February 22, 2015
In our continued effort to “get out and enjoy life!”, we dragged our butts out of the apartment an out out into the cold. Dan chose our destination and we repeated last week’s train/bus trip, but this time took the bus all the way to the end of the line: Reigoldswil. From there we’d head west. Or south. Or somewhere – it didn’t really matter. I looked at the trail map and suggested a town that appeared to have not too much of an elevation change to get to. I was wrong.
Signpost in Reigoldswil
Walking out of Reigoldswil
Brezwil was our goal but Dan was attracted by the snowy hillside and the sign that pointed to Lauwil. I grumbled and followed him up, and up and up… The valley didn’t have much snow, but that changed quickly as we gained elevation.
Looking back toward Reigoldswil
At the top of the hill (and through some woods and up another hill) was the town of Lauwil. It was a sleepy town and we found a directional sign for Bretwil and followed it.
Looking back at Bretzwil
Climbing further out of Lauwil
The temperature wasn’t too bad; in fact, I was too warm from my exertions. We had climbed into the clouds so bright sunshine wasn’t an issue, either. It was actually a very nice day for hiking – if it wasn’t for the uneven snowpack and my feeble lungs.
My usual view when hiking with Dan
We crested a ridge and watched the bus zip by on the road below. It being Sunday, we knew that there wouldn’t be another one for at least an hour. We followed the hill down to the road anyway.
View near Bretzwil
Heavy snow
We were the first ones on the trail since the last snowfall
Our route was a loop – an unexpected loop. When we broke out of the treeline I looked to the east and saw…Reigoldswil.
We stood at the bus stop, wondering which direction we should go, when a bus came from the opposite direction. We hurried to the other side of the road and caught it – right back to Reigoldwil. We decided that our hiking attempts had been thwarted and took the bus all the way back to Liestal – where we ran into the Liestal Fasnacht Parade! (link is extremely photo heavy!)
Fasnacht company at the bus stop