You will find these 6 super tours on the following pages:
HERZOGSTAND - Simply royal: Tour to the Herzogstand (photo above)
Tour data: 24 kilometres, 900 metres in altitude, approx. 2.5 hours.
Demand: riding technique - easy / fitness - medium
CHIEMGAU - Trail-Time: Hochries-Runde
Tour data: 34 kilometres, 1500 metres in altitude, approx. 4 hours.
Demand: riding technique - high / fitness - medium
You can find the GPS data for Guido's tour here: Hochries circuit
GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN - Garmischmalsoschlecht: Tour to the Reintalangerhütte
Tour data: 38 kilometres, 1500 metres in altitude, approx. 3.5 hours.
Demand: riding technique - medium / fitness - medium
You can find the GPS data for Holger's tour here: Reintalangerhütte
BERCHTESGADEN - Nature tour: Around the Reiteralm
Tour data: 54 kilometres, 1400 vertical metres, approx. 3.5 hours.
Demand: riding technique - easy / fitness - medium
You can find the GPS data for Manuel's tour here: Reiteralm
ALLGÄU - Allgäu flavour: Niedere Bleick
Tour data: 9 kilometres, 900 metres in altitude, approx. 3 hours.
Demand: riding technique - difficult / fitness - medium
You can download the GPS data for Maxi's tour free of charge in the download area directly below this article.
TEGERNSEE - Trail hunting: Around the Hirschberg
Tour data: 26 kilometres, 1041 metres in altitude, approx. 2.5 hours.
Demand: riding technique - medium / fitness - medium
You can find the GPS data for Berny's tour here: Hirschberg circuit
Simply royal: Tour to the Herzogstand
A lonely summit, turquoise blue water and fine trails - e-mountain bikers will find their paradise just outside Munich. Prerequisite: an early start. A sunrise tour to the Herzogstand.
King Ludwig II knew where it was most beautiful in Bavaria's mountains. At the Herzogstand, for example, a good 1000 metres above the turquoise waters of Lake Walchensee, he enjoyed many moments and created a crucial foundation from which bikers are still benefiting 150 years later. The nature-loving aesthete had the royal bridle path extended here for his visits to the summit and built the so-called "Königshaus" on the Herzogstandsattel. Today, the Herzogstand mountain inn, one of the most popular excursion destinations in the region, stands on its foundations thanks to its fantastic panoramic location. E-bikers who want to enjoy the beauty of the Herzogstand summit like the legendary Bavarian king should do one thing above all else: be early. Because if you get here before the first ride of the Herzogstand gondola, you benefit threefold. The sunrise over the mountain peaks is brilliant, the paths are still clear of pedestrians and after a roaring descent you can enjoy the rest of the day by the lake.
It's a quarter past six in the morning and pitch dark. Julian slams the boot shut and switches on his head torch. We roll out of the car park on Kesselbergstraße in the beam of the lamps and a little later we are already on the royal road towards Herzogstand. Our plan: to climb the famous and popular excursion mountain on the outskirts of Munich and experience the sunrise at the summit - before the cable car spits out the first hikers at the top and the path to the summit becomes a crowded obstacle course. The e-bikes play a crucial role today, because without the extra power, the energy-sapping ascent up the steep ramps would be almost impossible to conquer.
It's fresh. The damp morning cold gets into our limbs. Gloves and a long jacket are a must. We pedal in silence and are glad of the quiet, supportive whirring of the bikes. Lake Walchensee lies calm and relaxed beneath us like a huge, black puddle. We ride uphill side by side on the forest track, the beams of our lights dancing together across the gravel. The path initially runs at a gentle incline in the forest. With light motor assistance at a low level, it's ideal for rolling in and warming up in the early morning. But the ascent soon shows its true colours and reveals why the tour is known as a tough challenge, even among fit bikers. The ascent is a real calf-biter, with repeated extremely steep sections on loose ground. It's tempting to press the button for full motor support, but we have to be economical with the battery power: 900 metres of altitude should be possible, but the steep sections require a lot of power and we don't want to risk running out of reserves on the last few metres. We are now pedalling lightly and grinning enthusiastically at each other. Keeping up the speed despite the nasty incline is simply great fun. "I think the last time I was here on a bike was ten years ago, and I certainly wouldn't have struggled up here again in my life," says Julian, looking gratefully at the engine block in his bike. Even though the motorised assistance prevents us from suffering too much pain, the gradient should not be underestimated in terms of riding technique and requires controlled pedalling. The gravel, which is quite loose in places, and the steep incline demand full concentration in order to maintain traction on the rear wheel. It's a lot of fun, work for the fine motor skills after the leisurely roll-in. But if you lose your balance, you'll struggle to get back into the saddle on the steep hairpin bends, even on an e-bike.
