The trail by your front door: with enough snow, fans of cross-country skiing can enjoy around 30 kilometers (18.5 miles) of trail just a stone’s throw from Zurich. The longest cross-country ski trail in the canton begins in Oetwil and continues along relatively flat terrain in the direction of Hombrechtikon. The route can be shortened at the first two loops – Langholz (2 km/1.2 miles) and Auen (3 km/1.8 miles). After a wooded section, where snow is often in short supply, you will be treated with views across Lake Zurich. After a few curves, it once again turns towards Säntis and Bachtel. A gradual descent quickly leads to the trail’s lowest point at Hombrechtikon.

The return journey to Oetwil passes by the small Seeweidsee lake. You then coast past the Ützikerriet peat bog, through a landscape once formed by the Linth glacier. In winter, when the wisps of fog curl through the reeds and a few rays of sunlight glint off the ice, you might hear a few mysterious noises. After almost 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), you once again reach the starting point in Oetwil.

Hardened skiers can then continue the route and tackle the climb to Guldenen. There is a fair amount of height to overcome as you head past Vorderer Pfannenstiel and up the steepest section to Restaurant Hochwacht. It’s worth taking a breather on the nearby viewing tower: in clear weather, the panorama stretches from Piz Linard in the Lower Engadine across the Jungfrau region, right to the Stockhorn above Lake Thun. The trail then heads through the forest across Guldenen. This open space on the north side of Pfannenstiel offers 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) with the route’s highest guarantee of snow. A sledging hill and winter hiking route are also prepared here. Once you reach the viewing tower again, the relatively steep and challenging final section leads back down to the end of the trail.