Jakobsweg: Herisau to Wattwil: 26th March 2011

The weather is good, we lose an hour this weekend by moving into "summer time", I'm awake early on a Saturday morning, have the train times and a backpack ready - just seems the perfect occasion to do the long hike I've been wanting to get into since the autumn.

I last left Jakobsweg at Herisau in October, but as the days have got longer and there are signs that any walk may not be completely snow-covered or water-logged, I've been itching to put more points on "my map". Last weekend I went up Santis with my daughter, by cable car - any climb up would have been impossible due to snow on Friday night. So after a week of wonderfully warm weather, but with rain forecast for Sunday, it was off to Herisau to start the next "leg".

Somehow over the winter, the nervousness I experienced at the start of my initial journey had gone, and all I felt was exhilaration. It was like a manageable adventure, a small challenge, an escape from commitments and schedules - a day on my own - what a luxury!

I returned to the church of St Lauritius which this time I was able to visit. From there I continued across the square to the Schmiedgasse, which led off to the right past some historic houses and some which have adopted a more modern flavour.

I honestly thought that I followed the scallop shell signs correctly, and knew where I should be going on my map, but on the way out of Herisau no longer felt that I was on the correct route. Rather than turning back, I cut in through a side road, followed the path up to the woodland above and eventually found the next signpost showing the way. This foreshadowed many moments during the rest of the day, when neither the scallop shell nor any other indication were immediately evident. Anyway, eventually I got to the Zentenarlinde (centuries-old-Lime tree) at the top of the Nieschberg (917m), from which there's a magnificent view of Santis and the whole mountain range.

After the Hornli Pass and just before reaching the path that looks down to Schwellbrunn, I stopped for a drink. Another hiker was going the opposite way, but stopped to ask the direction for St Peterzell, the direction I was going in. I told him he was going the wrong way, to which he replied, "Are you sure?". I said a categoric "Yes", showed him my map and let him do a quick U-turn. I cursed the situation because the last thing I wanted was a hiking partner, but while I put my water bottle and map back into my backpack, he continued on his way and I was able to continue in my own time. At moments like these I wonder how women travelling on their own in the past must have managed.

Herisau to Wattwil

Jakobsweg: Sankt Gallen to Herisau: 31 October 2010

Arriving back in Sankt Gallen, while keen to continue the next part of my journey, I really didn't expect much excitement. I knew the walk out of Sankt Gallen would take me through the generally uninteresting outskirts of a large town. However, it was a beautifully clear day and I enjoyed a quick revisit of the abbey square before following the scallop's shell sign out of town.

It took some time finally to exit the town suburbs, but the way was not without interest. The small chapel above the path was worth a photo. Just before the large modern "Furstenland" bridge over the river Sitter, the road winds down to the older "Krazern" bridge, at the end of which is an old toll house that marks the border between the Sankt Gallen and Appenzell cantons. The uphill walk eventually leads to the beautiful "Gubsen" lake which was surrounded by trees showing their autumn colours.



The "Alter Zoll", no longer a functioning restaurant although it is marked as one, was formerly a customs post for the canton border that has just been crossed. From there the path leads upwards, over the crest of the hill and past the cemetery. Below is a view of what seems to be an army barracks, and the path descends through a residential area into the old part of Herisau.
There was just time for a quick walk to the other edge of town, looking for where Jakobsweg continues, a clear view of the mountain, Santis, still with snow on the top, then it was back to the train station and home.

St Gallen to Herisau

Jakobsweg: Do I have to have a reason for going for a walk?

You don't have to have an excuse or explanation for going on a walk, but when there are so many possibilities, it's sometimes easier to follow a prearranged route. Decisions about how far, how long and which direction are made for you, so your only responsibility is to get to the starting point, ... and make it to the finish. Hence the choice to start with a well-trodden path, Jakobsweg, or the route to Santiago to Compostela in northern Spain. However, although there are many starting points across Europe, as I currently live in Switzerland, I decided to start my trek at the German/Swiss border. As it says in the on-line guide <jakobsweg.ch>, "While formerly, many pilgrims to Santiago arrived in the harbour of Rorschach by boat coming from Lindau, most wanderers of our time arrive at the railway station ...", which is also where I started on a grey and misty day in October (14th)2010. Coming out of the harbour station, and feeling rather nervous about what felt like the start of an enormous undertaking, all on my own, I had a moment of panic. How was I going to find which way to go? Following the website instructions, I strolled along the harbour area, round a corner and found myself in front of my first landmark, the "Jakobsbrunnen" or St James' well.

From there the scallop shell signs led through the old streets, past an enormous church, through a residential area and out of Rorschach town.

Rorschach to St Gallen

Although I had intended to continue on from Sankt Gallen to Herisau, when I arrived in St Gallen I decided that the town deserved more than just a cursory visit. The cathedral and Abbey square are stunning, while the surrounding old town is extremely attractive. I managed to arrive in time to visit the abbey library, which exudes ancient learning. After so much walking, the shops were also a great attraction, so rather than continue, I spent a good few hours wandering after which I took the train home.