At the small Steinalm, the path loses its terror and opens up a view of the large basin between the Herzogstandsattel and the summit. Now the most beautiful part of the ascent begins. While I'm still looking towards the summit, Julian unexpectedly turns right off the forest road, crosses a small meadow and points down into the valley. "We have to turn off onto the singletrail here later. It's the best part of the tour! And further down, it leads back to the forest track." Much more spectacular this early in the morning, however, is the view to the north, down into the flat plain towards Munich. The mountain seems to drop vertically as if cut off. Far below, the landscape lies in the morning blue. Mystical wafts of mist waft close to the ground. Kochelsee, Staffelsee and even Lake Starnberg are within sight, a view like from an aeroplane. With a little imagination, Munich can also be glimpsed in the distance. Julian summarises the scenery with a brief "Wow!". No more words are needed to describe our amazement and the first moment of happiness of the day. "Grüß Gott!" echoes through the silence. We flinch as a man pushes the bushes apart behind us - with his rifle shouldered and wearing traditional hunter's green. Phew, we had actually thought we would be travelling alone so early in the morning. But the company doesn't last long. He gives us a quick glance and a "Pfiat's Eich" and has already disappeared again behind the next tree when we call after him with our "Good morning".
We don't have much time to enjoy the view either, as we still want to get to the summit and the clock is running against us. At 9am sharp, the first gondola takes hikers to the Herzogstandsattel, and by then we want to be sitting on the terrace having breakfast at best. This is when the e-bike really comes into its own - we quickly work our way up higher and higher without having to push ourselves to the limit. The first rays of sunlight peek shyly over the mountain as we reach the mountain inn. The surrounding mountains are now bathed in a vibrant orange colour - a real dream backdrop, almost a little too kitschy.
From here, the path becomes narrower. We are early enough. Not a soul to be seen. So we pedal on along the well-maintained path until we reach the first stony hairpin bend that heralds the steep ascent to the summit. Now it becomes visibly rougher and rockier. "Should we leave the bikes here and walk? Or should we try to push them for a bit?", I ask Julian in view of the completely different nature of the path with its steep stone steps. "Maybe it'll get better later," he says optimistically, and so we heave our bikes further uphill. With the heavy equipment, this is a real challenge that takes time and energy. But the summit is already within our grasp, and we are ambitious. And so the narrow path alternates passages in the saddle with pushing and carrying sections. "It's also a way of conserving the battery," laughs Julian, panting with his bike on his shoulder. Although it's still early, the sun is already shining brightly as we reach the summit cross. The fog has cleared and we enjoy the panoramic view for which the Herzogstand is famous with its prominent location. Karwendel, Wetterstein, Zugspitze and Lake Walchensee with its dazzling colours.
Fortunately, we also have the ascent route in view, where the first hikers are now setting off from the gondola station towards the summit. Time to set off. The descent demands everything we have to offer in terms of riding technique. Slowly, we manoeuvre the bikes downhill. Offsetting the rear wheel is mandatory here, but we still have to pass in some places. "I think I do this more often now than every ten years," laughs Julian, as we sit on the slowly filling terrace at the Herzogstandhaus a little later and sip a cappuccino with a well-earned snack. It's half past nine and the day at the lake still lies ahead of us.
