Lake Thun canoe trail: paddling fun in the Spiezer Bay

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For this summer, I have decided to “expand” our range of exercise and not only hike, but also try out other outdoor activities. In addition to biking, what could be better than paddling through our beautiful lakes with your muscle power?

And so we took advantage of a wonderful summer’s day for a trip to Lake Thun. There, the Lake Thun canoe trail leads you across the water to the pretty villages and picturesque bays on the southern shore of Lake Thun – maximum paddling fun guaranteed!

By canoe from Faulensee to Spiez

The Lake Thun Canoe Trail stretches between the Delta Park near Gwatt and Leissigen just before Interlaken. The distance of the entire canoe route is around 17 kilometers. Canoes can be reserved by telephone at four locations (Gwatt, Spiez, Faulensee and Leissigen). We also made sure that a canoe was available on site the day before our trip. As an introductory tour, the entire route seemed too ambitious for us (my arm muscles say hello). Our choice therefore fell on the leisurely introductory loop from Faulensee to the bay of Spiez and back: a route of a total of 6 kilometers in length. The canoes are 4-seater canoes: suitable for two or more people. Alternatively, Stand Up Paddles (SUP) can also be rented at all four locations.

We combined the detour to the canoe trail with a family visit to our homeland, and spontaneously motivated the friend’s brother to accompany us. Of course, not without ulterior motives – if there are three of us, I can rather sit back and enjoy the panorama while paddling.

From Thun we reach the lakeside promenade of Faulensee in just under thirty minutes, including a change at Spiez train station. The tourist office with boat rental is located at the level of the bus stop “Am See”. Here we receive our canoe and paddle off cheerfully after a short briefing. Since the piers in Faulensee and Spiez are served by scheduled boats, increased attention is required in these areas. Otherwise, we get the hang of it pretty quickly; paddling rhythmically and not losing sight of the goal.

According to the brochure for the Lake Thun Canoe Trail, the route from Faulensee to Spiez takes around 50 minutes. Lake Thun is almost windless this morning. Without having to fight much against waves, we reached the bay of Spiez after just under thirty minutes – it was worth hiring a third rowing force after all.

Mini-golf fun in the Bay of Spiez

At the northern end of Spiez Bay there is an entrance and exit staircase. Here we carefully climb out of our canoe (a rather shaky story) and carry it to the canoe depot of the info point. There are no regular “parking spaces” for canoes that you want to temporarily store while exploring the bay of Spiez. But with the consultation of the responsible person at the Info-Point, you can deposit it there – just let me know.

A stop in the bay of Spiez is definitely worth it! Be it to stroll along the waterfront and stop for a bite to eat, to make a detour to Spiez Castle or to put your skills to the test at the “Minigölflen”. The mini-golf course is located directly behind the info point. The cost of rackets and balls is an absolutely fair 7 CHF for adults (children 4 CHF) and can be obtained directly from the Info-Point. The course in the bay of Spiez was opened in 2014 as the first mini golf open standard course in Switzerland and offers a great mix of mini golf and golf.

Despite a promising start, I’m powerless against the two guys. I just don’t have the patience for that. Far too often, I prefer to lash out instead of analyzing the situation. Well – I’m amused despite being behind, and I’m happy when someone goes in before reaching the maximum number of strokes.

Whether blessed with or without talent – the mini-golf course in Spiez promises an entertaining round for young and old either way.

Paddling back to Faulensee

While we concentrated on hitting the ball precisely towards the hole on the mini-golf course, time is well advanced. Dark clouds are gathering behind the sneeze. How long can the sun hold its own? We play it safe, go back into the water and set course on the canoe trail towards Faulensee. On the way back, we are challenged by significantly more waves than on the way there – but we make it back to Faulensee before the rain sets in.

Here we return the canoe and the life jackets. Afterwards, we walk along the shore path back to the bay of Spiez. Since the bus from Faulensee to Spiez train station only runs every hour, the almost 2.5-kilometre-long lakeside path is a nice option to get to the station. The path is wheelchair accessible and suitable for prams – an easy and varied walking route including small bathing bays.

Finally: Pura Vida in Spiez

I had already cast an eye on the casual Pura Vida beach restaurant during the mini-golf round. Due to the threatening storm clouds and the hasty departure associated with it, the stop fell by the wayside for the time being. However, the walk along the riverside path to Spiez train station brings us past the “Pura Vida” once again and now we have definitely earned the refreshing homemade iced tea and ice cream. The nice restaurant is open daily from 10 a.m. in the summer months when the weather is nice.

At the end of this all-round successful excursion to Spiez, a few tough meters of altitude await us from the bay of Spiez up to the train station. Of course, you could also wait for the bus for this – but after all, the ice cream calories also want to be processed again. The BLS RegioExpress Lötschberger then takes you home via Bern to Zurich. Even though I have also enjoyed Zurich as my adopted home meanwhile – Lake Thun is the most beautiful place to be!

Tips around the Lake Thun Canoe Trail

In addition to the four boat rentals with reservation options, there is also the possibility to rent a canoe at the Blue Turtle bistro about 1.5 kilometers south of Faulensee. However, it is not possible to make a reservation in advance. The bistro, with a sunbathing lawn located directly on Lake Thun, is considered an insider tip around Spiez. Since the opening hours are updated daily depending on the weather and the occasion, the detour to the Blue Turtle is something for the spontaneous.

The canoes do not necessarily have to be returned to the same place where they were rented. In the case of a one-way rental, a surcharge of CHF 25 or CHF 35 will be added to the rental costs, depending on the distance. In addition to the canoe, the canoe rental price includes the paddles, life jackets and a dry bag. And even if the canoes look stable at first glance, it’s worth storing all the things that shouldn’t get wet in a dry bag. At the latest when you get in, you will realize how quickly the canoes could get into trouble.