Zürichsee-Rundweg, Stage 6/10

The final part of the route around the Obersee, the upper section of Lake Zurich, hugs the shoreline for the most part as it takes you through the most unspoilt lakeside landscapes in Eastern Switzerland. You’ll be able to spot waterfowl as you go along. The virtually flat route takes you from Schmerikon to Rapperswil – the «town of roses» – and past chapels, an abbey, a kids’ zoo and a university of applied sciences.

From the Schmerikon stop, the yellow-waymarked hiking trail leads out of the village. Open meadows and the edges of residential areas characterise the first section. The barely perceptible rise at the start, at around 415 m, is already the highest point of the hike. The route then remains almost level and reaches Bollingen, with the Church of St. Pankraz directly beside the trail.

Beyond the village, open spaces alternate with built-up sections. At Wurmsbach, Mariazell-Wurmsbach Abbey stands near the trail on the shore of Lake Zurich. Later, the route follows the Jona for a short stretch. The river adds variety to this peaceful hike, which is around eleven kilometres long in total.

Near the Church of St. Martin in Busskirch, the final section to Rapperswil begins. Towards the end, the trail runs directly beside Lake Zurich. After just over two and a half hours, the hike ends at Rapperswil SG railway station, only a few steps from the lake.