which took them along the "Via Gottardo Süd", passing by the two most impressive gorges ("Piottino" and "Biaschina"), which are shaping the landscape of the upper Ticino, and ending by the village Giornico.
Day 11: Travel by train & bus to Rodi & walk to Faido. Travel by train to Lavorgo & walk to Giornico. Travel by bus & train to Bellinzona (MAPS 3 & 4).
After breakfast they headed to the railway station of Airolo (1141m a.s.l.), which is the highest railway station of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) (BAHNHOF AIROLO). There they boarded the "Treno Gottardo" to Faido. In Faido they changed to a bus and got off at Rodi "Dazio Grande".
The "Dazio Grande" is a building from the middle of the 16th century. It served as customs house for goods, transit traffic, hoarse-changing station, guesthouse, hostel and warehouse until 1803, the year when the Ticino became part of the Swiss Confederation. It remained in operation, until the Gotthard railway line was inaugurated in 1882. Nowadays, it is still open for the public as a museum and provides a rustic restaurant and overnight accommodation (DAZIO GRANDE).
From there they started their hiking, which took them along the "Via Gottardo Süd", passing by the two most impressive gorges ("Piottino" and "Biaschina"), which are shaping the landscape of the upper Ticino, and ending by the village Giornico.
Day 11: Travel by train & bus to Rodi & walk to Faido. Travel by train to Lavorgo & walk to Giornico. Travel by bus & train to Bellinzona (MAPS 3 & 4).
Day 3: Visit Rapperswil & travel by train to Bubikon. Visit the "Ritterhaus" & "Egelsee" lake.
Walk to Jona via Rüti & back to Rapperswil by train.
After a good night sleep, except for Daniela, they all met for breakfast in good mood and full of energy. The breakfast buffet was served outside. The food choice was varied. While they were eating, Thomas informed them about the day's program, in the mean time Daniela went to the reception to change her room and she was successful.
At 9 o'clock they were ready for their trip. The starting point was a visit to the "Kapuzinerkloster" which was, as they already saw last night, close to their hotel. Coming out of the church they walked through the rose garden and enjoyed the lovely smell of the flowers (Figure 5).
Figure 5: "Kapuzinerkloster" monastery in Rapperswil with the famous rose gardens
Regretfully they had to leave to catch their train, dep. at 10:14, taking them to the next destination Bubikon. Ten minutes later they arrived at their destination. The community of Bubikon, which includes the villages Bubikon and Wolfhausen, has a population of approximately 7000 inhabitants and is located in the southeastern part of Canton Zurich. It is home for the famous "Ritterhaus", which is one of the best preserved monuments in Europe of the Knights of St. John (Johanniter Kommende) from the year 1192. It harbors a museum about the house and order of knights of the Medieval period (BUBIKON; Figure 6).
Figure 6: "Ritterhaus" Bubikon
From the "Ritterhaus" they continued further towards the "Egelsee", a small lake in the swamps having a surface area of around 3.5ha.
The "Egelsee" was created during the Würmian ice age, about 12'000 years ago when the "Linth-Rhein" glacier shaped the landscape in the "Zürcher Oberland". The "Egelsee" has a lido with swimming facilities (EGELSEE; Figure 7).
Figure 7: "Egelsee" lake
The group spent their lunch break there. While Thomas and Daniela started the barbecue, the group members could enjoy some free time. Beatrice and some other water lovers just wanted a refreshing swim in the lake. Claudia and her partner Ueli took it easier. They sat at the lake shore and admired the beautiful water lilies and ducks swimming. Ursula, who was a student in Geography and Sports, went to discover the lake shore and took several pictures. The rest of the participants just stretched in the grass and enjoyed the fresh breeze in the shade of the broadleaved Betula trees.
While clearing up after lunch, Daniela found near the picnic area a Smartphone lying in the grass; it was not activated so she could not find out who the owner was. They waited till the group got together. Thomas asked them if anyone has missed his Smartphone, after a quick check there was no claim, so Daniela decided to take it along to the lost and found desk by the lido and she left her name and phone number behind.
Next on their schedule was hiking to Rüti. On their way Daniela started singing a famous folkloric song "Das Wandern ist des Müllers Lust", which she used to sing already when she was a small girl, on holiday with her parents, to motivate her when she refused to continue walking. They all joined in and it was a good idea. On their walking track, they passed a large field where happy cows were grazing. Next they came across a golf course, then they went down several steps behind the "Fabrimex AG" factory, to the waterfall of the "Schwarzbach" (Figure 8).
Figure 8: "Schwarzbach" water fall
The water of the "Schwarzbach" stream, originates, from the slopes of the "Dürnter Ried" and, both, the wide hollows of the "Bubiker" wetlands and the "Egelsee". The water flow is therefore subject to strong fluctuations. In this area, though "Nagelfluh" (stone layers of glacial deposits) alternates with softer sand and marl layers. While the soft rocks are quickly broken down by the water, the more resistant "Nagelfluh" forms protruding benches. The water falls 13 meters over a short distance; the height of the large waterfall alone is over 8 meters. The striking terrain level used to be and still is an ideal location for exploiting hydroelectric power (SCHWARZBACHWASSERFALL). This interesting geological and geomorphologic formed landscape impressed the participants.
At the end of the waterfall, the "Schwarzbach" river crosses a nature reserve which ends close by Rüti's railway station.
The community of Rüti ZH has a population of approximately 12'000 inhabitants and is thanks to a good rail and road connection, a popular transfer point to reach several excursion destinations in the region. Behind the small town one can orientate himself by the "Bachtel" mountain (1115m a.s.l.), which is also called "Zürcher-Oberländer-Rigi" because of its insular shape (RÜTI ZH).
In Rüti it was time to have a break, so, they headed towards the café "Bürgi" which is known for its delicious pastries and good coffee. Strengthened, they walked along the trail to Jona, first passing through the settlement area of Rüti, then continuing along the "Jona" river, which is a conjunction of the "Jona" stream, flowing out of the "Tannertobel" and the "Schwarz" stream, originating from the "Egelsee" (JONA). Their path went through an impressive broadleaved forest, which harbored several small waterfalls and had a few natural ponds. The forest belongs to the Canton St. Gallen. It felt like going through a fairytale landscape (Figure 9).
Figure 9: Hiking track along the "Jona" river between Rüti and Jona
Back in Rapperswil, they had an hour at their disposal till dinnertime. While Daniela was relaxing she got a phone call from the reception, they informed her that someone would like to see her. She wondered who that could be! She went downstairs and saw a young man, he was in sportswear, quiet good looking and approached her with a smile, she tried to place him in her mind but could not remember ever seeing him before, so she just smiled and gave him an enquiring look. He introduced himself "my name is Matthias Schneider, I was told that you found my Smartphone in your pick-nick area, I am very grateful to you and would like to thank you for your honesty, please accept that small box of chocolate." Before he left he gave her his personal visiting card and wished her a good evening. Before going for dinner, Daniela checked M. Schneider's card and found out that he works at the "Mammut" museum in Niederweningen, which they planned to visit on their next day. What a coincidence!
At 18:00 they all met in the hall and headed off, on the wish of Giovanni, to an Italian restaurant, the pizzeria "San Marco" by the harbor. The delicious smell of Italian spices stimulated their appetite. The pizzas did not disappoint them, they were big and tasty, and not a single crump was left, to the joy of the waiter. While enjoying the sunset, Daniela and Thomas discussed the next day's program, which was to explore the "Zürcher Unterland". The group prepared for an early night as their S15 train next morning to Niederhasli would depart from Rapperswil station at 08:44.