The tour starts at the bus stop Weesen See and first leads along the harbour basin back to the main road, where you turn right to Fli. From here you follow the Betliserstrasse to the right and walk along the lake to Betlis.
On the way you pass by the lakeside restaurant Lago Mio, through rocky tunnels with amazing viewpoints and beautiful hidden niches along the lake. Once in Betlis - instead of walking to the fireplace with public toilets - turn left uphill.
The restaurant Stralegg is the last place to stop for a food break before Quinten. However, along the way you will find little farm stores - typical "Hoflädeli" in Switzerland. Depending on the season, you can stop there for some refreshing drinks and tobuy regional products. Mostly you can only pay cash, or via "Twint".
Impressive Seerenbach Falls
Take a look on the castle ruins of Stralegg and enjoy the peace and stillness of this sight. If you listen carefully, you might already hear the roaring of the famous Seerenbach Falls and the Rin Spring. You pass by the Betlis chapel below the waterfalls and follow the gravelly path into the forest. A detour up to the viewpoint of the waterfalls is definetely worth it: With a height of 600 meters the Seerebach Falls are among the largest waterfalls in Europe.
By the way, we have been on bike route 479 since the beginning of the tour. Amden Weesen Tourism therefore asks hikers and bikers for mutual consideration.
Through the Natural Habitat Seerenwald
You continue to follow the path through the dense forest, crossing the Seerenwald forest reserve. The 80 hectare forest reserve consists of special and natural forest. Rare and endangered species have their habitat here.
Cozy Fireplaces
You pass by a cozy barbecue area with benches and picnic tables in the forest, and an area where rockfalls occurred in 2018 and 2021. After a short climb, the path splits: you turn right in the direction of Quinten, leaving the Bike Trail 479.
The charming village of Quinten
Within an hour you reach the village of Quinten. The trail now becomes a bit rockier, but is always secured and provided with stopping points. Despite the sometimes challenging sections of the path, you should not forget to enjoy the beautiful views high above Lake Walensee.
Finally, you reach the vineyards above the roofs of Quinten, where the Pinot Noir grapes of the famous wine "Quintner" thrive on the sunny slope. Passing by the fig trees, you reach the charming village of Quinten, which can only be reached on foot or by boat.
Various restaurants invite you to linger, the "Hoflädeli" with handmade and local products are worth a visit and there are also swimming spots and barbecue facilities along the way. But as beautiful as it is, we've only made it halfway through the tour.
Bathing in Lake Walensee
A little later you arrive at the boat landing stage Au. A variety of flora and fauna adorn the path and make it a natural experience. Your steps are accompanied by the sounds of goats and sheep in the background. You continue going uphill, climbing almost 400 meters in the wooded area from Gändli. Once at the top, the view of the Churfirsten mountains, which adorn the north side of Lake Walensee, opens up. Now, the path continues with a descent of about one hour on gravel roads to the bathing beach of Walenstadt. A jump into the cool water offers you a well deserved refreshment, looking back to the other end of the lake, where the tour started a few hours ago.
Return by train or boat
From the bathing beach to the train station in Walenstadt it is about a 25-minute walk, to hop on the train to Weesen. Alternatively, there is the possibility to take the boat back directly to Weesen, to enjoy the beauty of Lake Walensee from the water.
The hiking trail includes steep sections that can be slippery after rain. The use of hiking poles is recommended to improve stability and protect the joints during ascents and descents.
