Family and Kids
Family Travels – Hike with your children (Part I)
While long walks or hikes with your children can be somewhat challenging, it is also quite rewarding if well planned.
So, if you always loved being active and going outdoors before your children came, I am sure it is an activity you are not ready to give up so quickly.
You just need to have done it a couple times and you will soon be a real expert.
But what exactly do you really need to bring?
- A backpack or a Babyjörn baby carrier
- A stroller: a 3-wheeler is better and a pump for the wheels
- A rain-cover for your stroller and rain equipment for your child if he is in a backpack
- Change of clothes and warm clothes especially if in Fall or Winter
- Hat, suncream and sunglasses
- Cold water (you can refill bottles in the fountains in Switzerland)
- Hot water for your babymilk powder (if hiking with a baby)
- Pick-nick: dry fruits, cheese, bread, crackers, apples are easy to bring. Also you can use self-service cafeterias. Bring cookies and fruits if you decide to go before lunch or just after.
- Pacifiers
- A toy or a small ball for the child
Of course, this all depends on the age of your young child and if he walks or not. With time and experience, you will notice what you see what you really need and probably bring less and less each time.
Here are my favorites walks around Zurich:
1. Hike: Horgenberg to Zimmerberg (743 metres – 2,437 feet)
The departure for this walk is easily reachable in 30 minutes from Zurich on the highway or on the road along the lake. You can also take a regional train (Sbahn) and then a bus to get to the starting point. There is parking if you come by car.
From Horgenberg you can do various walks. We choose to go to Zimmerberg one late afternoon. It was beautiful as the sun was setting. We started at 5:30 p.m. and finished at 7:10 p.m.
From the parking in Horgenberg, it is well indicated. You cross the road and follow a path into the forest for about 10 minutes. Then, you will see pigs, ponys and goats before reaching the village of Wührenbach in another 5 minutes.
At the village, cross the road and follow the hikingway called Wanderweg. You will be in Zimmerberg in about 35 minutes. There is a steep incline, but it is doable with strollers as the road is paved.
The views of the Shilforest are magnificent. When you reach the top, you can see the beautiful Zurich lake.
If you get tired you can sit on the benches on the way. It will be a pleasant walk for the entire family as you will enjoy the animals, flowery farm houses, a corn field and many grassy fields with cows and horses.
On Zimmerberg, if you are up to it there is the possibility to continue your walk to the village of Hirzel. It will take you another 45 minutes and you can take the bus back to your parking.
BUS 150 – direction Stocker Horgen Haupbahnof – goes once an hour, last bus till after 9 p.m.
2. Hike: Sattelegg (1,190 metres – 3,904 feet) to Wildegg
To get there you need to take the Satteleggstrasse. You can park at the large outdoor and free parking across the mountain restaurant Sattelegg.
We went on this walk in mid October and the views of the Glarner and Wägital Alps were gorgeous.
We wanted to watch the fall colors and we were satisfied with our hike.
However, the climb to the top with our stroller was quite difficult as we did not have a 3-wheeler. Most of the way was stony and bumpy. The best would be to take a backpack. Fortunately, the views from the top were welll worth it.
If you know mushrooms well, we saw many on the way.
The restaurant is a good place to stop on the way back down.
Part II of Family travels: Hike with your children. Click here.
