From Filzbach on the opposite side of Lake Walen you can see the three cascades in all their glory. On the hiking trail from Weesen to Quinten the view from the chapel in Betlis is breathtaking. With a drop of over 305 meters, the middle of the three cascades is one of the highest free-falling waterfalls in the world. All three stages overcome an incredible 600 meters in altitude.
The refreshing falls are particularly impressive up close. From Betlis you can walk directly to the viewing platform. There you can watch a fantastic natural spectacle, especially in spring when the snow melts.
Rinquelle
Not only the waterfalls are impressive, but also the cave system that lies behind them. The underground passages formed by the water branch out for kilometers. After three kilometers, the water suddenly disappears into the mountain and nobody knows where.
The legend of Walenstein
When whales switched from living on land to living on water 50 million years ago, it is said that this first happened in what is now Toggenburg. The land whales could not cope with the lack of water caused by the karst landscape. So they went to Lake Walen. But the only viable route led through the Seerenbach Falls.
One fine day, a beautiful pair of whales got tired of taking the arduous route through the narrow gorge and jumped from the Chapf directly into Lake Walen. The male became overconfident during the jump and lost his arms and legs when he landed. He was unable to get out of Lake Walen, while his wife waited endlessly and turned to stone on the mating stock.
From then on, the whale lived in Lake Walen and became the first sea whale. His spirit is said to still live in Lake Walen today and cry for his mistress.
In fact, the name of Lake Walen does not come from whales. The name means "the lake of the Welsch people" because it used to be the border between the Alemanni, who lived in the west, and the Romansh, the Welsch people.
Directions
The hike from Weesen to Betlis takes about an hour. The journey by boat is particularly beautiful. A hike from Weesen to Quinten is also recommended for good hikers. On the way you pass Strahlegg Castle, which is definitely worth seeing. If you want to travel by car, please note the regulated travel times for the outward and return journey. From the Lago Mio beach bistro, the Betliserstrasse is only one lane and can be used at certain times.
