19. 05. 2007, from one chapel to the other. On tour with the UBS - Zürich Sportclub Berg & Ski
Stans - Rüteli 3.2 km
Rüteli - St. Antoni 8.6 km
St. Antoni - Ranft 5.8 km
Ranft - Sachseln 4.4 km
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Total 22.0 km
The first walk in Stans led us to the church of St. Peter and Paul.
There we met brother Klaus for the first time today
Click on the high altar to enlarge!
On the pulpit is the coat of arms of Melchior Lussy.
He lived from 1529-1606 and was a politician, diplomat and pilgrim. He made pilgrimages to Jerusalem, to Rome and to Santiago. He gives a detailed description in his travel book to Hierusalem. The Pilgrim's Letter (Compostela), as well as the Papal Knight's Diploma of the Golden Spur and the Knight's Diploma of the Holy Sepulchre are today kept in the Nidwalden State Archives in Stans.
He founded the Stans Capuchin monastery and was buried here in the choir of the parish church.
Click on the coat of arms to enlarge!
In a restaurant at the main square we had a small refreshment. We sat outside and experienced the hectic of the market. Finally Saturday was a market day. Freshly rubbed with sun cream we started. At first steeply uphill through the Knirigasse.
Soon after the Knirikapelle we enjoyed the view of Stanser Boden, Lake Lucerne near Buochs, Mount Pilatus, Bürgenstock, Rigi and Buochserhorn.
St. Jacob in Ennetmoos
above the entrance greets St. Jacob (St. James)
The trail led through the woods of the Rohnerberg to the old St. James Church in St. James near Ennetmoos. This is where the Brother Klaus Way and the Way of St. James separate. The Way of St. James passes all the churches and chapels and is therefore a little longer. In St. Jakob we had a short rest. After the Erlenwald and the Rütimatt, we crossed the cantonal border between Nid- and Obwalden near Melbach.
Past the May- or Chmei-Chäppeli the path leads to St. Antoni.
Shortly after the May-Chäppeli there is a beautiful view to Kerns.
At St. Antoni, with the chapel of the same name, we found a resting place for the lunch break.
After St. Antoni the path became beautiful. From the slightly rising ridge we enjoyed the wide view of Lake Sarnen and the mountains from the Brienzer Rothorn to Pilatus. The soul began to dangle as if by magic. The sky was bright blue. Only two very small clouds were there as decoration to embellish the sky.
Group picture with Pilatus
... and what does the area look like from the Pilatus?
Via Betanien we reached the Gasthaus Alpenblick (Alp view Inn) and from there we started our descent into the Ranft. Since the beginning of May 2007 there is another bridge over the Melchaa river. The old bridge was washed away during the big storm disaster in 2005. When we arrived there the damage was still omnipresent. The original Way of St. James via the Mösli Chapel was destroyed. (It was not until 2016 that the bridge to the Mösli Chapel was rebuilt and inaugurated at the end of June).
The St. Nicholas Chapel from a distance with the 14th century tower.
The substitute bridge over the Melchaa.
When we marched over it the bridge was just 14 days old. There is a separate page about the Way of St. James and the chapels at Flüeli Ranft (the new Upper Ranft Bridge was inaugurated at the end of June 2016).)
A huge crowd of pilgrims was just pouring out of the lower Ranft chapel. On their flags you could read where they came from. It was a meeting of Kolping groups from all over Europe. I read Gmunden and Leipzig and Luxembourg, but also many Swiss place names. After a short visit to both Ranft chapels and admiring the stone which is said to have served as a pillow for Brother Klaus, we climbed up to Flüeli.
At the top of the Ranft is the house where Brother Klaus was born. So he did not have far to his hermitage.
Do we want to take the bus now or do we want to reach the stage destination Sachseln on foot? No question about it, of course we hiked further along the Visionenweg to Sachseln.
At the end of the Vision Trail, Sachseln comes into view, where a cool stage beer awaited us.
Gravestone of brother Klaus in Sachseln.
Click on "Flüeli Ranft" for a detailed map with the route in the Ranft and for pictures of all Ranft chapels. The Mösli chapel in particular is worth a visit.
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