Halbinsel and Sumpf

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Halbinsel

   At the northern tip of Lake Sempach, near the little town of Sursee in the canton of Lucerne, a small peninsula pushes into the water, and on and around it lie the remains of prehistoric lakeside settlements, part of the World Heritage site of the Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps. Nothing remains visible above ground, but under the water and in the wet soil of the shore, piles and objects have survived for thousands of years, telling the story of farmers and fishermen who lived here long before the Romans. Today, the shore is a quiet area of reeds, meadows and paths, popular with walkers and cyclists.

   Read the complete Halbinsel write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Halbinsel is where the day begins. Next is Ägelmoos.

2. 2. Ägelmoos

   Lake Hallwil is a long, narrow lake in the Aargau, lying north to south between low hills, and it is the quiet cousin of the bigger Swiss lakes. At its northern end stands a moated castle, Schloss Hallwyl, a grey medieval fortress surrounded by water that looks as if it belongs on a stage, and which holds a museum of its centuries of family life. The lake's shore is a mix of reed beds, meadows and villages, and the water is clean enough for swimming in summer. Rowing boats and small sailboats drift across it on warm afternoons.

   Read the complete Ägelmoos write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Ägelmoos comes up about 20 km into the recorded legs. Next is Sumpf.

3. 3. Sumpf

   Zug-Sumpf was a Bronze Age village on the northern shore of Lake Zug, near the mouth of the river Lorze between Cham and Steinhausen, and the waterlogged ground preserved wooden floors, posts and objects for over three thousand years. Excavations in the twentieth century recovered pottery, bronze tools and even remains of food, and the site sits on the World Heritage list as part of the prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps. Some of the finds are displayed in the museum of prehistory in Zug. Today the site lies under modern buildings and meadows, and only the name, which means swamp, recalls its watery origin.

   Read the complete Sumpf write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   about 55 km into the recorded legs you reach Sumpf. Next is back through Ägelmoos.

4. 4. back through Ägelmoos

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Ägelmoos write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Ägelmoos, late in the day. Next is Halbinsel.

5. 5. Halbinsel

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Halbinsel write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Back at Halbinsel. That is the ride.