Sarnen - Driving tour into Melchtal

At Zubens a road branches off on the right, crosses the Melch on a bridge 97 m/318ft high and reaches Flüeli (2km/1mi: road recommended as return route from the Melchtal), a hamlet commanding extensive views, and which boasts a pilgrimage chapel of 1618 and a house said to have belonged to the 15th C. hermit Nikolaus von der Flüe. His hermitage is lower down on the slopes of Mt Ranft (close by, a chapel of 1700). From here it is 3km/2mi to St Niklausen.

Leave Sarnen on the road to Stans, which runs east, crossing N 8. 2km/1mi: Kerns (569 m/1,867ft), a village frequented by summer visitors. Turn right into a road which climbs the east side of the valley of the Grosse Melch-Aa. From here it is 3km/2mi to Zuben.

Melchtal (894 m/2,933ft) is a beautifully situated mountain village and health resort. Cableway (1,200 m/3,937ft) to the Rütialp (1,350 m/4,429ft; restaurant; view). The road continues uphill over the Balmatt, at the foot of the precipitous Rämisfluh (1,866 m/6,122ft). 4km/2mi: Stöckalp (1,070 m/3,511ft), from which there is a cableway (3,333 m/10,936ft) to Melchsee-Frutt.

In St Niklausen (839 m/2,753ft) is a 14th C. chapel and the old Heidenturm ("Heathens' Tower"). From here it is 4km/2mi to Melchtal.