Trans Swiss Trail, Stage 18/32

A section focusing on the Stanserhorn, which you almost circle. The Winkelried Memorial is found in Stans. The Swiss hero reputedly threw himself onto the enemies’ pikes at the Battle of Sempach in 1386 to open up a breach for the confederates.

From the Flüeli-Ranft, Dorf bus stop, the yellow-waymarked hiking trail leads out of the village. It initially climbs between open meadows to the chapel of Sankt Nikolaus. Shortly afterwards, the route reaches its highest point near St. Niklausen at around 830 m. This means the main ascent is completed early on; from here, the trail is characterised by pastures, small settlements and gentle counter-climbs.

The hike continues via Halten through open farmland and past the chapel of St. Anton. Around halfway along the route, the Mei-Kapelle stands beside the trail, with the Kernwald beginning shortly afterwards. This longer stretch of woodland provides a marked contrast to the meadows of the first half. The route follows the Rübibach for a short distance before signs of settlement reappear near Eimatt.

Towards the end, the trail descends through increasingly built-up areas to Stans. In the town centre, it passes the Church of St. Peter and Paul, a cultural property of national significance. After around 17 kilometres and just over four and a half hours, the destination is reached. The Stans stop is only a few minutes’ walk from the end point.