Lake Baldegg lies in the Seetal, the lake valley north of Lucerne, a gentle, green landscape of meadows, orchards and woods, with the lake in the middle and the hills rising on either side. Seematte, on the shore near Hitzkirch, is the site of prehistoric lakeside villages, built on piles over the water's edge thousands of years ago, and it was inscribed in the same 2011 listing that covers lakeside villages from France to Slovenia. As with most such sites, there is nothing to see above ground, but the setting is lovely, and standing on the reedy shore you can imagine the wooden houses and dugout canoes.
The lake itself has an interesting recent history. In the twentieth century, runoff from intensive farming filled it with nutrients, and the water became starved of oxygen. Since the early 1980s, the lake has been artificially aerated, with oxygen pumped into the depths, one of the longest-running lake restoration projects in Switzerland. The lake is protected, and its shores are largely undeveloped, with reed beds and meadows that attract birds.
The Seetal also has Hallwil, the next lake to the north, with the water castle of Hallwyl, a beautiful medieval moated castle on two islands, now a museum. Beromünster, a few kilometres west, has a medieval collegiate church and was once home to the national radio transmitter, whose tall mast was a landmark across the region. Hitzkirch has a former Commandery of the Teutonic Order.
The riding here is relaxed and scenic, on quiet country roads through villages and farmland, with gentle curves and small hills. The road along the eastern shore of the lake is particularly pretty, with views across the water to the hills. Traffic is light, but watch for tractors, cyclists and the strict Swiss speed limits, enforced by cameras. Hitzkirch has basic shops and cafes; Menziken, six kilometres away, is a slightly larger town with fuel and services. Lucerne, about twenty-five kilometres south, has everything. Try the local Luzerner Chügelipastete, a puff-pastry vol-au-vent filled with veal, mushrooms and cream, and the apple and pear products of the Seetal orchards.