Travel report: The Swiss Lakes Route

We are Ronald and Claudia, in our mid-fifties and occasionally out and about at the weekend on our analog bikes in the Rhineland. We wanted "daily exercise" and "fresh air" for our vacation. So, after searching the internet, we decided on cycle touring and the "Swiss Lakes Route". We had never been on a cycling vacation before and certainly not in Switzerland. For my wife, "warmer temperatures" and "foreign languages" are still part of the vacation feeling. That's why she was a little skeptical about Switzerland. However, she was not to be disappointed in any of the points!

The planning and booking took place before Corona and we were happy that our vacation - now under Corona conditions - could take place after all. In fact, it was almost designed for it: No crowds, clear rules in the hotels or public transport, lots of activity in the fresh air. We wondered whether we should rent e-bikes from Radweg-Reisen instead of trusting our analog everyday bikes. We decided against it because we also wanted to challenge ourselves a little and our everyday bikes are perfectly set up for us. However, I won't hide the fact that I did look over enviously at the e-bike riders on one or two of the climbs on our tour when they effortlessly rode past us with a cheerful song on their lips. They are definitely not a prerequisite for this tour.

The documents from Radweg-Reisen were comprehensive. We really liked the individualized travel book. Every stage was described, including hotel descriptions, vouchers and overview maps. Speaking of maps. We were also sent a comprehensive set of cycling maps. I had thought about getting a bike navigator or at least downloading a corresponding app onto my cell phone. When I saw the maps, I gave it a miss. And honestly, whether the sun was blazing down from the sky or raining down biblical floods on us, our rubberized, analog maps never let us down.

Day 1 - Arrival in Constance

The reception at Radweg-Reisen was very friendly and highly professional. All outstanding questions and more were answered. Booking our own parking space for the duration of our tour via Radweg-Reisen proved to be very helpful, as Constance is a cycling city and doesn't have much use for smelly cars that struggle through the eye of the needle on Lake Constance every day. There are dedicated cycle lanes and even a dedicated cycle bridge. The counter there showed us over 12,000 bicycle crossings a day! The hotel was very centrally located, so we were able to explore Constance for the first time. The city is a buzzing beehive in summer and vibrates with life, even under corona conditions. You can swim anywhere on the shores of Lake Constance. The town itself is a little gem. The voucher for the Rosgarten Museum in the old town proved to be just right in the hustle and bustle. Here we learned about the city's very eventful history and were then able to enjoy a relaxing cappuccino in the shady, cool, quiet courtyard of the museum.
Afterwards, we rounded off the day on the promenade with a small evening meal and a glass of wine.

Day 2 - from Constance to Schaffhausen (approx. 50km)

We are early risers, even on vacation. This came in handy with the very warm and sunny weather. After a hearty breakfast, we set off on our first section of the tour to Schaffhausen. The description in the handbook and the maps directed us to the right cycle paths. These were often based on a railroad line or the course of a river. We quickly familiarized ourselves with the very orderly, clear and uncomplicated Swiss cycle path signposting system. Exemplary!

A word about the equipment. We have "normal everyday bikes" with baskets at the front and rear. The transport capacity was easily enough for a day trip, including swimming gear. Waterproof saddlebags are perhaps even more practical, especially if it rains. 
Gel saddle? For those who like it. But it doesn't help: if your backside isn't used to sitting on a bike saddle for hours on end, then it will make you feel it. Everyone has to go through this. It doesn't have to be expensive cycling clothing either. We simply used the onion system. We service our bikes regularly. I also had my own repair kit with me, which fortunately we didn't need. Fortunately, our brake shoes were in good condition, as we were going to need them urgently. Otherwise, an air pump and a bottle of chain oil were enough. Nevertheless, I found the extensive list of bike and repair stores along the entire tour very reassuring.

