The Swiss Sport Festival of Sport Union Switzerland (SUS) takes place every six years. This year this national event of the major grassroots sports association takes place from 1-3 June in Lucerne hinterland - Luthern. On the first day "Bewegungsfest" (Movement Fest) under the Motto: "Anyone who moves a lot stays mentally fit for longer", is on the program.

I ride with about 30 women from SU Beckenried in a bus to Luthern. After registration, and enjoying a coffee and croissant snack, we are ready for the Legendary trail hike @ 10:30 AM.

Here in the Luthertal, with its deep ditches and mystical, secluded places, legends are still alive. Legends are messages for the heart and less for the mind. Their purpose is to process the inexplicable past. Sagenweg (Legendary path) with its wooden sculptures tries to save the local cultural heritage from disappearing into oblivion. The path gives a little insight into the rich mythology of the Luthertal. At the same time the path leads through the impressive and varied hilly landscape of the Napfregion.

To the surprise of the organisers ~220 participants had assembled for the idyllic Luthertal hike. The hiking enthusiasts are divided into 3 groups, with each group starting the hike in a different direction. Our group starts off with a steep uphill. Thanks to the good pace of our guide we soon reach our first «Legend» - Stop. There we are enlightened about the Strägelle (Wild witches), the Thurst (Hellish hunters) and the three-legged dogs. Legend has it that packs of these roaring dogs rushed through the area at night scaring or knocking down some of late-night returnees. Also the nearby Lochstein is often visited by the wild journeymen. Legend has it that the hole in the stone gets smaller every year!

We continue our hike towards the castle hill of Walsburg. From afar we recognize a large wooden sculpture. It is the wooden lord of the castle without a head. But before we are introduced further into the saga, we need to break for lunch for logistical reasons. The picnic lunch is on an idyllic courtyard with a beautiful view of Ufhusen. Afterwards we assemble in a barn where we learn about the lord of the castle, who because of his bad attitude towards his subjects gets banished to the Enziloch. 

We hike across meadows and past the area of ​​the "Poor soul light" legend to the sculpture of "Enziloch spirits". There we learn a humorous introduction to the last secrets of these wild spirits. After a short but steep descent we are driven back to Luthern.

After a little rest, the afternoon program with "Smovey body training" and "Moving-brain training" begins. Smovey swing rings break us into a fun-sweat. During the moving brain session, it's the brain that starts to sweat and soon we reach the limits of our ability to concentrate and simultaneously move.

Later in the evening, the flag delegations and guests of honor are welcomed to the common beats of the music clubs from the participating villages. After the ceremony, we enjoy a cozy warm-up aperitif and dinner in the Fest tent.

It's pretty late in the night as we arrive back at Beckenried. I thank the organisers for the great day I had. As I drive back home, I relive some of the interesting legends along the way..