National Geographic named the Äscher mountain inn a “Place of a Lifetime”. In this report, there is a lot of background knowledge about the cosy walk, in addition to photos.
Text and pictures Marc Gottwald
Summary Walk Mountain Inn Äscher
- – Arrival by public transport (recommended) or by car to Wasserauen. Parking spaces are very limited. Especially during weekends and on nice summer days they are sometimes already fully booked at 8am (parking costs: 5CHF/day).
- – The Ebenalp cable car takes 6 minutes to Ebenalp, where the 20-minute walk to the Äscher mountain inn begins.
- – Cable car prices are 11CHF per way with the Half-Fare Card or 22CHF for a full-paying adult.
- – Berggasthaus Äscher is one of the most beautiful places in the world according to National Geographic.
- – Seats in the mountain inn are strictly limited and depending on the weather you have to be lucky to find one. Reservations are only possible for groups of 10 or more, but not between 9 am and 4 pm.
- Photo tip: In summer towards evening (5-6pm) you have the best light for taking stunning pictures.
- – Ebenalp – Äscher – Ebenalp walk takes approx. 45 minutes
Journey to the Äscher mountain inn – the most beautiful place in the world
National Geographic chose the Äscher mountain inn as one of the 225 most beautiful places in the world and put it on the cover. I was here several years ago and therefore very happy to finally return. And let’s be honest: When a restaurant in the Alps beats a modern underwater luxury restaurant in the Maldives, it must mean something.
There are two ways to get to the Äscher mountain inn in the canton of Appenzell. On the one hand, there is the possibility to come by public transport. By the way, the Appenzell railway brings you to Wasserauen with the new modern trains from Gossau or Appenzell.
The second option is to travel to Wasserauen by car. Please be aware, however, that this can be very difficult at weekends and on nice summer days. A lot of people flock there, which is why the parking spaces (5CHF/day) are sometimes already occupied in the morning between 8 and 9 am.
From Wasserauen, take the “Ebenalpbahn”, which takes you up to Ebenalp in six minutes and the price per ride is CHF 11 with a half-fare card or Swisspass, or CHF 22 for a full-paying adult. The gondola master proudly told me that the cable car is the steepest open-air cable car in the world. During main season it runs every 15 minutes between 7.30am and 7pm. On nice days, however, there can be a long queue, even though there is room for 50 people in the cabin.
Ebenalp walk to the Äscher mountain inn
Once at the top, the adventure to the most beautiful place in the world can begin. It takes about 20 minutes to reach the destination with a leisurely walk. You will immediately agree that the view is phenomenal. The green meadows and the many houses of the canton of Appenzell immediately catch your eye. On the one hand, the houses look really nice, but environmentally this makes little sense and is no longer encouraged in Switzerland. It is the so-called “urban sprawl” where Appenzell is a paradigm example.
Today, in Switzerland, where land is very scarce, dense building is what counts. That means building higher and closer together. In Switzerland, farmers often had a barn next to their farm where they stored their hay. That means at least two buildings for one farm. With the number of inhabitants in Switzerland today, this is no longer possible. How would the country look like?
To the Wildkirchli Caves where cavemen once lived
After enjoying this fantastic view, we continue on the well-maintained path towards the Wildkirchli caves. These caves, which you have to cross, are something very special. Cave people once lived here around 40,000 years ago. Researchers suspect that hunters used the caves as a place to spend the night. Tools and animal bones from bears that also spent the night in the cave have been found here as well.
When people settled down, with few exceptions, they were no longer in the Alpstein area, which includes today’s Äscher or Seealpsee. Except the farmers who sent the cattle to the Alpstein in the summer months more than 1000 years ago. For example, it has been proven that the Alp has existed for 700 years. Accordingly, the farmers were on the move in the plains of the Alpstein.
Tourism in the Alpstein began in the 18th century with spa tourism, for which Appenzell is famous. A church service could then already be followed in the Wildkirchli caves, which incidentally still takes place 1-2 times a month between June and October.
By the way, the caves are well lit, but it takes a short time for the eyes to get used to the darkness. After the caves comes the Wildkirchli (chapel with church service).
Äscher mountain inn – The dream in Alpstein
After 20 minutes we come around the corner and see what is probably the most beautiful place in the world – the Äscher mountain inn. Wow! First of all, take a deep breath in and out. Because this dreamlike moment cannot be put into words. A true place of power! A moment that, of course, as a photographer or tourist, you absolutely have to capture. But don’t forget to enjoy it.
As early as the 18th century, drinks and food were sold at the Äscher on account of the church services. Later around 1850, the alpine inn was converted into a mountain inn, which is officially one of the first in Switzerland.
Restaurant normally quite busy
Restaurant reservations are only possible for groups of 10 or more and only before 9 am in the morning or after 4 pm in the afternoon. But that’s when the light is best for taking photos anyway. Sometimes you really have to be lucky to find a place. But there is also a shop where the hungry and thirsty can get something to eat or buy a souvenir.
The cuisine at the Äscher mountain inn is very local and traditional. If you are looking for a rösti on the menu, you won’t find one. Instead, dishes such as boiled sausage, chicken thighs with a nettle pesto or a buttermilk-ribel-bramata are tempting. All produced by local Appenzell mountain farmers. For dessert there is, for example, an Appenzell beaver, cake or a cave yoghurt. The whole menu is available here.
By the way, you can even spend the night in the Äscher, almost like back in 1868, when the place was one of the first mountain inns in Switzerland. But of course everything has been renovated.
Hike to Seealpsee, Schäfler or back to Ebenalp
If you want to continue hiking, you can either go in the direction of Schäfler or to Lake Seealpsee. But beware! Both paths are extremely dangerous. On the hiking trail in the direction of Seealpsee, hikers have sometimes fatal accidents. And on the path towards Schäfler, I escaped a rock fall by only about half a metre. If the stones come quickly, you don’t have any chance. That’s why I would only do both trails when it’s dry. They are especially dangerous in spring and autumn.
Furthermore, if you want to hike the trail to the Seealpsee with children, you can borrow leashes from the Äscher mountain inn. This is highly recommended.
However, it only takes 25 minutes to get back to Ebenalp, where the next cable car is waiting for you.