The tour
The starting point is the car park on Kesselbergstraße at an altitude of 830 metres, just above Urfeld am Walchensee. Follow the forest road to the Herzogstandhaus at an altitude of 1575 metres. From there, continue right towards the summit (1731 metres). If you don't want to put in any top riding performances or are running late, leave your bike shortly after the Herzogstandhaus. The descent follows the same route. At the Steinalm on the left, there is a variant on a beautiful (not quite easy) single trail that leads back to the forest path and along this to the car park. As an alternative, you can take the marked descent via the very technically challenging Pionierweg to Kochelsee. The return route then takes you via the Walchensee power station and the forest road back to the car park. Total distance then approx. 24 kilometres, make sure you have enough battery capacity!
Note: The Herzogstand is a popular hiking destination, so you should not do the tour at the weekend or be at the top before the first gondola ride (9 am).
INFO
Arrival from Munich on the A95 motorway to the Murnau-Kochel exit and via Schlehdorf to Kochel - Kesselbergstraße towards Walchensee until shortly before Urfeld
Starting point Kesselbergstraße car park at an altitude of 831 metres
Herzogstand summit 1731 metres altitude
Height difference 900 metres altitude
Route 15 kilometres (alternative 24 km)
Journey time 2.5 hours incl. ascent to the summit
Retreat The Herzogstand mountain inn stands on the site of King Ludwig II's historic royal house, which fell victim to a major fire in 1990. Here you can enjoy typical Bavarian dishes, snacks, coffee and cakes on a wonderful sun terrace with views over Lake Walchensee, the eastern Karwendelspitze, Soiernspitz, Stubai and Ötztal Alps, Wetterstein with Zugspitze, the Estergebirge and the Lechtal and Allgäu mountains.
www.berggasthaus-herzogstand.de
Best time In the snow-free period between May and October.
Map Topographical map of Bad Tölz, Lenggries and surroundings, Bayer. State Surveying Office, 1:50,000
InfoTourism Walchensee www.walchensee.de
Trail-Time: Hochries-Runde
(by Guido Tschugg)
I'm more of a downhill-orientated biker. Rather hard and fun than gruelling and long. As a result, I was mainly out and about in bike parks, and when the Samerberg Bike Park opened near me on the Hochries in 2011, I was naturally there a lot. The Hochries is 1569 metres high and is the first real mountain in the Chiemgau Alps. From here, you can look out over the mountains to the Watzmann and Kaiser, and on the other side, the Sims and Chiemsee lakes lie in the Brettlebene. I've never ridden up Hochries by MTB or without a lift - but that came when I got on an e-MTB ...
The tour is super beautiful, varied, but also not unknown. On a bike, it's a pretty tough ride with 1500 metres in altitude, trails where you have to concentrate and some nasty climbs. On an e-MTB, on the other hand, I still have time and energy to do one or two laps in the bike park at the end.
The start is at the Lederstube near Frasdorf. From there it's off to the Frasdorfer Hütte, which is idyllically situated in a meadow and serves delicious food - as a refreshment stop for later. Continue to the Laubenstein and the Oberwiesen-Alm. The first fine trail awaits, which is a little rough - and that's exactly why it's so beautiful ... There's even a small uphill trail at the Schwarzriesenhütte that you can take with you. It then gets juicy and steep up to the Feichteck-Alm. As a reward, the legendary Feichteck trail leads from the saddle down to the Doagl-Alm. Both are to my taste - the trail, because it's really tough and quite technically demanding with scree and boulders, and the Doagl-Alm, because it serves great snacks and cakes.
From here, you then pedal back uphill to the middle station of the Hochries cable car. You can then decide whether you want to branch off to the bike park or continue via the Käseralm and the flat, flowing Kräuterwiesen trail. The freeride trail in the bike park is very casual with some Northshore elements and jumps. But I usually do another lap in the park on my e-MTB after the tour anyway. So I continue on and take the steep trail from Schwarzenberg alongside the flat meadow path and let it run to Frasdorf.
Tour dates
Distance 34 km
Uphill 1500 hm
Journey time approx. 4 h
Technology
Driving technique high
Condition medium
Battery 1 x 500 Wh, good housekeeping
Garmischmalsoschlecht: Tour to the Reintalangerhütte
(by Holger Meyer)
We've lived in Garmisch-Partenkirchen for a few years now - it's a great home base with a huge playground on the doorstep. Because the mountains get quite steep quite quickly, I'm often out and about on my e-MTB. The tour to the Reintalangerhütte is the best example. I'll tell it like it is: it's mean and steep and the least attractive MTB route there is in Werdenfelser Land. But on an e-MTB it is sensationally beautiful and packed with everything that makes it fun.
