Alpengold Wirzweli

3:00 h
13.09 km
987 m
901 m
485 m
1,435 m
950 m
Start: Dallenwil
Destination: Dallenwil

Dallenwil – Wiesenberg – Ächerlipass – Wirzweli - Dallenwil

This hike takes us to the centre of the Alpsbrinz and other cheese dairies. Central Switzerland is the home of the oldest cheese in Switzerland. We take a mini cable car, stride across alp meadows and visit numerous rustic dairies.

Start

Dallenwil

Barbecue spot, Wirzweli aerial cableway terminus, Dallenwil

Fireplace

Eggwald Wirzweli barbecue spot, Dallenwil

Fireplace

Best to visit

suitable

Depends on weather

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Directions

From Dallenwil railway station we reach the Dallenwil-Wiesenberg aerial cableway via Parkweg and Stettlistrasse. The mini cable car takes us up to the little musical hamlet of Wiesenberg, home of the Wiesenberg Yodelling Club, which landed the biggest Swiss hit of 2009 with "Das Feyr vo dr Sehnsucht". You start by following Wiesenbergstrasse, then a path leads across meadows and past farms to the Ächerli pass. This is a historic link between Cantons Nidwalden and Obwalden. Legend has it that in 1798 an Obwalden resident showed the Napoleonic troops the way over the Ächerli to Nidwalden. This caused bad blood between the two cantons well into the 20th century. At Ober Holzwang, it's worth making a detour to the Barbara Chapel. Over the pass we reach Heimetli Chienern complete with simple restaurant and alp cheese dairy. We order a "Chäsplättli" (cheese platter) or a hearty "Chässchnitte" (cheese tart) and enjoy the wonderful views of the surrounding mountains. A field path takes us to the Lochhütte alp dairy 10 minutes further on. This is run by the Odermatt family in summer. In the small shop next to the alp hut, you can buy alp cheese, round Mutschli and their own creation, "edelWeyss Chäs" (Edelweiss cheese). 800 metres after that we reach the Niederberger family dairy. The sign "Alpkäse und Bratkäse zu kaufen" (Alpine cheese and fried cheese for sale) invites cheese devotees to pop in. On the way back down to Wirzweli we stop off at the last dairy. The Huismatt is run by the Zumbühl family and is open all year round. You can taste the cheese they make in their farm shop and "Gade" event venue. On request, the family offers guided tours of the cheese dairy and cowshed. A 30-minute walk takes us to Wirzweli village and its witches, where the Wirzweli cable car returns us to Dallenwil.

Tour information