Record heat in June

Day 4 / June 27, 2026 Schaffhauser-Zürcherweg (Neftenbach – Kyburg)

My alarm clock rang at 5 a.m. I would have preferred to have gone on my pilgrimage earlier. But this June is truly an oven. Just my kind of weather, but not really suitable for hiking. However, today I couldn't take it anymore and absolutely had to go. On the hottest day of the week, no less. I thought to myself that I would just go early. 38 degrees were expected. The night before, I studied my route. At first, much of it goes over asphalt or open forest edges. Later, it leads into the forest, but before Kyburg, there’s a steep ascent. I wanted to be there before 12 p.m. to avoid the heat and not take Pipa with me. She would have burned her paws miserably and suffered in the heat.

I surprisingly got out of bed well, even though I had only slept for 3 to 4 hours. So, I parked at the Reformed Church in Neftenbach at 6:30 a.m. Of course, the church was still closed. With 1.5 liters of drink and nuts in my backpack, I set off. This time only in light sneakers; the upcoming heat worried me a bit. “I hope this is a good idea,” I thought to myself, as the shoes are worn out and have hardly any tread left. However, they are light and comfortable like slippers. So, I started my journey at 6:30 a.m. in 20 degrees through residential areas. It was a good idea to start so early because the sun was still low, so the path was often in the shade. Still, I was sweating from the very beginning. But I felt extremely good today, as if I could rip out trees.

A very kind woman spoke to me at 7 a.m. by the roadside. “I hope you get some coolness at altitude today!” she said during our conversation. I told her, “I don’t think so; I’ll walk to Kyburg, and that won’t be high enough.” I could see in her expression how astonished she was. She thought I was going hiking, and hiking is in the mountains, “right?” I explained to her that the Camino de Santiago runs right by her beautiful house, and I am walking on it. This delighted her as much as it did me, and she wished me success. What a heartwarming encounter so early in the morning at seven. And how wonderful that there are people who just approach you. I generally found the people between Neftenbach and Winterthur to be extremely friendly. Everyone greeted me nicely and with a smile, except for the joggers, but more on that later.

The ups and downs soon came to an end, and after Wülflingen, a long, beautiful, flat gravel path began that followed the Eulach starting from Blumenau. On that day, I was truly surprised at how many people were out alone. Also later in the day, but it was still very early, and for most, it was probably a free weekend. Dog walkers, strollers, joggers, moms with strollers, etc. It’s incomprehensible to me because I am unfortunately a night owl and it never occurred to me to simply want to go for a walk so early. At the same time, I find it beautiful. What a peaceful atmosphere!

One of the strangest things that day was that I suddenly found myself in Winterthur—boom—out of nowhere! I didn’t realize it until I wanted to “google” a large church in front of me. “Ah! Winterthur, I see!” I thought and had to grin. It was St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church. “Nothing like getting inside,” I thought! Maybe I’ll be lucky, and it’s cool inside because, by now, sweat was pouring down my forehead. It wasn’t, but it was really beautiful! I looked for a pilgrim stamp and found – nothing! Up front in the church was a (probably) sacristan working. I approached the handsome man, who I guessed to be Portuguese, and asked about the pilgrim stamp. It could have been his first day at work, as he didn’t know anything. But he was incredibly friendly, and we started chatting.

He suggested whether he should ask the parish about the stamp, maybe one was available. But I didn’t want to make a fuss. Of course, I would have liked to have the stamp, and a large church directly on the Camino de Santiago probably has one, but at that moment, it wasn't that important to me. I was so in the pilgrim flow; I wanted to keep going before the heat gets even more intense. At some point, he must have noticed my bright red, sweaty face and asked if I wanted something cold to drink or a coffee! He invited me to join him! How sweet, I thought. The first selfless gesture on my path. But as I said, I didn’t want to make a fuss and was curious about my further way. We talked about the Camino de Santiago, and “Daniel” was enthusiastic. Another heartwarming encounter. How lovely everyone has been so far! In the church, it was muggy, so I soon got back on my way.

