Pfäffikersee circular route – easy hike in the Zurich Oberland

Our schedule for the end of February and beginning of March included two or three quiet weekends at home, similar to last year. Time to recharge your batteries for a spring packed with appointments, travel, and other commitments. Well, this “deceleration phase” will definitely last longer than originally planned – and instead of discovering exciting corners in countries close to the border as planned, there will be more time to explore the immediate neighbourhood.

Luckily, I still have quite a few “Höger” and “Tobel” on my bucket list around Zurich. And since the daily dose of fresh air is supposed to help strengthen the immune system against nasty viruses and bacteria, I don’t want to withhold our recent trip to the Pfäffikersee in the Zurich Oberland. The almost 10-kilometre-long Pfäffikersee circular trail is ideal for a walk through the spring sun.

Circular route around Lake Päffikersee

When I go on excursions in the Zurich region when the weather is nice, I like to start on time. So I manage to avoid the biggest crowds not only on public transport, but also on the road. We start our circular hike around the Pfäffikersee shortly after 9 a.m. at the Pfäffikon train station (which is already rather late by our standards). Alternatively, there are also parking facilities on the south shore at the Auslikon lido (where only the lake kiosk is open in winter when the weather is nice).

Starting at Pfäffikon train station, the hiking trail leads from there along the newly designed Seestrasse to Seequai. The Pfäffikersee circular trail is signposted throughout as a wheelchair-accessible hiking trail and is therefore a suitable route for a Sunday walk for all those who are travelling with prams.

We follow the hiking trail clockwise and first hike towards Irgenhausen Castle. The Roman building from the 4th century, which once secured an important connecting road from Kempraten to Oberwinterthur, is considered the best-preserved in eastern Switzerland. From the Pfäffikersee circular trail, a narrow path leads up to the castle. The few additional meters of altitude are worth it in any case – at the top you can expect a beautiful panoramic view over Lake Pfäffikersee to the Glarus Alps.

After the Irgenhausen fort, the extensive reed meadows begin, which are part of the Pfäffikersee nature reserve. The reed meadows are flat and raised moors of national importance, which provide a protected habitat for migratory and waterfowl. Accordingly, there is a good chance of spotting rare bird specimens from the hiking trail that runs along the edge of this protected zone.

To the south, adjacent to the Riedwiesen, is the Auslikon lido – from here it is only a stone’s throw to another very popular excursion destination on Lake Pfäffikersee: the Juckerhof adventure farm in Seegräben. Depending on the season, you can pick your own berries in the fields, discover the apple maze, admire the annual pumpkin exhibition or fortify yourself for the remaining kilometres on the restaurant’s sun terrace.

My favourite here is the beautifully stocked farm shop, where products directly from the farm are sold as well as a selection of products from other local producers. We stock up on kale, fennel and homemade pumpkin chutney and secretly look forward to cooking something delicious from it later that day.

But first we have to walk the remaining kilometers. From the Juckerhof we follow the village road in a northerly direction – via a cross connection we reach the officially signposted hiking trail again. The last section has a surprise in store – shortly before Pfäffikon, a pair of storks nests directly on the side of the path. Carrying the telephoto zoom was worth it after all. From there it is not far to the Pfäffikersee Nature Centre. The nature centre is also located directly on the lake circular trail and offers comprehensive information about the moorland landscape of Lake Pfäffikersee. The exhibition can be visited free of charge.

Practical tips for the Pfäffikersee – circular route

The route of the hiking trail around Lake Pfäffikersee can be found on the map below. The distance of the circular route (from Pfäffikon train station to Pfäffikon train station) is just under 10 kilometres. The path is mostly flat (the only noticeable incline is the one after Seegraben up) and leads over step-free, well-developed gravel paths. The pure walking time is a good 2.5 hours at normal speed (signposted 3 hours, which seems to me to be very generously calculated).

By the way, there is not only a hiking trail around Lake Pfäffikersee, but also the 11-kilometre-long cycle path “Pfäffikersee Route“. In order to avoid conflicts, the cycle path and footpath are separated in most sections.

Starting point	Pfäffikon ZH
Length	10 kilometers
Elevation gain	↗ 65 m 65 m ↘
Duration	2:30 p.m.
Destination	Pfäffikon ZH
Refreshment stops	Juckerhof

You can find out what else there is to hike or discover outside in the fresh air around Zurich in this blog post: 9 excursion destinations for nature lovers