Brunnenberg and Oberblegisee, it’s very likely that you’ve never heard of them as they are not really famous tourist attractions. However, they are actually quite famous among local hiking lovers. As for Brunnenberg, you can easily take a cable car from the lower terminal in the “Bad” district, but for visiting the Oberblegisee, you will have to walk on the mountain road for around one hour.
Transport
The route is quite east to follow if you wanna go to Oberblegisee. First of all you can take a bus or train to Luchsingen-Hätzingen, and then a 570-m walk to the lower terminal in the «Bad» district. Also, you can drive there, there is car parking space available. When you arrive at the lower terminal you just need to take a cable car to Brunnenberg. However, the cable car doesn’t go very frequent. In summer and autumn, it goes every hour and in winter and spring, it goes even less frequent. The good thing is you can ask for extra journeys during operation hours but there has to be more than 2 people, otherwise you will need to pay a little bit more.
The return journey costs 18 CHF and GA or half price isn’t valid. Fore more info concerning ticket prices and cable car timetables please click on the picture below and look at the right column “Cable Car Luchsingen to Brunnenberg”.
Brunnenberg
A wide path ascends from the Brunnenberg upper terminal to reach Alp Oberblegi Unterstafel, followed by Sattel with views of the pretty lake. This place is popular amongst families with slightly older children for picnics, relaxation and bathing. On your way, you will see the typical swiss scene: cows are eating grass on a large green field, with bells around their necks ringing, and as background, green mountain peaks followed by snowy mountain peaks further away. There are places to relax on the ridge or down by the lake. If you decide to walk to the lake, I suggest you wear hiking shoe as some parts of the path leading to the lake is quite steep and slippery with small round stones. You can return to the terminal the same way or via Alp Bösbächi.
Oberblegisee
I came here not because of the mountain but because of the deep-blue lake, Oberblegisee, at the foot of the Glärnisch, as well as its interesting but a little scary story. This deep-blue mountain lake is contained in a glacial moraine, with wild mountain streams and a wonderful alpine flora providing the background of this natural spectacle. It’s shrouded in mystery, as no one knows where its waters flow to. Lake Oberblegi is without any visible out flow, but treacherous undercurrents in its depths. Once upon a time, it is said that a foolhardy young herdsman tried to swim across the lake. Down in the valley his mother was drawing water from the Leuggelbach stream, when his head suddenly appeared tumbling down it.
I did see some people jumping into the water and screaming because the water is extremely cold (directly from melting snow). However, I didn’t see people swim to the middle of the lake, maybe because it’s really deep and dangerous……
On your way down the mountain, you will see a fall from further away, and if you are interested you have go and have a look.
If you decide to go to the lake and have a swim in summer, don’t swim too far away. True or not, it does seem like a mysterious lake. Have a great time and a safe journey. 🙂
