Linthal is the southernmost village in the Glarus region and the largest in area. From the train station a steep path climbs through countless zigzags up the hillside. It is a solidly built trail with many dry stone and residual rock walls and retaining walls in the turns to ensure a completely even gradient. Once in Braunwald, you have a panoramic view across the Richetli Pass leading to Elm, of the Ortstock, Braunwald‘s very own mountain, and Tödi, the highest point of the municipality and the Canton of Glarus at 3614 m.

From the sunny terrace of Braunwald, where no motorised traffic is allowed, a shaded forest path follows the steep slope of the Ortstock. Past burbling brooks and a cascade of waterfalls you reach Nussbühl with a restaurant perched above the rock face. A beautiful, seemingly endless path continues through Balmwald forest to Balmboden, where the forest gives way to meadows. After Vorder Stafel the view opens up to Urnerboden, Switzerland’s largest alp. An interesting fact is that although geographically the mountain valley belongs to Glarus, it is an exclave of Spirigen in the Canton Uri.

A few minutes and a short, steep descent later you follow the main road crossing the Klausen Pass for a short while. By the way, you don’t hear the noise of the cars on the entire hike, except for the melodious three-tone horn of the postbus. Continuing along the Fätschbach creek and past cattle herds, you head for the destination, just barely going uphill. The attractive, but physically demanding hike ends at Urnerboden.