You can start in Garmisch at the ski stadium. The route continues briefly on tarmac towards Partnachklamm before turning off onto gravel at the E-Werk. And then it gets really steep up to the Partnachalm. With a normal bike, you'll immediately lose your grip here. It really, really hurts. With a motor, however, you can enjoy the wonderful views of the Wetterstein mountains all around. In the forest, the route continues up and down on a forest road. It only gets interesting before the Bockhütte, where the path becomes narrower.
The valley then becomes ever more intense, ever more high alpine. Towering walls rise up to the left and right, while the Partnach babbles idyllically below. But after the Bockhütte, you no longer really have eyes for the landscape, because the trail becomes more exciting at the same time: steeper, rougher, more technical - and more fun. It's great fun on an e-MTB. You have to concentrate, look at which support you choose, which position on the saddle. It's bumpy, then sometimes it's paved with stone slabs, now and again there are slippery roots - but it's easy to ride. You work your way up higher and higher, see another waterfall on the left and finally the hut with its prayer flags in this amazing setting.
The hut is located in a forest clearing at 1369 metres at the end of the valley. Because of the many Zugspitze hikers, you shouldn't necessarily do the tour at the weekend. This way, you can enjoy your meal in peace, flop down in the deckchairs, drink a wheat beer and think to yourself that life is "garmischmalsoschlecht", as we now say here. You cruise back down the same trail and must not be too careless with your battery on the counter-climbs at the end, otherwise the last bar before the stadium entrance will flash.
Tour dates
Distance 38 km
Uphill 1500 hm
Journey time 3,5 h
Technology
Driving technique medium
Condition medium
Battery 1 x 500 Wh, good economy
Nature tour: Around the Reiteralm
(by Manuel Huber)
At the moment, it seems almost taboo to go on tours without a lot of trails. I love trails, no question about it, but the experience of nature is still the decisive factor for me. And in Berchtesgadener Land we have that in a special dimension. We are located in a national park, and if you respect that, you can enjoy it to the full. Speaking of enjoyment: the number of refreshment stops on this tour is extremely high.
The start is in Ramsau near Berchtesgaden, our mountaineering village. After the village, turn right to the Schwarzbachwacht, past old farms and on to the Schwarzbachalmen. A mountain stream meanders through the alpine meadows, the cows graze - it could hardly be more picturesque. A little way along the stream to Unterjettenberg, and you have the imposing walls of the Reiteralm in front of you. You are close to the rock, but riding on undulating terrain. I should perhaps mention one more thing: If you're tackling the tour with just one battery, you should cycle sparingly, because the steep part comes at the end ...
After the border, things get a little gentler in Pinzgau. You roll straight through Lofer until the climb finally begins at St. Martin. You have about 30-35 kilometres behind you by the time you reach the narrow Wildental valley. It's always amazing to see how the mountain farmers still toil on the steep slopes here. There are some really tough ramps up to the Litzlalm and you are really grateful for the e-assistance. You can now safely drain the battery, because it's all downhill from the top.
The Litzlalm is the region's bike meeting point. We can recommend everything - from the cheese dumpling soup to the Kaiserschmarrn pancakes. You're still sitting in Austria, but looking over into beautiful Bavaria. The Hirschbichl Pass is not far away and marks the entrance to the Berchtesgaden National Park. You continue downhill on a flowing meadow trail past the Bindalmen (next refreshment stop). And from there over lightly wooded alpine meadows, on a suspension bridge over the Klausbach to Hintersee. If you need to cool off, you can go swimming here - although the water is more like the temperature of an ice barrel. At the end of the tour, we can highly recommend the Autzinger Bavarian inn with its sensational food. The more you eat, the faster you roll back to Ramsau.
Tour dates
Distance 54 km
Uphill 1400 hm
Journey time approx. 3.5 h
Technology
Driving technique light
Condition medium
Battery 1 x 500 Wh, good economy
Allgäu spice: Niedere Bleick
(by Maxi Dickerhoff)
The two-wheeled spirits are about to be divided. Some will shake their heads, others will rub their hands together: brutal stitches, difficult terrain, spicy root carpets - please only read on if you're rubbing your hands together.
