In addition to good skiing, winter visitors to Melchsee-Frutt can also enjoy relaxing hikes. The panoramic trail to the Tannalp offers sunshine, tranquillity and a breathtaking mountain landscape.
Sarnen railway station, half past nine in the morning. A motley group is already waiting at the Postbus stop for the next yellow bus. They are all bound for the same destination: Melchsee-Frutt. A mother is holding her daughter with one hand and a toboggan with the other; two young women have strapped their snowshoes to their rucksacks; some older ladies are out and about with hiking rucksacks. A few skiers heading towards the slopes join those already waiting. While Sarnen may only be an intermediate stop today, the village itself is worth a longer visit. The capital of the canton of Obwalden, it is idyllically situated on the shores of Lake Sarnen and surrounded by an impressive alpine backdrop. The historic town center boasts well-preserved traditional buildings and narrow lanes that have retained their mediaeval charm. German footballing legend Franz Beckenbauer put Sarnen on the map in the 1970s when he lived here as the result of a controversial tax deal. He donated an indoor tennis center to the municipality, but today it is only used for storing refrigerators. Bang on time, Postbus number 343 comes around the corner, fills up to almost the last seat in next to no time and sets off. At the wheel is Frank Christen.
During the half-hour journey, he greets all newcomers on board in a broad Swiss accent. The yellow bus winds its way up Melchtal valley from one stop to the next The meadows are still greenish brown in colour. The historic Art Nouveau Hotel Paxmontana in Flüeli-Ranft sweeps past as if time had stood still in this place. Postbuses have been operating on this route for exactly 100 years. Approaching a particularly blind curve, Frank sounds the legendary post horn three times. The youngest passengers loudly imitate the the “Du-Da-Do” and even the older ones cannot refrain from smiling furtively.
A touch of history
The bus reaches the Stöckalp base station at the end of Melchtal valley. In the summer, cars can continue up a narrow, winding street to the Frutt. In the winter, this mountain road is transformed into a popular toboggan run, and the small mountain village is only accessible by cable car. This was most recently modernized in 2012 and offers a comfortable ride up to the high plateau, today’s hiking destination. Before heading back down to Sarnen, bus driver Frank usually enjoys a coffee in the small station bistro. Today he is sacrificing his elevenses for the photo shoot and patiently follows the instructions of the photographer, watched by the curious day trippers. Despite being deprived of his break, the Postbus driver reassuringly says: “No problem, I’m used to it: I’m in the amateur dramatic society.” Just for once, he has today’s coffee in a takeaway cup. The cable car takes a quarter of an hour to float up gently from 1080 metres to 1920 metres above sea level. During the ride, wisps of mist yield to the sun’s rays and brown fields are transformed into a magical snowscape. The night’s fresh-fallen snow lies like a coating of icing sugar on the tall fir trees that line the path of the cable car until it passes the tree line. The cable car accommodates 15 passengers. A snowboarder explains that yesterday was horrific because of the wind and rain. Today we are favoured by good weather. A number of mild weeks have given way to the cold of winter and the sky is predominantly blue. We pass one final mountain knoll and the first chalets of the Frutt come into view. The small, high alpine mountain village is known as a paradise for hiking in the snow and enjoys a family-friendly reputation. The peaks of the playground rise out of the metre-high snow, which in summer boasts a cable car, a cheese game and a church tower. The “Fruttli-Weg”, a learning and adventure trail on the topic of marmots, and the water play area directly by the lake are now snow-covered. The fact that the village is completely car-free in winter is particularly good news, not only for families: all paths are snow-covered and safe, and you can get everywhere by toboggan. Skiers and snowboarders also benefit, being able to ski directly from their front door onto the slopes. Ever since “Blick” once again voted the Frutt the best ski resort in Switzerland in the “Small and beautiful” category, the resort is no longer an insider tip. However, even on peak days, it is not overrun. Already an established hiking area in the summer, the Frutt also offers hiking trails at all levels of difficulty in the winter – from challenging snowshoe trails to relaxed winter strolls. Today’s route to the Tannalp takes around 2.5 hours, has hardly any ascents and is also suitable for inexperienced hikers.
From the cable car station, the path leads out of the small, snow-covered village above Lake Melchsee. Ice fishers have gathered in groups on the glistening, frozen lake. Photographer Tom and I climb down the slope and pay them a visit. “Him, over there” has made the first, and so far only, catch of the day. As is customary here, Pius Glaus introduces himself as “Glaus Pius”. They are from a “metalworking shop in Lungern,” he explains. “Team building!” laughs another The only one with nothing to laugh about is the fish lying motionless in the snow. The fish would turn out to be an exception on this sunny day, when everyone we meet is in a remarkably good mood. On request, hobby angler Glaus patiently holds up his catch for a photo, sometimes against the backdrop of the mountains, sometimes against the blue sky. “Pius, we’re here to catch fish, not for a photo shoot,” his younger colleagues tease. Spirits are high, the white wine chilled by the snow, the photo is in the can. We make our farewells and trudge back up to the trail.
