Kulturspur Appenzellerland, Stage 1/6

From the traditional farming village of Urnäsch in Appenzell’s Hinterland district, the route takes you over hills and meadows dotted with typical scattered settlements and stately farmsteads. Your destination is the pretty municipality of Schwellbrunn, part of which is listed as a heritage site of national significance, and a splendid view towards the Alpstein and Lake Constance.

From Urnäsch railway station, the yellow waymarked hiking trail initially leads through the village. Beyond the last houses, it follows the Buechebach for a short while. Open meadows and pastures then dominate the landscape, interspersed with sections of woodland and scattered settlements. The route remains easy but steadily gains elevation in the rolling Appenzell countryside.

Broad paths lead gently up and down across the hillsides. Rather than one long, steep ascent, the roughly nine-kilometre hike features numerous shorter climbs, adding up to around 560 metres of elevation gain. Alternating between woodland edges and open terrain, the route gradually approaches Schwellbrunn.

Shortly before the destination, the trail reaches its highest point at around 1,040 metres near Hochwacht. From here, the route descends to Schwellbrunn. After just over three hours, the hike ends in the village; the Schwellbrunn, Dorf bus stop is only a few steps away.