The route along Lake Constance was mostly on asphalt paths. There were always places to rest, some of which were in very idyllic locations. The route was varied and went partly through the forest. We took regular breaks, also to find our own, coordinated rhythm. We took a long lunch break in beautiful Stein am Rhein. We made good progress. The one or other small incline had challenged us, but not hindered us. And on the other side, there are always descents. The rest of the route was easy to cycle and there was one bathing spot after another, inviting us to pause for a moment. However, we were now well underway and were aiming for an early arrival in Schaffhausen so that we could perhaps visit the Rhine Falls that day. A sudden summer thunderstorm with heavy rain brought a welcome cooling down and at the same time put our ability to convert to rain protection to the test. We passed the test and arrived in Schaffhausen in the early afternoon. We drove straight through to the Rhine Falls and enjoyed the ride to the rock in the surf of the Rhine Falls, which was included in the booking. You simply have to experience it! In front of these forces of nature, man becomes very small. We then checked into the hotel, where our three suitcases had already arrived, and rewarded our first stage with a small dinner in the cozy old town of Schaffhausen.

Day 3 - from Schaffhausen to Zurich (approx. 75 km)

After our start the day before, we knew that this stage would challenge us. The temperatures were forecast at 35° C and it would be the longest stage of our round trip. So we had an early breakfast, equipped ourselves with plenty of water and fruit and set off. Incidentally, water and fruit accompanied us the whole way and proved to be a good "fuel supply" during the obligatory breaks we took every hour. Passing the Rhine Falls, which were now completely deserted and very romantic in the early morning, we cycled along the Rhine to Rheinsfelden. The cycle path was well-maintained, partly along country roads with little traffic and then a section through the forest again. Once again, a rough gravel path awaited us here. You have to get used to it and take it slowly and under control if you're not on a dirt bike. Our city bikes coped well, but for real racing bikes with their finger-thick tires, this path would have been more of a problem.

We were rewarded in the middle of the forest with a wonderful, shady beach rest area by the Rhine, which we would never have experienced otherwise. We had of course also looked into whether we should take a shortcut from Eglisau to Zurich by train. But once we arrived in Eglisau, we felt fit, even if our backsides were still sore after the first stage. And after all, we were on a cycling vacation, not a train vacation. So we carried on. There were a few inclines here that we couldn't cope with so easily and had to push our bikes uphill a bit. But honestly, our backsides thanked us for this break and it was only a short stretch. In the next village, a few children were waiting with an improvised kiosk and the usual Swiss village fountain. A note on this: there is probably an age-old regulation in Switzerland that all village wells must supply water of drinking quality. If, for whatever reason, the water does not meet this requirement, it is marked as "not drinking water". During our tour, we filled our multi-purpose bottles with drinking water at all the wells. It was always very palatable and of delicious quality!

From Rheinsfelden, we continued into the Swiss heartland along a small river. There was even less traffic on this stretch than in the previous section. We had also chosen this tour so that we wouldn't have to swim along in the expected masses of cyclists. We were not disappointed, perhaps also thanks to Corona. Before Zurich, things got a little confusing, as some major construction work along the highway led to a route change before the Katzenseen. Thanks to our map, however, we quickly got our bearings and then found the cycle path through the suburbs of Zurich to the hotel in the city center. We arrived there pretty exhausted from the long tour, found our suitcases already waiting for us and enjoyed a long, cold shower. In the evening, there was just enough time for a short walk through the city center and a goodnight beer in the Irish pub outside the hotel.

Day 4 - Zurich

We had accidentally booked an extra day in Zurich, which came in very handy after the long stage. So the first thing we did was get a good night's sleep and then explore the city at our leisure. Incidentally, our hotels on the tour always offered their own parking spaces for our bikes. Not that our analog bikes were particularly at risk of theft, but it would certainly have been different with an e-bike. So we let our bikes "rest" for a day in the basement of the hotel. In Zurich, we were also confronted with the Swiss price level for the first time. We didn't fool ourselves and consciously accepted this, but it should not go unmentioned if you also want to take this trip. For surprisingly little money, we then took a passenger ferry across Lake Zurich and enjoyed the magnificent view. Zurich is a real gem. After a coffee in the old town, we took the cogwheel train up to the university, also for little money. It towers over the city and from the university terrace you have an incomparable view of the city!

A word about the Swiss: they are a very special people. Although they are somewhat reserved, they have always answered all my questions willingly, politely and in a friendly manner. It always depends on how you shout into the forest. A friendly "Grüäzi" ("Greetings") with a smile should always be included. In some areas of Switzerland, the locals are sometimes more difficult to understand, but then you just have to take a little more time. We particularly liked their unobtrusive, engaging manner.
Incidentally, the hotel staff in all the hotels were extremely polite, helpful (including with tips on local specialties) and friendly. We ended our extra day of rest feeling deeply relaxed.

