Hiking in the Bavarian Alps.
As the weather forecast promised a fine weekend, my wife and I were looking forward to doing what we both love: hiking in the mountains. To avoid train-catching stress, we left our destination open, taking a few selected hiking maps from our ever-growing collection. At the Hauptbahnhof we stopped at a ticket machine. As this was the last weekend that the “Beautiful Weekend Ticket” (Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket) would be valid for both Saturday and Sunday, it was with a pang of sorrow that we pressed the “SWT” button and fed in our DM 35. We strolled toward the farthest reaches of the train station — the so-called Starnberger Bahnhof — from where most of the Alps-bound trains leave. On the platform for Gates 27-36, we studied the schedule for departing trains. Hm-m-m-m, something special seemed to be going on at Gate 35. Men in blue uniforms were speaking to passengers with an unusual amount of finger-pointing and other directional gesticulation. They sported badges I had never seen before: not the usual red DB but a blue one – BOB. Not being a too-shy sort of guy, I sidled up to a uniform and looked as inquisitive as I could. “Where do you want to go?” the uniform asked. “Well,” I answered,” we’re headed for a hike in the mountains. Doesn’t really matter much where.” “You’re certainly on the right platform, the next train will take you to Bayrischzell, Tegernsee, or Lenggries. BOB arrives in just 5 minutes.” “BOB?” The uniform explained that BOB stands for the Bayerische Oberlandbahn — a new concept in train travel. BOB is a triple train with three different destinations. At Holzkirchen, the sections headed for Tegernsee and Lenggries are disengaged from the train headed for Bayrischzell. At Schaftlach, the Tegernsee and Lenggries trains head their separate ways. It’s important to get on the section that’s headed for your destination – that way, you can avoid changing cars later. Just then, a hush fell over the crowd on the platform as BOB started to glide into the station. A phantasmagoria of polished blue and white metal, gleaming glass and futuristic, streamlined form, BOB looks like an overgrown subway train crossed with the very latest in streetcar design. The digital display proclaimed that the front section was destined for Lenggries. And this is where our exploration of some of Bavaria’s finest alpine trails begins. once you arrive at the Lenggries train station, turn left, then left again, to cross the bridge over the Isar. A short walk brings you to the Brauneck cable car station, where a four-seat cabin ascends the 800 meters in 14 minutes. Should there be a thick fog, you may only see a few feet of cable in either direction before it disappears. It’s an eerie feeling to glide along silently, suspended in the ghostly whiteness. Suddenly the fog thins and the car bursts into brilliant sunlight. The most impressive trail from the Brauneck, the Panoramaweg, begins with a steep, but short, ascent to Schrödelstein. From there, follow the ridge trail at 1600 meters above sea level towards the Latschenkopf. Go slow, watch your step and stop often to enjoy incredible views reaching as far as the snow-capped peaks of the Hohe Tauern chain with its Großglockner — Austria’s highest peak at 3,798 meters. Straight ahead, in the distance, you might recognize Bavaria’s favorite mountain landmark: the Zugspitze, where, if you don’t suffer from a fear of heights and have good hiking shoes, you can continue on over the Achselköpfe to the Benediktenwand. From here it’s best to return the way you came and take the cable car back to Lenggries, the trail down the mountain being quite steep and a knee-killer. tegernsee, another fine destination, is only one hour’s ride from Munich. Walk south along the shoreline until you reach the Schloß. In the 8th century, Benedictine monks founded a monastery on this site which became a political, economic, cultural and intellectual hub in southern Germany over the next 1,000 years. At the peak of its prosperity, more than 11,000 farms — from South Tirol to the Danube — were the property of the monastery. Here diligent and creative scribes and copyists produced hand-written and beautifully illustrated manuscripts. Inspired by the classical works they transcribed, authors, today unknown, produced the first German-language novel (Ruodlieb), play (The Antichrist) and poetic work (Life of Maria). The monks from Tegernsee established other settlements in Bavaria, one of them, “bei den Munichen,” became the city of Munich. During the last century, the monastery became the property of the Bavarian king Max I. Joseph who converted the buildings into a summer castle. Built around the 11th-century church of St. Quirinus, the edifice mimicks the classical style of the Residence in Munich. After leaving the church, go to your right to enter the Herzoglich Bayerisches Bräustüberl a step which will transport you into the Middle Ages. The low, vaulted ceiling sweeps away from massive supporting columns. The Bräustüberl has been a favorite meeting place for artists and musicians since the turn of the century. The mural of beer-drinking cherubs on one of the walls was painted about 80 years ago by local artist Toni Aron as payment for his ever-growing bar tab. Walk towards the south and Rottach-Egern, keeping an eye on the slope to your left. Perched on a granite pinnacle, high above the Tegernsee, the sparkling white Riederstein chapel offers a steep but gratifying hike. Across the street from the Schloß and Benedictine Monastery look for the T4 trail which ascends steeply up the mountain to the restaurant Galaun (currently being renovated with an undetermined re-opening date sometime in autumn). The last leg of the trail climbs even steeper but the rustic chapel and lovely vistas of the surrounding mountains and lake below make the two to three hour uphill-trudge worthwhile. if you are an experienced hiker in good physical condition, and there is still plenty of daylight left, continue on the N3 trail towards Baumgartenschneid, a treeless, lonesome summit 250 meters above the Riederstein with a bird’s-eye-view of the Alps. This trail is not for those with acrophobia. After enjoying the panoramic view, continue on the N3 which descends to the mountain hut Baumgartenalm. The N3 soon reaches a T-crossing perpendicular to the Prinzenweg. If you take this track to the left, you will run into the T3 which takes you back to the Tegernsee train station. If you follow the Prince’s Trail to the right, you can trek down the Stadeltal valley towards Schliersee and the BOB station there. Another variation is to take the T3 towards Schliersee, but as soon as you reach the crossing where the footpath climbs to the left, leave the Prinzenweg to ascend to the Kreuzbergalm. The terrace there offers hikers a scenic view of the Schliersee below as well as the double peaks of the Roßstein and the Buchstein to the west. Now you can return to the Prinzenweg, taking your choice of destinations for the Schliersee or Tegernsee BOB stations. It is good sense to carry a map when venturing through the Alps. The RegioCart Tegernsee/Bad Tölz 1:30000 is excellent for this region. <<< Transportation Bicycles may be taken on BOB for free. A row of swing-out bicycle holders are built into each of the train sections. These racks also accommodate skis and snowboards. BOB offers a WochenendCard (weekend ticket). As many as two adults and three children can ride BOB on both Saturday and Sunday, anywhere, as often as you like for DM 24. Combination tickets (KombiCards) offer train service plus reduced prices for entrance to the waterparks Alpamare and Badepark Bad Wiessee and cable car/chair lift rides to Wendelstein, Brauneck, Wallberg, Stümpfling, Taubenstein and Suttenstein. But if you’re a couple traveling with the WochenendCard, forget the KombiCard — it’s cheaper to combine this fare with the regular entrance fees. On weekends, BOB leaves every hour starting at 6:34 a.m. from the Hauptbahnhof. Don’t plan to leave at 11:34, however, as there is a two-hour break around lunchtime. All BOB tickets may be purchased directly from the conductor on board at no extra charge, or you can buy tickets from the ticket machine located on each train. The machine takes coins or a Geldkarte but, unfortunately, no paper money. As BOB is relatively new, there are still some kinks to be worked out. Recent reports claim many delays, so be prepared to be patient. For those traveling to Tegernsee, there is another option. A bus leaves from the Zweibruckenstrasse opposite the Patentamt Monday-Saturday at 10:03, 11:23, 15:08, 17:24, 19:48 and 21:43; and Sundays at 11:23, 15:08, 19:48, 21:43. Price: DM 22 roundtrip.