Best walks in the canton – Part 8

Our author describes why a visit to the Verena chapel is worthwhile. It's more than just the view.

My short walk starts near the Obersack in Zug. The stairs that lead from the Lüssirainstrasse into the world of nature have hardly changed over the last two decades. Maybe the weather has added a little more character to the wooden framework, or the gravel has been a little more disturbed by passers-by and rain or snow, but otherwise I can't remember any major changes. The steps are just as different to each other as I remember from my childhood, and the gravel is more of a mixture of stones and mud if it has rained recently. Nevertheless, the lack of perfection somehow makes up these stairs attractive. It passes the gardens of the adjoining houses. The question for me is whether I should greet their residents over the fence if they are outside, or whether this would be perceived as annoying.

The chapel of St.Verena is the cultural highlight of the walk.

Once I arrive at the top, I find myself on a meadow and am greeted by the mooing of the cows grazing there, who seem to enjoy their run-out– behind a fence, of course. But there’s fortunately no danger that the cows and the passers-by will get in each other’s way. In general, the walker is presented with the image of a typical Swiss idyll: not only because of the cows, but also because of the farmhouse that is located there. With a little luck, I can even meet the farmer, mostly riding on his tractor. If you follow the hiking trail, you will reach another key point of Swiss culture – something that has probably shaped Switzerland as much, if not more, than agriculture: Christianity. Not far from the farmhouse stands the Chapel of St. Verena. I mainly relate the chapel with Christmas, because a nativity scene is staged in the St. Verena every year at Christmas time. So I used to visit this little house of God with my family on December 24.

Seasonal and cultural highlights are provided
After the chapel, you can follow the hiking trail that leads onto the Zugerberg. However, I follow the gravel path, which leads past the very cherry trees that are so typical of Zug. Only a few weeks ago, you could see here how the fruits were picked from the dizzy heights of the treetops. Just before you pass the first houses, there is a somewhat hidden stairway that provides an early descent. I choose the longer route, however, leaving the natural idyll behind me and returning to city life. I then follow the road in order to finish off my round trip. The walk leads past a house that was always caught my eye as a child – due to the characteristic tower with its domed roof. I used to ask myself what kind of building this was. I failed to make the connection with the bus stop there, with the indicative name of "Sternwarte". It’s a residential building today, but the facade still reminds us of the time when the building functioned as an observatory.

I now follow the Weidstrasse, which means another short ascent. The road leads me past three (!) bus stations, all located on the same road and partly within sight of each other. I then arrive at another flight of stairs, which now lead up to the Lüssirainstrasse. And when you arrive at the top, you’ll find yourself near the No. 13 bus stop, which brings my walk to an end.

In this series, our authors present their favourite walk in the canton of Zug. This article ends the series.