Variant : Tuggen to Wattwil
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Alpage - Amis St Colomban
Schwyz

10. Variant : Tuggen to Wattwil

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From St. Gallen Church, the route now follows Via Jacobi No. 4, the Way of St. James of Compostela through Switzerland, which begins in Kreuzlingen (near Konstanz) and Rorschach on the banks of the Bodensee, in continuity with pilgrim routes from Germany, Austria and beyond. An excellent opportunity to meet other pilgrims in a similar itinerant approach.
The waterfront routes from Basel end at the end of Lake Zurich / Bodensee before climbing up into the mountain pastures, through isolated active farms and beautiful grazing cows.

5 points of interest

  • chapelle Linthbord
    chapelle Linthbord
    Cultural

    Linthbord Chapel

    Beautiful wedding chapel built in 1666.

    To know more.

  • château de Grynau
    château de Grynau
    Historical

    Grynau Castle

    The preserved tower was built at the beginning of the 13th century to secure the passage of the Linth River. Until the 20th century, there were only four bridges over this river, including the bridge near Grynau. In 1337 a battle took place here between Zurich and a coalition led by the Habsburgs.

    Read more about it.

  • Jakobuskapelle
    Jakobuskapelle
    Cultural

    Saint James Chapel

    The chapel of Saint James has existed since the Middle Ages, but was replaced by a new one at the end of the 17th century. Here, the Jakobsweg (Way of St. James) comes from Lake Constance and branches off via Schmerikon to the east of the Obersee or via Rapperswil to the west before continuing on to Einsiedeln Abbey. 
  • ST Gallenkappel
    ST Gallenkappel - Amis St Colomban
    St Columban

    St. Gallenkappel

    A chapel dedicated to Saint Gall was built in the 9th century, hence the name of this locality.
  • Château Iberg
    Château Iberg
    Historical

    Castle Iberg

    The castle, which also bears the name of Yburg, was built in 1230 by the Lords of Iberg, ministers of the Principality of St. Gallen. In ruins from 1838 to 1901, it was rebuilt with the help of the Swiss confederation and given the status of a castle.

    Find out more.


Description

Route N°4 in a green square "Via Jacobi" is marked in two directions:

  • In the direction of Santiago de Compostela with a blue border and a gold shell, 
  • In the opposite direction for the return home without blue edges or shells.

Follow the green squares N°4 without edge because the Kolumbansweg goes up the road to Santiago.

From the church, join the main street (Zürcherstrasse) and, opposite a hostel (Gasthaus Löwen), turn left in the passage between houses (Steinweg) which leads to Gallusstrasse followed by Kleinlaui:

  1. Continue along the path in the axis (yellow mark Wanderweg), leave the city and pass in front of the Linthbordkapelle chapel. The track joins the forest and follows the edge over the motorway tunnels to the St Gallerstrasse road. Walk on the path along this road to the castle. 

  2. Turn left after the canal, go under the highway and take the next footbridge on the right. Cross a second canal and follow it on its north shore to the level of a footbridge. Turn right, go behind the port and join the north shore of the lake and the city centre of Schmerikon on the left. 

  3. Cross the railway at the first level crossing and turn right (Hauptstrasse) and left (Kirchgasse) successively up to the church. The track climbs to the right after the cemetery, leaves the town (Goldbergweg), turns left and right (Bürgitalstrasse) and continues into the fields after the hamlet of Goldberg. Continue north across the motorway and into Hinterherrenweg to reach the village of Neuhaus at the Jakobus Chapel.

  4. Turn right onto the path under the road overpass and cross the creek. At the last farm, turn left on the track that goes up to the road. Leave the wooden covered bridge on the left and join the road. Continue on the path opposite according to the markings. The track enters St Gallenkappel via Gerendingerstrasse, Obergeredingerstrasse (left), Sonnenrainstrasse (front) and Kirchweg towards St Gall church. 

  5. After the church, go down the main street on the right and turn left immediately (Grundwies). In the bend of the asphalt road, continue on the field path that leads to the forest. Go along the edge and go up a large curve towards the road. Cross it and continue to climb up the meadows: Allmeindstrasse, Breitenholz (right), Kirchbodenstrasse (left) to reach the hamlet of Rüeterswil. Walk past the chapel, continue up to the hamlet of Höfli and go down to the road near a calvary.

  6. This road passes through Walde and climbs to Oberricken. Afterwards in the descent, turn left towards Cholloch, go up into the mountain pastures at 970m and then go down towards Wattwil cutting some bends.

  7. Arrived at the castle which dominates the city, join the road by the marked path. In the bend of the road, cross and take the path to the right along the valley which goes down towards road N°8. Turn left twice in front of the petrol station to reach the abbey, which is clearly visible from a height.
  • Departure : Church of St Gall, Buchbergstrasse 6, 8856 Tuggen
  • Arrival : Convent of St. Mary, Klosterhof, 9630 Wattwil
  • Towns crossed : Schwyz and Sankt Gallen

Altimetric profile


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