Hi All,

given the lovely mountains and landscape that the Swiss soil offers, I'd like to do some trekking/hiking.

does anyone know of some trail around Zurich (or even not)? or where to get some info about it?

Thanks,

Cheers
ErMo

One i know is Utliberg,Zurich

Good morning!
Your question sound a bit like 'what shall I make for lunch' when no-one has any idea what I like to eat and what food I have in the house!
However, here goes:
As the weather forecast for the weekend is not too good, I would spend Saturday in a bookshop and Sunday on the Internet if I were you.
Most bookshops seem to have plenty of maps, and books with suggested walks. (Wanderungen)
Orell Füssli will start you off.
Füsslistrasse 4
8001 Zürich (off the Bahnhofstrasse)
www.wandersite.ch/def_english.html
should give you a few tips too.
If you go up to 'Grumpygrapefruit land' (Flumserberg) there are masses of the most beautiful alpine flowers at the moment.
Toggenburg is a wonderful area and not too far from Zürich to start off.
As you are perhaps VERY new to Switzerland:
Walks in Switzerland are nearly always measured in TIME not in Distance.
Yellow Rhombus walks are easier going than the white/red/white of the 'hill tracks'. Usually they are all well marked. Unless the track is very clearly defined, you can see from one marker to the next.
Happy walking - Switzerland is a wonderful place to enjoy doing it.

well, thanks!

exactly what I was looking for

ErMo

And now I must REALLY get back to the ironing!

The website Wandersite.ch is a great starting point to see a list of 1-day hikes per canton/region, including how difficult, how long the hike is and how many vertical meters up/down, so you can choose a hike best suiting your fitness level.

Last weekend we did a 3-hour, easy (Leicht) hike called the Amdener Höhenweg. The landscape was beautiful, varied and the hike well signposted.
Basically with public transport/car go/drive to Weesen, about 40min by car from Zürich. Then take the chairlift Mattstock (CHF 8 p.p) up from where the 3-hour hike starts. At the end in Arvenbüel there is a bus back to Weesen every hour at .21. Enjoy!

Further away direction Gotthard/Andermatt, there is an absolutely great 4-hour sportliche hike around a lake, called the Seerundgang. Here the link with info from wandersite.ch. I also found this hike on the page of Nelly's Wanderrouten , under Canton Uri (site in German only).

Tomorrow we're going hiking probably in the Glarus region. Any tips/recommendations for a 3-5 hour, sportliche hike in that (or other) region are most welcome!

Hi there!

I have a booklet called "Zürcherland - Rundwanderungen zwischen Rhein, Tössland und Reuss" that I bought in the big Kiosk (near the big clock) in HB's main hall. They have a ton of hiking guides and topo maps in the back.
I don't know if it's still in print, but it's a dandy little guide continaing 28 hikes with duration, getting there/back by public transport, description, things to see, history of the places visited, altitude map and general tips on hiking trails and trail do's and dont's.

What's still available is the ZH cantonal hiking map, trails are marked red, yellow roads are postbus routes with fat black dots on them marking the stops. Also available at aforementioned kiosk, that, thanks to being in the train station, is open on till late and on Sundays.

Of course you can also go totally snazzy and get the 3D CD ROM route planner for Zurich

Easy starter hikes are the Üetliberg ridge-walk (tram 14 to Triemli, follow the yellow diamonds direction Uto Kulm, then follow the ridge direction Felsenegg for as far as you like) or the Hönggerberg/Zürichberg ridge walk.

Another good resource is the ZVV website, they have a suggestions page (unfortunately only in German) here. Just scroll down for the suggestions once you've clicked on the desired options and "Ausflugtipps suchen".

Other fun hikes in and around Zurich:

Schanzengraben (the old moat): start off at where the Sihl passes under HB (platform 3 side), follow it to the first bridge on the Bahnhofstrasse side, walk down the steps then simply follow the moat all the way to Bürkliplatz.

Zürichberg: grab the 7 tram to the Zoo, pick your route from the yellow signpost and get trucking.

Hönggerberg: take the 13 tram to Meierhofplatz (direction Frankenthal) and hike up the hill. Walk the ridge to Zürichberg/Zoo.

Sihltal: take the S4 or S10 at HB to Giesshübel, walk back across the bridge over the Sihl, follow the Sihl upstream to, e.g. Leimbach or Adliswil (where you can take the funicular up to Felsenegg on the Albis ridge) or get the S4 back to HB.

Panoramaweg: tram 14 to Triemli/S10 stop Triemli, walk up the hill (Hohensteinweg) to the Panoramaweg (recognizable by the globe lampposts) bordering the Üetliberg forest. Walk all the way to Albisgüetli where you catch the 13 tram downhill to the city. If you like to be in the forest, walk up another 100m, there's a road running parallel to the Panoramaweg.