Another trail with amazing views, this time around Elm, a picturesque village in the canton of Glarus. The village is located at an altitude of 977 m. We arrived there by bus no. 541 from Schwandel GL railway station. Already from the window of the bus we could admire the magnificent views, and this was only the harbinger of a fantastic route.
We travelled the last part of the way to Ämpächli by mountain train. Motorists can park right next to the station, as there is quite a large car park.
Through the Riesen Wald…
After ascending the mountain we took a right through the Riesen Wald, which has many attractions for children. In fact the whole area near the ski lift is a paradise for kids. There are trampolines, a playground, toy cars, an obstacle course, a place to search for gold in a mountain stream and probably many other attractions that I didn’t notice. For the older ones, there are still scooters and vehicles on three wheels on which you can ride down to the Elm.
After leaving the “children’s zone”, we had to walk uphill. It wasn’t easy, but what a view.
In the footsteps of the cow pies
As we walked, I thought I should call this hike “In the footsteps of the cow pies” because the higher we went, the more cow pies there were on the trail. It is hard for me to understand how a cow, weighing several hundred kilograms, can so easily climb up a narrow, steep path to the altitude of 2,000 meters above sea level.
It just so happened that a herd of cows took over the trail. Initially, I took the tactic of avoiding them by a wide arc, which was not easy given the terrain. Then, I noticed two Swiss hikers behind me, who, as if nothing had happened, walked right into the herd. So I decided to follow them. After all, cows will not move their own. And I was not wrong. Although they did not move even half a metre, they did not protest when we squeezed between them.
The highlight – the Chüebodensee lake
Coming back to the route, one of its highlights is the Chüebodensee, or rather the lake. To be honest, we would almost have missed it. The lake looks more like a pond, and in June it was still covered in snow. However, this does not detract from its visual appeal. It is beautifully situated.
Behind the lake the trail leads down to Ämpächli itself.
Finally, a small piece of advice, take warm clothes with you, because even on the mountain it is quite cold in summer.
