Lake Hallwil
Intro
The idyllic hilly countryside around the lake, the medieval castle of Hallwyl with its heritage exhibitions, and the romantic boat trips round the lake make Lake Hallwil and the nearby Seetal valley a small but popular tourist area.
Lake Hallwil, like Lake Baldegger a little further south, is located in the Seetal, a valley running from north to south, from Lenzburg to the hinterland of Lucerne. No building is allowed on the banks of Lake Hallwil, so the walk round the lake passes through an impressive natural landscape. There are just a few kilometres of the walk that are not immediately beside the shore, because that part is a nature conservation area.
A particularly nice place to start the walk round the lake is at Schloss Hallwyl, north of the lake, one of Switzerland’s most important moated castles. The castle is surrounded by the Aabach and can only be entered via a drawbridge. Inside the medieval building is an exhibition on subjects ranging from medieval to modern times. The reconstruction of a building on stilts just beside the footpath points to an even more ancient history.
There are frequent stopping points along the lakeside path, while a number of swimming areas may tempt you in to cool off. Many of them offer a wide range of water sports. At some of the landing-stages you have the option of combining the approximately 20 km long circular walk with a boat trip.
The fleet of the Lake Hallwil shipping company, which is more than 100 year old, consists of five small but smart motor launches. In addition to the scheduled service, there are also special tours such as Sunday brunch trips, a gourmet ride or a Father Christmas trip. Wedding excursions are also popular because of the romantic setting.
In Schongau not far from Lake Hallwil is the Schongiland theme park. Numerous attractions, including various roller-coasters, a bouncy castle and motorised scooters, offer plenty of variety and will especially appeal to the children.
Not far from the lake are a number of other castles which are all worth a visit, such as Schloss Heidegg by Lake Baldegger. The Seetal region is easily reached by the Seetal railway, a modern connection between Lucerne and Lenzburg.
In Meisterschwanden on the eastern shore of Lake Hallwil you can expect to see a marvelous sunset. Lake Halwill, or Hallwilersee, has a unique romantic atmosphere. If you want to celebrate your romantic mood, you can have dinner at the restaurants Seerose and Delphin.
Curiosity
The Hallwilersee lake made for worldwide headlines in the 30s of the past century. And for those who may remember - this was when the world-famous British racing driver, Sir Malcolm Campbell, made a world speed record on 17 September 1938 with his Bluebird K3 speedboat. He sped over the mirror-smooth waters of the Hallwilersee lake at an incredible 210.66 kilometers an hour in front of thousands of utterly astonished onlookers.
