Walk across the lake – wooden bridge Rapperswil-Hurden

On a very grey Saturday afternoon, which seemed to be made for a sofa day, we decided to get some fresh air. From Zurich we took the S5 in the direction of Rapperswil-Jona, which is located on the right bank of Lake Zurich right next to Seedam. The goal was to cross Lake Zurich on the historic wooden bridge Rapperswil-Hurden.

The Seedamm is an artificial dam located at the narrowest point of Lake Zurich, separating the Upper from Lower Lake and has to endure about 25,000 vehicles a day. In addition to the lake dam, however, there is a much more exciting way for walkers and people interested in history to cross the lake.

A few metres from the Rapperswil railway station, an 841 m long wooden bridge begins, which connects Rapperswil with the Hurden peninsula. The bridge was reopened in its current reconstructed form in 2011 and is a popular local recreation destination.

The wooden bridge at this location has a long history and can even be associated with prehistoric pile-dwelling settlements. The bridge also has a long tradition as a stage of the Way of St. James and represents the connection between Rapperswil and Einsiedeln. The historic pier is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Lakeside Settlements of the Alpine Region” and a cultural asset of national importance. With so many important entries, I had to experience the bridge for myself.

Walking on the bridge is also a really great experience, as you really feel like you’re floating above the water. In addition, you can enjoy a great view of the Alps (although unfortunately I can’t name any peaks here in Zurich…) and the city of Rapperswil with its beautiful castle. Thanks to the grey weather, the crowds were also limited. On nice days, however, it can quickly get a bit crowded here.

The bridge ends on the Hurden peninsula and the trail continues on the mainland. We then chose to continue to Pfäffikon, where you can take the Zurich S-Bahn back to Zurich (or Rapperswil). On this stage, you will pass wooden walls with wise sayings, which makes for a fun change.

Even though even swans found the weather to fall asleep, it was still a successful trip and some fresh air is always good! By the way, if you start this excursion in Zurich like we did, you will cross three Swiss cantons in one day, as Pfäffikon is located in the canton of Schwyz. You can only see how small Switzerland is :-).