Day 5 - from Zurich to Lachen (approx. 40 km)

Well rested, we continued our "Tour de Suisse" along Lake Zurich. Somehow it was a joy to be able to get back on the bike and finally continue cycling, even if a few extremities still needed some benevolent persuasion. We realized that we are more of the "the journey is the destination" type of cycle tourists. This is perhaps why we missed out on some of the great sights along the way. It didn't bother us and ultimately it's up to each individual to decide for themselves. We head south along the lake on side roads. It is also known as the "Gold Coast" or the "Golden Mile". If you have a thing for modern (and expensive) architecture, then you will get your money's worth here. Bauhaus and Frank Lloyd Wright are clearly recognizable as the architects behind the buildings there. I was certainly fascinated. My wife simply enjoyed the beautiful view over the lake. At one point, we took a wrong turn and were led from the high path along the coast directly to the lake. We promptly ended up at one of these beautiful park bathing areas, which are open and without any access restrictions along the lake. So we settled down on a park bench, changed into our bathing suits in the accompanying spotlessly clean toilets and jumped into the crystal-clear, green lake water. Unfortunately, I can't really imagine anything like this anywhere else in our home country.

It's a kind of special, Swiss attentiveness on the part of the entire population, down to the smallest detail, that only really seems to work there. We took a long break in the medieval town of Rapperswil before crossing to the other side of the lake on a dam. In Rapperswil, we were also surprised by an art campaign in aid of endangered elephants in Southeast Asia, which we would not have expected to see there. And that's also part of a bike tour: you see and experience people and things that you might just have carelessly driven past by car. We arrived in Lachen in the early afternoon and treated ourselves to a few sun loungers and parasols at the local lido and enjoyed the afternoon by the lake before checking into our hotel. A cozy sundowner rounded off the day.

Day 6 - from Lachen to Walenstadt (approx. 30 km + boat trip)

August 1st is a "federal holiday" in Switzerland. You should know that. It means that on the day before and on the holiday itself, the Swiss celebrate and shoot firecrackers. This was the theme of our 6th day of the tour. We found it exciting, because watching people celebrate says a lot about them. We experienced some pretty exuberant Swiss people, despite Corona. But first of all, we headed to Weesen on a completely flat section between Lake Zurich and Lake Walen. As the mighty mountains drew closer, we had the feeling that we were entering the heart of Switzerland - after all, we were now also in the canton of Schwyz and "Heidiland". Everything mundane from Zurich disappeared and made way for a cultivated originality. We enjoyed our ride on well-marked and asphalted roads. We took a break in Weesen and waited for the ferry. We weren't quite sure where it was supposed to dock because the dock seemed so small, but we were proved wrong just in time when the ferry arrived.

In Switzerland, face masks are compulsory on public transport, including the ferry. No problem at all. Our bikes were also stored on board without any problems, as it wasn't very busy despite the public holiday and high season. Bicycles actually have to be registered in advance so that they can be scheduled accordingly during peak times. No problem for us. Sitting on the upper deck, we enjoyed the zigzag journey across Lake Walen in front of a gigantic mountain panorama. We arrived in Walenstadt feeling well-rested and checked into the hotel right on the lake. We enjoyed a magnificent sunset on the beach in Walenstadt before retreating a little from the influx of party guests and watching the hustle and bustle from our hotel window.

Day 7 - from Walenstadt to Feldkirch (approx. 50 km)

The next morning, we continued down to the Rhine (the part before it flows into Lake Constance) to Feldkirch in Austria. As far as Sargans, the route here was also varied across fields and through small forests. After crossing the border into Liechtenstein, all the cycle path signs were suddenly missing, as the local roads there were being heavily upgraded. Cyclists don't seem to have a lobby in Liechtenstein. We didn't meet any cyclists there all day. Instead, there were lots of reckless, oversized and motorized SUVs. So, without further ado, we moved our route to the dam, which has an excellent cycle and hiking path on both sides of the Rhine. After all, we knew from our map that we only had to turn off to Feldkirch in good time. In Feldkirch, we were greeted with Austrian hospitality and a tasty menu, which made up for this somewhat dull section.

