Arnisee

Arnisee sits at about thirteen hundred and seventy metres on a shelf on the western side of the Reuss valley, looking across at the Bristen and the Uri Alps. It is small, shallow and reflective, and the reason it appears in Swiss calendars is the position: the terrace is high enough to see over the valley floor and its motorway and railway, so the view is of mountains rather than infrastructure, while the lake itself sits in meadow. Two small cable cars serve it - from Amsteg and from Intschi - carrying a handful of people at a time and running to sparse timetables. A few guesthouses sit on the shore. Walking routes continue up toward the Arnialp and the Leitschach.

What you actually see

• A reflective lake on a shelf - meadow terrace above the valley floor.
• The Bristen opposite - the Uri Alps across the Reuss.
• Two tiny cable cars - the only access, from Amsteg and Intschi.
• Infrastructure out of sight - the motorway and railway hidden below.

When to go

Late June to October. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The cable cars are small, infrequent and can stop for weather or maintenance - check the timetable before setting out. There is no road, so a missed last car means walking down. Facilities are two or three guesthouses. The lake is very small.

Nearby

Maderanertal is across the valley; Goschenen is south up the Reuss.