Irchel ridge hike from Eglisau to Pfungen

The Irchel ridge in the Swiss canton of Zurich, with its highest peak, the Buechemer Irchel (694 m), is the most prominent mountain in the Zurich wine country. Located between the Töss and Thur rivers along the Rhine, it was already an important part of the Roman limes. The ruin of the Late Roman watchtower Tössegg still bears witness to this. For the canton of Zurich, the Irchel was a strategic part of the high watch alarm system in the 17th and 18th centuries, connected with 23 high watch points that had visual contact to each other. This made it possible to warn the entire canton of approaching enemies within just 15 minutes using light or smoke signals.

From the Hochwacht (668 m), we can enjoy the wide view over the Rhine bend from Eglisau to the monastery island Rheinau. Landscape-forming are the railway bridge in Eglisau built in 1897 and the new Rhine bridge from 1919. The Rütelbuck presents the cone mountains of the Hegau, and the 28-meter-high Irchel tower the entire panorama.