A Detour to Lucerne
Despite many things competing with its beauty, Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge) remains the symbol of the city. 1/50s 35mm F1.4 ISO 500.
Switzerland, a country famous for its chocolate, cows and being bloody expensive. Of the three major German-speaking countries it stands out as being the most unique, with a very different dialect and a history untouched by the ravages of world wars. As I was in Freiburg and being so close to the Swiss border it seemed foolish to come all this way and not to visit. I only had one day I could spare and after a bit of back and forth I settled upon the historic city of Lucerne, which sits in the northern half of the country, bordering on a large lake (with the same name) and the Alps. It was also easily accessible from Freiburg, with a short changeover at Basel station.
The Swiss are a friendly bunch. 1/2000s 35mm F1.4 ISO 64.
Perhaps the ultimate way to enjoy Lucerne would be an overnight stay in Hotel Château Gütsch, an old converted castle overlooking the city. My budget did not stretch this far. 1/200s 200mm F4.0 ISO 64.
River flow was controlled in a similar fashion to a weir would back home. This swirling, fast flowing water was too good of an opportunity to ignore and this was actually the first time I'd used my travel tripod on my trip. 1s 145mm F20 ISO 64.
What struck me almost immediately as I started to wander around was not the natural scenery but the buildings. There were so many more old and wooden ones here in comparison to what I’d seen in Germany. It dawned on me that this was probably what Germany looked like prior to the Second World War. With Switzerland remaining neutral there were never any land battles or aerial bombing raids to blast centuries of history and culture to smithereens. Kapellbrücke is a good example of one of these survivors and it was even more remarkable to see the old paintings as you looked to the ceiling. The glass and concrete of Stuttgart was no substitute.
Kapellbrücke is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe, but sadly it suffered extensive fire damage in 1993. Sometimes even being on the water isn't enough. 1/2000s 35mm F1.4 ISO 64 Two Photo Panoramic.
The interior of Kapellbrücke. If you look carefully at the centre of the frame you can just about make out a couple of the 17th century paintings which survived the fire. 1/60s 35mm F1.4 ISO 64.
Heading up to Museggmauer. You best be prepared for walking up and down hills when you come to Lucerne. 1/640s 35mm F1.4 ISO 64.
I experienced this again as I climbed up to the top of the Museggmauer, a wall once vital to the city’s defences. The external parts are obviously stone but the wooden structures inside the towers really had me stop and think, what I was seeing was a preserved piece of old Germania. Of course, there’s more here than just aging wood. Impressive old clocks and their mechanisms were on display and along the walkway you get the most stunning views of the city as you look across the lake to the mountains. Though as to be expected the rugged detail of the peaks were obscured in mist and shadow, though no less looming large. With views like this it’s little wonder that Switzerland is such an expensive place to live. For sure, as someone from an island, the idea of living in a landlocked country sends a small shiver down my spine, but that’s more than compensated for here. It’s the complete opposite of the flat arable lands of home and certainly a photographer’s paradise, just a shame I only had a single day.
The narrow walkway at the top of Mussegmauer is a bit of a struggle with all the tourists... 1/640s 35mm F1.4 ISO 64.
But you are rewarded with some of the best views of the city. Click to enlarge. 1/640s 70mm F4.0 ISO 64 Four Photo Panoramic.
Looking across Lake Lucerne to the haze-covered mountains. 1/400s 70mm F4.0 ISO 64.
Don't get so distracted by the views that you don't have a look around inside the clock tower, there's plenty of human engineering to marvel at. 1/40s 35mm F1.4 ISO 500.
I didn’t spend a great deal of time in the town centre as I wanted to see as much as possible around the lake, especially the weather still being so good. However, before that I did pay a visit to another icon of the city, the Lion Monument. This magnificent mortally wounded lion hewn from stone is in tribute to the many Swiss guardsmen who died during the madness of the French Revolution. Traditionally the main guard for the French king came from Switzerland and so inevitably many perished during the uprising. The detail is simply extraordinary, and it makes a very fitting tribute to the fallen, as well as a good photographic subject.
The Löwendenkmal or Lion Monument is another more poignant icon of the city created in tribute to members of the Swiss Guard who died during the French Revolution. 1/640s 35mm F1.4 ISO 64.
Being October and not August the activity on the lake was minimal was added to the sense of calm. 1/500s 150mm F4.0 ISO 64 Two Photo Panoramic.
These paddleboarders had most the lake to themselves. 1/1250s 110mm F4.0 ISO 64.
We still had the summer sunshine, but as it was October and that meant the activity around the lake was remarkably subdued. A few sailing yachts, the odd paddle boarder and a small number of people swimming from designated beaches added to the sense of calm that the water and the mountains naturally bring. I’d certainly been very fortunate on this trip to have had the summer weather without the throngs of tourists. Eventually I made my way to the end point of my walk which was the grand house of Meggenhorn, situated on a raised side of the lake with perhaps the most spectacular views of all, and that’s really saying something. You couldn’t go inside but you could walk around and through the gardens and I quickly spotted the wall lizards scampering around. I’m always on the lookout for reptiles and thankfully one sat still long enough for me to put on my longest lens, though that was about as interesting as the wildlife got that day. After a brief bit of respite on the lake’s shore it was time to head back as the sun was beginning to dip in the sky.
