Don't Trip Over That Mountain - Hiking in Uetilberg Switzerland

View of the Alps surrounding Uetlberg Switzerland

If you have read any of my blogs or if you follow me on Facebook you probably already know that I love Switzerland.  You will probably also know that I have a tendency to trip or fall when I am on a vacation.  I've tripped in Paris.  I've broken my ankle in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  I broke my camera falling over a sand dune in Ocean City, Maryland.  I don't consider myself clumsy.  As a matter of fact I think I am quite agile.   So after three visits to Switzerland it was just a matter of time before I tripped over a mountain. 

We visited Zurich, Switzerland in 2017.   I was excited.  I had first visited Zurich in 2003 several years before I had met Mark.  I fell in love with Zurich.   While there I took the train up to the top of Zurich's only mountain Uetilberg.  I had read there was an easy hiking trail there with a beautiful view of Zurich below.  There was also a famous restaurant at the top of the trail name the Uto Kulm.  Before out trip in 2017 I had told Mark all about Uetilberg and Uto Klum so he too was looking forward to going there.   Our trip to Zurich was part of one of our Virtual Tourist travel group meetings.    Most of our friends in the group had planned a day trip out of Zurich.  We decided instead of taking the planned bus tour we would take the day to hike the trail at Uetilberg and convinced our sister from across the pond, Gillian, to go with us. 

Mark and Gillian on the trail to the top of Uetilberg

It was a beautiful day and the weather was perfect for the hike.  It was not a long trail and was an easy hike.  There are other more aggressive trails from the bottom of the mountain that can be taken, but we took the train to the Uetilberg station and walked from there instead.  As you can see I am usually behind Mark and Gillian when we go somewhere taking photos of everything.  I have many photos of Mark's back in cities, trails, and beaches and quite a few of Gillian also.

In the photo of Gillian and Mark walking you will notice some  unusual deer like sculptures with lights on their antlers lining the trail.   I became fascinated with them on my first visit to Uetilberg in 2003.  During our brief train ride up the mountain I think I must have told Gillian and Mark about them too many times and about how excited I was to see them again.  The sculptures are odd and unusual and that's probably why I like them so much.

Bruno Weber Fantasy deer sculpture on the trail in Uetilberg

Bruno Weber was a Swiss artist and architect.  From 1991 to 2003 Weber was responsible for the sculptural decorations on Uetilberg mountain leading up to the Uto Klum.  The decorations include the fantasy deer street lamps and the park benches on the summit.

Larry on Bruno Weber bench 2003 - Uetilberg

Mark, Gillian and I had fun arguing about what the sculptures were supposed to represent.  I said moose.  Mark and Gillian said they were deer.   We decided they were Dermoose's.   When we returned home my internet research proved that I was wrong.  They are fantasy deer and not moose.  But to me they will always be a moose.  Art is how you interpret it. 

After hiking the trail we found ourselves on top of Uetilberg where I had promised Gillian and Mark a beautiful view and a glass of wine at Uto Klum. 

Viewing Zurich from Uetilberg

And there is the view I had promised them.   You can see all Zurich from the top of the mountain and you don't need a drone for the photographs.

Uto Klum - 4 star restaurant and hotel on the top of  Uetilberg

Then to keep my last promise we had a wonderful lunch and that glass of wine at Uto Klum.  It is a beautiful 4 star restaurant with a beautiful view of the Alps behind it and Lake Zurich and the city below it.

Wine with a view - Uto Klum on the top of Uetilberg above Zurich

We took some time to climb the tower on the summit also.  There is a small fee to climb the tower but it is worth the cost for the view.

Larry climbing  the tower at Uetilberg 

After lunch it was time to start our decline and follow the trail back to the train station.   The trail is not too steep.  But still I took my time and was cautious.  With my history of tripping while on holiday I did not want to take any chances.   We laughed at the deer/moose sculptures once more on the way back down.  And we reached the bottom of the trail without incidence.  There were some small steps at the end of the trail which should not have been an issue for any sane agile person.   But we are talking about me here.   I reached the very last small step and turned around to say something to Gillian and Mark and it happened.   The very last step and down I go.   I ripped the knees out of my pants I was wearing and cut and bruised my knees.    Gillian went into the train station to get some wet paper towels and Mark helped my put the wet towels on my sore knees and helped stop the bleeding.   So I spent my last two days in Zurich limping and grumbling about my knees hurting.  But the good part was that I had a great story to share with the other Virtural Tourist friends at dinner that night.  We went out for fondue at a very nice restaurant in Zurich and I got to share the story of me tripping over the mountain in Uetilberg.

Mark and I are traveling with Gillian in November 2019 to Hawaii.  I am requesting she bring bubble wrap for me so she and Mark can wrap me up for protection.

Larry with the Bruno Weber deer in 2003

Larry with the Bruno Weber deer in 2017