Walenstadt – Quinten – Weesen: 2-day hike on Lake Walen

At the end of last week, two reasons were decisive for me to spontaneously book a night in the wine village of Quinten. On the one hand, the detour to the Paxmal in Walenstadtberg and from there the hike via Calusa-Beizli to Quinten had been on my hiking ideas list for a long time. On the other hand, a nice e-mail from a reader reminded me that I had already noted last summer, after a Switzerland Aktuell article about the “Quinten lives” foundation, that a promising-looking bed and breakfast will soon open its doors in Quinten.

In the meantime, the bed and breakfast in question has been in operation for a good six months and thanks to the low season, the popular long-distance hike from Walenstadt via Quinten to Weesen is not yet overcrowded. Ideal conditions for a short break on the “Riviera” of Eastern Switzerland.

Ascent to Paxmal near Walenstadtberg

We don’t start the first hiking stage directly in Walenstadt, but take the local bus to Walenstadtberg, which is a good 500 meters higher. Up here, spring still seems a long way off. The meadows and pastures are still covered by a – for this time of year – decent snow cover. We follow the tarred road from the rehabilitation clinic uphill in the direction of Schönegg/Rugg. The path itself is not particularly attractive, but the almost 300 meters of altitude to Hochrugg are on the one hand a good training, on the other hand a special sight is hidden up here.

The imposing “Paxmal” – Peace Monument, gives the impression that the Romans or Greeks left their footsteps here. The monument is the life’s work of the Swiss artist and stamp engraver Karl Bickel. Built between 1925 and 1949 with the idea of “carving in stone” the ideal society. Situated in an impressive landscape between the mighty Churfirsten and Lake Walen, the Paxmal is now a place of peace, contemplation and meditation.

Via Walenstadtberg and Calusa-Beizli to Lake Walen

Even if the Paxmal does not unfold its full “power” under the blanket of snow, this place undeniably exudes a special magic. We plan to return in the summer and complete the Schrina Alpine and Cultural Trail from here. Today we walk back to Walenstadtberg on the same path and follow the signpost towards Quinten. On the outskirts of the village of Walenstadtberg, the hiking trail passes the “Calusa-Beizli” (is also signposted). My parents came here last year and raved about it. While the pub is open all day on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in “normal” times, it is currently closed (unfortunately, there are no take-away options at the moment). We had expected this and accordingly packed a snack. Nevertheless, we would have been happy about a freshly baked piece of cake “to go”.

So we continue directly past alpine meadows and through a sparse deciduous forest over hill and dale down into the valley until we reach the shore of Lake Walen at the level of “Gändli”. Down here, the vegetation is much further ahead, thanks to the mild climate and the sheltered locations. We pass vineyards, admire blooming plum trees and enjoy the far-reaching view over Lake Walen on a lonely pebble beach. The route Gand – Quinten is entertaining; Faster than expected, the pretty wine village appears in front of us.

Spend the night in the wine village of Quinten on Lake Walen

Quinten is a popular destination in the summer months. But while on nice weekends there are sometimes over a thousand day-trippers here at the same time, the village itself is struggling to “survive”. The small village can only be reached by boat or on foot. While more than 100 people once lived here, Quinten now has just under 40 inhabitants with an average age of over 55 years.

With the aim of attracting young families to Quinten and creating jobs, a foundation was established. Among other things, it initiated the conversion of the “Dörfli 1370” property. In the former building ruins, contemporary living space was created for the targeted target group, as well as a casual bed and breakfast in the middle of the village center of Quinten. The boutique B&B Tremondi and its restaurant are run by the Tremondi Zurich team. Three Zurich gastro boys as bed & breakfast operators in Quinten – can that go well?

Conclusion: Yes! Even if there is (still) potential for optimisation in some processes. Fine antipasti platters, delicious drinks, fresh pasta dishes, good coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice for breakfast. Thumbs up! Unfortunately, the building is very noisy and depending on the room (we were in the “Egli”) the restaurant noises cannot be stopped by the doors.

The Seerenbach Falls – Hiking along Lake Walen from Quinten to Weesen

After a delicious breakfast with deliciously fragrant bread (one of the things we will definitely remember positively), we shoulder our backpacks and continue hiking towards Weesen. Directly opposite the Tremondi Bed & Breakfast is the “Kellerlädeli“. A small farm shop filled to the brim with homemade delicacies. If you want to stock up on canned specialties, you should definitely take a look here. Shortly before we leave Quinten behind us, the hiking trail passes the “Caterpillar Hotel”. This project is also due to the commitment of the “Quinten lives” foundation. Since 2017, raw silk has been processed here again (which in turn creates jobs).

Soon the hiking trail climbs steeply. Even though it is a popular hiking route, you should not underestimate the stony and occasionally exposed terrain on this section. The “Felsenweg” stretches from “Tscherüti” to the Fulenbachtobel. Then we walk along a wider forest path through the sparse “Seerewald” until we hear the sound of the main attraction of this stage of the trail.

With a height difference of 600 metres, the Seerenbach Falls is considered one of the highest waterfalls in Europe. With a drop height of 305 metres, it even surpasses the famous Staubbach Falls in Lauterbrunnen. Here it is worth taking the signposted 10-minute “detour” to the viewing platform.

After the Seerenbach Falls, we hike via Unterbetlis down to the shores of Lake Walen. The last part of the trail is along the road and I can imagine that this section is not particularly attractive depending on the season and the rush of visitors. On the other hand, one or the other beautiful spot beckons here in summer with a refreshing dip in Lake Walen.

From Walenstadt via Quinten to Weesen – practical tips for your hike at Lake Walen

On the following map you can find our route of the two-day hike along Lake Walen from Walenstadt (or Walenstadtberg) via Quinten to Weesen. The route measures 23.6 kilometers and includes a climb of 970 meters in altitude (about a third of which is due to the ascent to Paxmal). In principle, of course, this could also be done in one day. With a stopover at the B&B Tremondi, however, the tour can be expanded into a really nice short break. Note that the hiking trail from Quinten to Weesen is a mountain hiking trail of difficulty T2 and good footwear is recommended.

Thanks to its sheltered and sun-drenched location on the southern shore of Lake Walen, the route can be walked well into autumn or spring.

And another tip for all those who are looking for nice barbecue spots: On this hike we passed several really great, official fire pits; for example in front of Au (near Quinten) as well as at the Seerenbach Falls (Vorderbetlis)

Key data of the hike Walenstadtberg – Quinten – Weesen am Walensee

Starting point	Bus stop Walenstadtberg, rehabilitation clinic (950 m above sea level)
Reachability	Accessible by public transport
Length	23.6 kilometers
Elevation gain	↗ 970 m 1,515 m ↘
Duration	approx. 7:00 h (divided into 2 stages)
Destination	Bus stop Fli, Seestern (or Weesen Post) (425 m above sea level)