Day 8 - from Feldkirch to Sankt Gallen (approx. 45 km + train ride)

The next day it rained cats and dogs and it was noticeably cooler. That's just part and parcel of a bike tour. We also briefly considered whether we should shorten today's stage by taking the train to Sankt Gallen. The temptation was great. In the end, we told ourselves that it wouldn't rain all day and that we would miss the Swiss highlands by train. So we put on our full rain gear and cycled to Altstätten in the pouring rain. What can I say, just after the border with Switzerland, the cycle paths were again very generously marked and we reached Altstätten quite wet. In Altstätten, you can't be directed to the new train station, but have to take the one north of the old town. A cogwheel train also appeared here on time. Nobody wanted to see our tickets ("Billets"). Instead, the train driver helped us to stow our bikes in the luggage compartment. This entertaining train ride is a brilliant idea on the tour, as it took us to dizzying heights to the Appenzell countryside. There were also rumors that some cyclists were probably trying to make it up the mountain by road. From our point of view, this is pretty much a waste of time and effort, unless you are training for the Tour de Suisse. But that's for everyone to decide. We enjoyed the ride anyway, especially as we were able to dry off a bit.

Once we reached the top, we were greeted by a picture-book Alpine landscape. The rain had stopped and we congratulated ourselves on our decision to tackle this stage despite the nasty start. We still had to ride along a few roads with relatively heavy traffic before we were directed onto simple but asphalted side roads. It was simply a joy to ride along here and enjoy the magnificent view. Even a final steep climb to Stein couldn't change that. We pushed our bikes uphill one last time. We were then rewarded with a never-ending descent to Sankt Gallen, including crossing one of the highest cycle bridges in Europe. Here we checked our brakes once again, because we really needed them now. Once we arrived in Sankt Gallen, they had lost a lot of tread. We checked into a very good hotel in Sankt Gallen, right next to the old town, and reviewed the day over a glass of wine.

Day 9 - Sankt Gallen

The extra day in Sankt Gallen is part of the tour and it is well chosen. We needed half a day just to visit the abbey grounds (UNESCO World Heritage Site). The old abbey library is phenomenal. Seeing what is probably the oldest book in the German language, the "Abgrogans", in the original fills you with humility before history. We also walked part of the high trail with great views of the valley. You can easily get up there with the cog railroad just around the corner from the hotel. We were amazed that we could already see Lake Constance shimmering again from there. The end of our trip was looming.

Day 10 - from Sankt Gallen to Constance (approx. 45 km)

The last stage from Sankt Gallen to Constance took us along good paths back along the route that Sankt Gallus had once taken from Arbon on Lake Constance into the wilderness, except that it led us through fertile meadows rather than wild forests full of bears. Once we reached Lake Constance, we followed the Lake Constance cycle path, which was much busier than any of our previous stages. Back in Constance, we picked up our car from Radweg-Reisen and checked into our hotel. By now we were so in our cycling element that we hopped back into our saddles and rode a few more kilometers to the island of Mainau to see this gem. As the day was quite advanced, we were able to enjoy the island and especially the butterfly house without the usual crowds. Satisfied, we ended this last stage with a cool glass of wine on the shores of Lake Constance.

Day 11 - Constance

We treated ourselves to one last, additional day in Constance and explored this unusual little town. Constance has more to offer than meets the eye.
We ended the day and our Swiss lake tour in a small Italian restaurant in a side street of the old town.

Conclusion of the trip

This first bike trip was a great experience for us. All our wishes and expectations - and more - were fulfilled. The luggage service was perfect and allowed us to start each stage with fresh clothes. Exemplary!
This was made possible above all by the excellent and very professional preparation and organization by the staff of Radweg-Reisen. The concept is coherent and worked perfectly. We therefore agree that this was not our last trip with Radweg Reisen. Perhaps next time we will rent e-bikes after all or buy our own.

We've acquired a taste for it. Therefore, a final warning to the gentle reader: Beware! This way of traveling can be addictive!

Thank you to your great team! I was delighted to have met you at the beginning of the trip and found my first, good impression confirmed at every moment of the trip! I will recommend you without reservation. See you next time!