Lucerne to Mt Pilatus

Lucerne to Mt Pilatus - maximum 11 degrees, foggy and misty rain at Mt Pilatus.

This morning we explored the old city wall of Lucerne from medieval times.  After breakfast we returned to the city walls to walk on it and explore three of the towers, one being a clock tower with the original clock and bell.

Lucerne's Old City Wall

View from one of the towers
across the old city walls and Lucerne.

Trevor entering the rampart 

One of the many clocks on display in the clock tower.

Returning to the Krone Hotel to get our luggage and board the bus to Kriens, which seems like it is still part of Lucerne it is so close.  Here we walked up hill for some distance dragging the suitcase behind me.  It was great to reach the aerial gondola in Kriens but since I don't like heights I would have to handle the aerial gondola on my own as the suitcase and backpack took up the rest of the space.

Heading up to Mt Pilatus on the aerial gondola

The view was stunning; mountainside, the lake, Lucerne, Simmental milking cows, hikers and hiking track up the mountain.  I jumped off at Krienseregg but due to the toboggan being closed was hauled back into the aerial gondola to continue up the mountain to where we had to change to the aerial cableway (Fraekmuentegg) with more views and then fog covering.

View from the aerial cableway on the way to Mt Pilatus

Aerial cableway near the top of Mt Pilatus

We spent the afternoon hiking around the top of Mt Pilatus and two other peaks and then down the mountainside to a patch of ice which was Trevor's closest experience to snow,

Hiking at Mt Pilatus

Hiking at Mt Pilatus

Hiking Mt Pilatus

Ibex sighting Mt Pilatus

Mt Pilatus's Dragon

the trip back was grueling, but as a rewards I had talked Trevor into joining the rest of the guests at Hotel Pilatus-Kulm, meeting mostly people from Lucerne and another two people who live at the bottom of the mountain.  Drinks were followed by a four course meal in the stunning dining room.  This is a place I could visit again.  http://www.pilatus.ch/en/hotel-pilatus-kulm/.  Mt Pilatus appeared in the James Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Our room at Mt Pilatus-Kulm

Mt Pilatus-Kulm, our hotel is the cream building on the left.