My walk around the lake took me to Schloss Meggenhorn. 1/1600s 35mm F1.4 ISO 64.
Built in the latter half of the nineteenth century, it is also a heritage site of national significance. In the foreground you can see the walkway that the public could freely walk along. 1/1600s 35mm F1.4 ISO 64.
The view from Meggenhorn. Imagine seeing this from your bedroom window everyday. 1/500s 82mm F4.0 ISO 64.
Along the walk there were two things that are worth looking out for. One is the Swiss Museum of Transport complete with aircraft and the enormous drill bit that once carved its way through the mountains. Certainly much faster to travel through rather than over. However, an eye-watering entry free of close to £35 put paid to the ideal of going inside. I’m used to museums being free in the UK! The other thing, or should I say things, to look out for are the numerous bronze figure sculptures by Hugo Siegwart that are dotted around the green spaces. An extra touch of high culture is never amiss.
This panoramic puts Meggenhorn into the context of its surroundings. Click to enlarge. 1/250s 70mm F4.0 ISO 64 Two Photo Panoramic.
I don't think you could ever tire of seeing this everyday, especially with all the dramatic sunrises and sunsets you would see over the course of the years. Click to enlarge. 1/2000s 35mm F1.4 ISO 64 Five Photo Panoramic.
One of the many resident wall lizards. This one was the happiest to model for me. 1/160s 200mm F4.0 ISO 64.
As it headed into the evening I was hoping for a spectacular sunset but given that the skies were so clear there were no interesting clouds to create this effect. Queue an opportunity to show off my inexperience with landscape photography when I missed the best light of golden hour. Initially I went back up Museggmauer however nothing very dramatic was happening and I gave up to walk back to the train station. It was of course when I was down the bottom that the best light came. Like a fool I rushed back up the steps in the faint hope I could still capture it but save for a record shot of one peak I finished empty handed. Lesson learned. Have a bit more patience and if you do miss something don’t waste time backtracking, otherwise you end up missing everything. At least I got a good shot of a very hairy cow after the second attempt.
Drill bits like this at the Swiss Museum of Transport were what allowed Switzerland to build the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the longest railway and deepest traffic tunnel in the world. 1/1000s 35mm F1.4 ISO 64.
Whether you like to see methods of transport above or below ground, this museum has you covered. Though it's not cheap to go in. 1/400s 35mm F1.4 ISO 64.
One of the many bronze sculptures by Hugo Siegwart that are dotted around the parks adjacent to the lake. 1/320s 35mm F1.4 ISO 64.
They may not be a castle but I'd still be very keen to live in one of these flats with a view of the lake. 1/400s 58mm F1.4 ISO 64.
At this point blue hour was setting in and as Kapellbrücke was lit up by warm artificial lighting it made sense to go back and shoot it again (in a different way). It must be very strange to live here and think this is all just ordinary. My final photo came when the light had almost completely faded and the bright lights of the Ferris wheel were reflecting in the dark water. I didn’t use my travel tripod a great deal on this trip, but I was glad to have it for moments like this.
Golden hour over the harbour. 1/125s 120mm F4.0 ISO 64.
Lake Lucerne. At this time of day the strong directional light of golden hour was giving the mountains for dimension. Click to enlarge. 1/80s 200mm F4.0 ISO 64 Six Photo Panoramic.
Of course re-entering Germany couldn’t be without train drama. In contrast to the impeccable Swiss trains the Germans trains now run so badly that the Swiss authorities insist that all trains to and from Germany start and terminate at Basel just across the border. Trains that ran from Germany were causing too many knock-on effects. Low and behold the train from Lucerne to Basel was absolutely fine but my German train back to Freiburg was beset with technical issues. Instead my journey home was carried out by a strange Frankenstein’s monster of a train made up of Swiss, German and Italian carriages. We were then further delayed when the Swiss authorities had to detain a group of people trying to enter Germany illegally. But for me at this stage it all just added to the amusement of my trip.
Unfortunately this was all I managed to achieve at the peak of sunset as I foolishly left too soon before running back, missing all the best light. 1/160s 125mm F4.0 ISO 500.
Still, at least I got to photograph this cool looking cow. 1/80s 200mm F4.0 ISO 1600.
Ironically my one regret is that I didn’t spend enough money. I ate cheaply from local bakeries but I wish I had made more of an effort to sit down at a café and try traditional Swiss food. Though sit-down meals are rarely a priority for me as I try to cram as much in a day as humanely possible. At least the following evening I got to visit a traditional Baden restaurant with my friend and tuck into ox which is apparently very popular in southern Germany. I’ll have to come back another time, and for longer, to experience Swiss dining. But alas it was time to move on to Germany’s most iconic state, Bavaria, where I got to do more than just see the Alps from a distance. Don’t forgot to tune in next week to read all about that.
The warm orange glow of Kapellbrücke made for a great subject during blue hour. 1/50s 35mm F1.4 ISO 500.
And the Ferris wheel made for a great long exposure at night. 10s 58mm F11 ISO 64.
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