The snow crunches beneath our feet. The virgin snow glistens in the sun. The air is somewhat thin up here, but incredibly fresh and clean. At the side of the path, in front of a snowed-in alpine hut, a women is sitting next to her dog in the mountain sunshine. Here name is Yolanda, the dog is called Kaio. She spends every free minute in the sunshine in the mountains with her flat-coated retriever, she reveals. She can get up here quickly because she lives very close by. “By Lake Hallwil,” she specifies surprisingly – reminding us how quickly one can make it to nearly 2000 metres above sea level even from the Swiss plateau region. The trail leads past an 85-year-old chapel on the shore of Lake Melchsee. It is a popular photo spot and is ideal for a short break and a moment of reflection, with a view of the lake, the village, which looks small from here, and the mountain range in the background. We continue on our way, leaving Lake Melchsee behind us and approaching Lake Tannensee and the Tannalp. Even in poor visibility, the red hiking trail posts at the side of the path reliably indicate the way. The path is well prepared and wide. Walkers have it to themselves. There are not even any snow vehicles out and about. Instead, we encounter many four-legged friends. For example Australian Shepherd Fiery, accompanied by Monika from Fricktal. He poses patiently for the camera. “Fiery is used to being photographed, we are hobby photographers ourselves,” explains his mistress, who had spontaneously opted for an excursion in the sunshine for the day.
On the way to the Tannalp, we ramble through an unspoilt snowscape, with the wide open scenery and tranquillity reminiscent of some distant, mystical planet. Melchsee-Frutt is known as a place of energy. It has attracted spa guests from around the world since the mid-19th century. The two buildings of the luxury hotel Frutt Mountain Resort, which invites hikers to relax with its two sun terraces overlooking the lake, now stand on the site of the iconic former hotels Reinhard and Kurhaus.
Sparkling wine from plastic glasses
After about 45 minutes, we reach Lake Tannensee. This lake is also covered with a thick layer of ice and snow. Anja and Simon, a young couple from Zurich, have settled down in the deep snow with their snowshoes and are drinking sparkling wine from plastic glasses and taking selfies for themselves and for those back home. Tom also photographs them – with flash, despite the sunshine. Slightly off to one side, an older couple observes the scene with amusement. The man explains that, before his retirement, he was also a photographer, and used flash in the sunshine. “To get rid of the shadows. That’s old hat!”
In the distance, the houses of the Tannalp have already come into view – an inn, a chapel and a few alpine huts with a cheese dairy. There is a bench beside the trail where you can take a picnic break. It is height-adjustable and can therefore be adapted to the snow conditions. Tom conjures up cervelat sausages, bread and slices of apple from the depths of his camera backpack. After nearly an hour, we reach the Tannalp mountain inn, which marks the furthest point on our tour. Here they offer everything a snow hiker or cross-country skier could wish for: soup, sun terrace and “Suure Moscht” cider. That said, the sun has meanwhile made itself rather scarce. From the Tannalp, where the jingling bells of the grazing cows can be heard in summer and the silence of solitude reigns in winter, we make our way back towards Melchsee-Frutt. We meet Simon from Basel coming the other way. “I really sweated on the way there,” he gasps, pulling his son Miro behind him on a Davos toboggan. Because even if the trail is well prepared, has almost no significant inclines and is manageably short at just under 10 kilometres, walking on snow becomes tiring after a while. That is why you generally find smaller children in particular being pulled on toboggans by their parents. The trail leads us around Lake Tannensee. Various routes lead back to the village. They are all similar in length and well signposted. Whichever you choose, you cannot go far wrong.
The serenity of Obwalden
It is four in the afternoon when we arrive back at Lake Melchsee. There are not many people still around; a few lone skiers are making their way back from the slopes to their hotels and holiday apartments. Black alpine choughs circle in the sky. The last rays of the sun disappear behind Bruenighaupt, the mountain situated between Frutt and the Älggi-Alp, the geographical centre of Switzerland. Over the last few metres, hikers, walkers and skiers share the way back into the village.
The informally run village store with adjoining café and toy corner sells regional specialities for the journey home: baked goods from Kerns and mountain cheese from the surrounding alpine dairies. During the week, the last cable car departs for the trip back down to the base station in the valley at half past five. On arrival at the bottom, we find a group of people already waiting outside the closed Postbus. The yellow buses are the only way of getting here and back by public transport. The Postbus is correspondingly full for the journey back. Instead of the expected elbowing and stressed pushing, however, we receive a lesson in Obwaldner imperturbability. People are relaxed, joking with one another and unfazed by the modest space conditions. And at every stop where more passengers get on, more jokes are made and in the end space is made for them somewhere. The Postbus driver makes an announcement: anyone not wanting to get off should avoid accidentally pressing “Stop” – otherwise there is a risk of missing the connecting train in Sarnen. And she says it in such a relaxed manner that the passengers have no choice but to follow her advice. As a result, the Postbus arrives at the railway station on time and without a hitch. The bus stop in Sarnen is like some kind of portal: we have returned from another world at an altitude of almost 2000 metres. Another world, but astonishingly close.
The main partner of the Swiss Hiking Trail Federation
Swiss Post is the main partner of the Swiss Hiking Trail Federation and is committed to this unique network of trails. All information about this hike and many other suggestions for winter hikes can be found under www.swisspost.ch/winterwandern.
Swiss PostReading Time 12 minutes
