Bauma: Cultural History and Hiking Trails

Bauma brings together cultural history, traditional crafts and hiking trails. At Altlandenberg Castle ruins, you can see the remains of the palas, the curtain wall and several gate structures. Freddi House is a largely preserved 16th-century timber-framed Flarz house and now serves as a residential museum. Other attractions include the Heimatwerk Züri Oberland hand-weaving workshop, the Zürcher Oberland Industrial Heritage Trail and a range of hiking options. In Bauma, you can choose between architectural heritage, crafts and outdoor activities.

Cultural history and crafts

The path to Altlandenberg Castle ruins starts in the village centre and passes through the railway underpass. After crossing the Töss, the hiking trail on the other bank climbs up to the castle; signposts at the station point the way. Check local trail conditions before setting out.

Freddi House offers another glimpse into Bauma’s history: this largely preserved 16th-century timber-framed Flarz house now serves as a residential museum and is furnished with original items belonging to Rosa Freddi. Visits are possible for small groups by prior arrangement. Check the visiting arrangements in advance if you would like to include the house in your plans.

At the Heimatwerk Züri Oberland hand-weaving workshop, you can watch the weavers at work. It is one of the last professional hand-weaving workshops in Switzerland and is committed to preserving a craft typical of the Oberland and Töss Valley. Check visiting arrangements before your visit.

Hiking trails and industrial history

The Zürcher Oberland Industrial Heritage Trail is an approximately 30-kilometre hiking route linking 50 sites of technological and industrial significance, from Greifensee to the Töss Valley. Information boards at each site describe the key facts. Guided tours along selected sections and at individual sites offer technical details as well as insights into the lifestyles and economic circumstances of the population at the time. If you are interested in a guided tour, check availability in advance.

For planning how long your outing will take, the Guyer-Zeller trails offer a different guide: the seven trails commissioned by railway pioneer Adolf Guyer-Zeller around Bauma take between 50 minutes and three hours. The Industrial Heritage Trail, by contrast, is described by its approximate length and the number of sites. The Guyer-Zeller trails cross bridges and stairways, pass through deep ravines and climb to wooded summits. Check local trail conditions before setting off.

The Nordic walking trails of the health trail also vary in length and difficulty. Compare these details with the walking times for the Guyer-Zeller trails when weighing up the time you have available and the kind of outing you prefer. The steam train journey passes streams, ponds and historic industrial sites; it is possible to travel from Bauma to Hinwil. The steam train’s various stations make suitable starting points or destinations for hikes. Check operating days before planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Wila, Illnau-Effretikon, Pfäffikon, Hittnau, Lindau, Fehraltorf, Weisslingen, Sternenberg.

Go to the main travel overview: Pfäffikon.