If I had to choose a favorite place in Switzerland, I couldn’t. There are so many beautiful mountains, lakes…. But I can say that Walensee (Lake Walen in English) is on the top of my list! I visited this lake last year. It was one of my first hikes when I arrived to Switzerland and it really impressed me (you can see here why). The area where Walensee is located is known as Heidiland… You can imagine how idyllic this region is!
The first time I went to Walensee I walked along the southern shore, watching the huge cliffs of the opposite shore (sometimes as high as 1000 meters over the lake!). This time, we explored the northern shore. We walked from the city of Wessen to the small and charming village of Quinten, reachable only by foot or by boat.
This was a beautiful hike. The forest was already all green and the ground was covered with millions of little wild flowers. There were new colors and new smells everywhere (specially wild garlic in the forest!). And the Seerenbach waterfall, the second highest waterfall in Switzerland, had a lot of water from the melting snow!
Here are some photos I took during this hike in this dreamy spring landscape. I hope you like them!!
MERCEDES CATALAN 
It is truly dreamy! Especially that little cabin made me wonder if Heidi can turn up on its step. And the bikes made me imagine myself roaming around the lakes, exploring… They do tell a story, those bikes 🙂
Such a wonderful work, Mercedes!
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Thanks a million Marina!! One of the things that fascinate me about this lake is how idyllic it looks in spring… the name Heidiland is well deserved, with all the flowers, the goats, cows… the high mountains around and the pretty lake…. everything looks so beautiful and calm there!! And the feeling that you’re going to meet Heidi anytime is always present, hahaha!
About the cave photo… I found it like this!!! And I couldn’t resist to take the photo… it was the perfect scene of adventure, right?
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Yeah, it is totally like in the books about Heidi. But who gave it the name Heidiland? You? Or is it official?
Oh, I thought it were your bikes. It also reminded me when I was biking everywhere around in rural Austria, around lakes and villages. I wonder where the owners of those bikes are. Swimming? 🙂
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Well, actually is the official name of the tourist office of this region!!
https://heidiland.com/de/
But the name is totally appropriate, the area is so beautiful that it’s easy to imagine the little girl living in those of wooden cabins surrounded by flowers… 🙂
Hehehe, the bikes where just there… I was just lucky to find them like this! The owners were probably close to the water…. I’m not sure if they were swimming though… (the water that day was 10ºC cold!!)
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Wow, they know how to do the marketing, those clever Germans 🙂 I used to love hiking in Germany, when I lived there in Schwarzwald, so many great places. Enjoy it!
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They really do… But I think it’s more for the Swiss market, these places are not very known outside Switzerland (luckily!!!).
Yeah, these areas of Europe are great!! I didn’t hike that much in Ireland, but here I have a different plan every weekend! This country is a real heaven for hikers!!! And I absolutely love this life in the nature! 🙂
Have a great Sunday!!
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Yes, luckily 😆 the development of mass tourism makes me misanthropic at times 🙂
Oh, looks like you’ve lived your way around Europe too! I agree, Germans are great hikers. I don’t know about the Swiss. Austrians love to do barbecue and music)) and be in the nature too. What about Spaniards?
Lovely Sunday to you too!
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Hahaha I know the feeling!!! I call my ND filter the “tourists eraser filter”… my favorite use of it when I visit a crowded place 😜
I think I’ve never seen a place were people love hiking more than Switzerland!!! You couldn’t imagine how many km of hiking trails are here!! Winter or summer, Switzerland is a country to explore by foot 😊 I just love it!!
Spain and Spaniards are not that into hiking… too hot in summer (above 40°) and cold in winter… and you have to take the car to go everywhere… that’s the perk in Switzerland! You can use public transport to go everywhere! So convenient that there are no excuses to stay at home at weekend 😋
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Oh, I feel the bad need for such kind of filter! 🙂
My experience comes only from Schwarzwald in Germany, but now I feel like I just have to be in Switzerland. And for some good time too, it seems, cuz all that hiking needs time. Ah, these pleasures are so simple but so precious.
Come on, if Spain is cold in winter, what about Central Europe, hehe? Here in Norway our summers look sometimes like winters in Spain, so my relationship to bad weather is totally broken by the Norwegian climate :))) But the hot summers are not for hiking, they are for siestas and beaches :)) But there are beautiful parks and spots in Spain too. Catalonia seems like a place for hiking, no?
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Uuuummmm…… I haven’t explore Catalonia that much, but I guess the area around Montserrat monastery has to be very interesting!! And probably there are a lot of trails in the Pyrenees!! But I don’t think people are that much into hiking in Spain…. Maybe these days a bit more, thanks to Instagram and other platforms where people share photos of nice places (I guess there is a nice side of social media too…. some people have discovered hiking and other good habits thanks to photography and social media! Hahaha!!!)
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It looks like there are a lot of lakes and mountains to hike in Catalonia, not sure if they make trails. But yes, I follow a girl on instagram who shares these amazing nature places there, and I got the thrill to go and explore 🙂
In this way social media was good, yes. I tend to think negatively of it, like everyone wanting to come to the same fountain and make the same pic in the same skirt, so unnecessary business it seems :))) but when it comes to hiking and exploring one’s own city, instagram has been a good inspiration, true true. I love your positive point of view 🙂
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Well, everything has its highlights and its darksides… I like to think about these social networks as a place to discover new places and find inspiration for my photography!!! I discovered the work of so many great photographers!!! And in Dublin I met a lot of interesting pro and amateur photographers too thanks to Instagram!! And of course, sharing my work is also nice!!!! But I try not to get crazy with likes, followers and other numbers… I think that’s the worst part of these things…
Uuuummm I didn’t know about that side of Catalonia…. Well, I guess I did… There is this beautiful region called Valle de Arán. I’ve never been, but I’ve seen photos and it looks so idyllic!!! But I can’t imagine Spain as a hiking place as Switzerland… I think I only hiked in Spain twice!!! hahaha if I ever go back, for more than a few days, I’ll have to explore more my own country!
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It is, it is! and much depends on how you use it. Instagram is a good way to meet people. But here in Norway we are kind of shy and reserved and don’t use it that way yet. And getting caught up in the numbers game and unhealthy habits is also very easy, the thing is created for addiction :))
Maybe, Spain got this profile of beaches, fiestas, siestas and the like? and hiking is not as popular? But I am sure there is a lot of potential, though not on days with +30 and more 😉 I also know more about Europe than about my home Ukraine. Somehow we tend to explore our guest homes more than our native ones, maybe 😉
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Beautiful scenery and amazing photography. I do appreciate your sharing your travels with us.
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Thanks a million as always, Anne!! This lake is just amazing… I love to go back there and see all the changes that the new seasons bring… I think it is already one of my favorite places in Switzerland!!! But yes, I will continue to explore this area and new places and show it to you! 🙂 So happy my photos make you travel with me 🙂
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Son magníficas, me encantan 😍
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Mil gracias María!! La próxima vez que vengáis os llevaremos a ver alguno de estos lagos mágicos! 😊
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