Rorschach is where Switzerland meets the Bodensee, and it is the sort of port town that rewards a slow walk before the engine starts. It sits on the southern shore of Lake Constance, the big shared lake of Switzerland, Germany and Austria, with the Austrian shore and its mountains low and blue across the water on a clear day. Boats come and go from the harbour, gulls argue on the breakwater, and the promenade is lined with plane trees and benches.
The town grew rich on grain and linen. In the eighteenth century the Prince-Abbot of St. Gallen built the Kornhaus, a handsome granary on the waterfront, to store the grain that came across the lake from Swabia, and it still stands as the town's landmark with its balconies and clock. Rorschach was also an important railway junction, and the old lakeside station is a reminder of the days when steamers connected with trains for the run to Zurich and beyond. Above the town on a hill stands the abbey of Mariaberg, a former monastery of the abbey of St. Gallen.
For a rider the lakefront is a good place to begin. There are cafes and bakeries along the front, and nine thousand residents, together with the neighbouring town of Goldach, give the area all the fuel and food you need. The road out heads east or west along the shore, flat and fast, and then turns uphill into the hills of Appenzell, where the character of the riding changes completely, from lakeside cruising to green hills and tight bends.
The weather on the lake is changeable, with morning mist and strong afternoon winds, and the light can be wonderful just after sunrise. In summer the town is busy with day trippers, and parking near the water fills up, though bikes can usually squeeze in. Fruit orchards cover the slopes behind, and in spring the blossom, with the lake behind it, is a fine sight.