Bommer Weiher

Bommer Weiher is a chain of historic ponds near Alterswilen, in the municipality of Kemmental in the Swiss canton of Thurgau. Together they cover roughly 15 hectares at about 530 m above sea level. Today the whole area is a nature reserve, and a quiet walk along the water is the main reason to visit.

What are the Bommer Weiher?

Sources date the ponds to around 1460, when they were created to supply mills, and regional sources also mention fish farming. They lie in a shallow hollow just north of Bommen, a small farming hamlet that the national ISOS inventory treats as part of a protected pond landscape.

What will you see there?

Expect open water, reed beds and meadows around the edges. The ponds are an important habitat for water birds and amphibians, which is why the entire area is protected. Bring binoculars in spring and early summer, when birdlife and frog calls are at their best.

Heavy silting threatened the ponds, and they were restored in 1979. Land consolidation work between 1967 and 1987 also settled their protection, so the layout you walk through is more than five centuries old.

How do you get to Bommer Weiher?

The nearest village is Alterswilen, a former municipality that merged into Kemmental in 1995 and 1996. From Kreuzlingen on Lake Constance you drive up to the area and then explore on foot. The ponds also sit on a hiking route from Weinfelden to Kreuzlingen: about 17 km, around 4.5 hours, medium difficulty, passing through Ellighausen to the ponds and finishing near Bernrain. A planet trail through the reserve also leads to Kreuzlingen and the Lake Constance planetarium.

When is the best time to visit?

The area is popular for recreation all year. Spring and early summer suit wildlife watching, autumn is calm and quiet, and in winter the water can freeze over. Wear sturdy shoes, since paths near the shore can be muddy.

Frequently asked questions

Is Bommer Weiher a single lake? No. It is a series of ponds, described in local listings as an upper and a lower pond, close to each other.

Can you swim here? The ponds are a nature reserve, so plan on walking and watching wildlife rather than swimming. Keep noise down and stay on the paths.

How long should you plan for a visit? One to two hours is enough for the ponds themselves. If you combine them with the Weinfelden to Kreuzlingen hike, allow about 4.5 hours of walking.

Where exactly are the ponds? Beside the hamlet of Bommen near Alterswilen, in Kemmental, Thurgau, a few kilometres from Kreuzlingen and Lake Constance.