The tour up the Niedere Bleick is my favourite tour in the Ostallgäu. The mountain is 1589 metres high, lies on the northern edge of the Ammergau Alps and has a beautifully open, free-standing summit. It all sounds harmless so far ... From the hikers' car park near Trauchgau, it's straight uphill on gravel. It is important that you don't follow the Niedere Bleick sign at a large fork, but turn right to Wolfskopf - if you don't, you will suffer!
After the steep forest section, you finally reach a plateau, and then at the next fork you head back towards Niedere Bleick. After a wooded area, the trail becomes steeper and you branch off to the left onto a bumpy forest path. This is soon followed by a flat section with an amazing view of the valley - but you can also see what lies ahead: a continuous, steep path that cuts straight through the slope.
The ground gets looser and looser - technique is required. Then, in the middle of it all, there is a pasture fence over which you have to hoist the e-MTB. This means starting off on steep terrain. But eventually you end up in an idyllic mountain meadow, from where you follow a track to the summit. The view at the top is simply brilliant: the Allgäu Alps, the Wetterstein massif, the lowlands - it's all there in front of you.
The downhill trail (with a view of the Wieskirche) starts directly at the summit cross and actually stretches down into the valley. It is really very challenging, starting with hairpin bends before turning into a carpet of roots in the forest. I would therefore only recommend this tour in dry weather. Every now and then it gets flowy and fast, but in general the trail challenges you technically and physically right to the end. It's also important that you don't run your battery completely flat on the way to the summit, as there's another climb to Trauchgau.
Tour dates
Distance 9 km
Uphill 900 hm
Journey time approx. 3 h
Technology
Driving technique heavy
Condition medium
Battery 1 x 500 Wh
Trail hunting: around the Hirschberg
(from Berny Stoll)
I used to be a transalp guide and riding technique trainer on all the trails in the Eastern and Western Alps. Today I am at home just outside the Tegernsee Valley, where there is also excellent trail material. However, I would like to see some positive changes here. In other Alpine regions, you can see how well it works between hikers and bikers if you communicate it accordingly. In Bavaria, there is still an underlying mood of anxiety that hinders co-operation. But it will get better. There are definitely enough great tours - like the trail round the Hirschberg.
You can park in Wildbad Kreuth by the Weißach and start by warming up in the idyllic setting by the river. After a few kilometres you come to the Weißachalm, and from Scharling it's finally uphill: 500 metres in altitude in one go on a medium gradient - with a bike you have to push, with an e-MTB you whistle nicely uphill. I believe that sooner or later we won't be able to avoid e-MTBs. Once you've sat on it, you'll get the hang of it.
After 400 metres in altitude, the forest thins out and beautiful views of the Hirschberg open up again and again. At the top, you come to a prominent saddle with a crossroads. Turn half right into the forest onto the first (legal) trail (no. 607C, towards Bauer in der Au). Right at the start, there are the first sticking points, but you're still in good shape. It starts off slightly blocked, and there are a few potential push sections before it becomes much more flowy at the bottom.
After two kilometres, you end up on gravel again and turn off to the back of the Hirschberg. It is a relaxed uphill walk to the Luckengraben-Alm and continues along a short section of path to the Holzerstube and finally to the Schwarzentennalm, where you can stop for a bite to eat. It is surrounded by old barns on an open, sunny meadow, and there is a delicious snack platter. A little way after the hut, the trail heads uphill to the left towards Leonhardsteig until you reach the final trail entrance. This turns off to the right towards Duslau-Alm and now offers plenty of flow fun all the way back down into the valley to Wildbad Kreuth. The Hirschberg Trail is one of the few trails signposted as "shared trails" in our area - i.e. for bikers and hikers. We all very much hope that this will set a precedent.
Tour dates
Distance 26 km
Uphill 1041 hm
Journey time 2,5 h
Technology
Driving technique medium
Condition medium
Battery 1 x 500 Wh
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Florentin Vesenbeckh
Editor CvD