As I exited the church, I immediately wondered why I had declined. Once for the stamp, and once for the drink. Not to make a fuss… what nonsense when someone offers!? I promise myself I will accept the next kind gesture, no matter what it is! It also pleases the giver!

I always pictured Winterthur as a place where I would have to walk eternally on sidewalks. But it was not at all like that. It was very short through the old town before it steeply climbed into the Eschenberg Forest. By now, it was 9 a.m. and 26 degrees. I took a break at Ursula’s bench. Every hour I had something to drink, a cigarette, and a few nuts from my backpack before continuing. On the bench, it said, “Ursula, you loved walking in the forest.” She must have been very loved and known in the area for someone to dedicate such a beautiful tribute to her. I raised my magnesium drink to Ursula. I immediately embraced her spirit in my heart, even though I didn’t know her. But I felt very connected to her right now. I could feel her!

And as we sat there on the bench, a jogger jogged around the corner. I greeted her as always kindly. As it was with all the joggers today – nothing! How strange! I mean, it would never occur to me to go jogging, and certainly not to have to talk while doing so, but is a nod too much? I don’t understand it. Interestingly enough, I crossed paths with joggers or overtook them very early in the morning now and then. I’m an agile hiker. And all the joggers I met were slow joggers who couldn’t even nod. I had to laugh; they could have just walked like I did and been even faster? “But hey,” I scold myself, “I’m on the Camino, no judgment here!” And Ursula is probably laughing with me and agrees!

After the visit with Ursula, I continued through this beautiful forest, and she walked a little way with me. Strangely, since Ursula's bench, butterflies have been accompanying me on my way. Maybe they accompany Ursula and me a little while, a lovely thought. At some point, I said goodbye to Ursula, and from then on, the butterflies vanished as if by magic. Sometimes exciting things happen along the way. Coincidences, hints, realizations, or answers? For instance, at one point, I walked forever through this beautiful dry forest. I wondered how animals survive here during days of drought with high temperatures. There is absolutely nothing, no river, no puddle. No sooner had I finished pondering that question, I turned the corner 5 seconds later and discovered a forest spring. So that’s where the animals throw their drinking parties. And here, the fox will lurk when little mouse, bunny, and Miss Bird come for a drink. You can’t get more prompt than that!

On this way, I took a wrong turn three times. Once it was annoying because I had to run steeply back up in the blazing sun. It was never far, but 5 minutes off means also 5 minutes returning. Three times 10 minutes is an additional 30 minutes. Well, one doesn’t turn perfectly in real life either. The main thing is that one doesn’t stray too late back onto the right path. If not, then good night, the great suffering begins! Luckily, I managed to get back on my path just in time every time. On my Camino as well as on my life path.

At 10:15 a.m., I crossed the Kyburg Bridge, and the final steep staircase climb to the castle began. 420 steps at a 13% incline awaited me at 31 degrees. Fortunately, trees mostly provided shade, but I still advanced very slowly. Step by step. I huffed like a steam locomotive and thought of the joggers in slow motion. Now I am a pilgrim in slow motion. I read that a 13% incline is equivalent to setting the treadmill to the highest incline, no wonder I was out of breath. In addition to the 420 steps, there were also steep sections without stairs, you had to be steady; you didn’t want to trip here.

In my snail's pace, but continuously, I pushed through. Step by step without a break! I felt great mentally and physically today. At the top in Kyburg waited my stamp and a cold beer! There, too, I encountered more people traveling alone than couples. In the museum, at the castle, or in the restaurant, everyone was out alone today and looked satisfied. How beautiful! The light sneakers were the right choice today. I sweated off the sunscreen continuously, so I took home a slight sunburn. Upon arriving home, I lay down completely overheated in the ice-cold bathtub. Outside, it was now 38 degrees.

Insight of the day:

Sometimes one may