Mountain Tours for Families With Children in Bavaria: 7 Great Tips

1

Impressive Circular Hike

Through the Partnachklamm gorge to the Eckbauer mountain (1,237 metres)
It is one of the most impressive natural beauties of the Bavarian Alps: the Partnachklamm, a 700-metre-long gorge washed out by a roaring mountain stream. From the gorge, the trail leads up to the Eckbauer, Garmisch-Partenkirchen's smallest local mountain.

The start is at the Partenkirchen ski stadium, the venue of the traditional New Year's jumping of the Four Hills Tournament. The signposted route leads along an asphalt path to the entrance to the gorge, where adults pay six euros at the ticket office, children five euros. In the past, lumberjacks used the gorge to transport timber from the neighbouring valleys to the south. In 1905, a lot of dynamite was used to open up paths, tunnels and galleries for tourism.

Today, around 200,000 guests visit the impressive gorge every year and are intoxicated by a roar of up to 100 decibels. It is much quieter from the southern exit of the gorge. From there, the path leads uphill across the Graseck plateau to the Eckbauer. The terrace of the "Berggasthof Eckbauer" offers a refreshing snack and a phenomenal view of the rocky Wetterstein massif opposite. The path leads downhill directly next to the cable car mountain station.

On hot days, a visit to the traditional Kainzenbad (just before the ski stadium), a natural outdoor pool popular with locals and holidaymakers for 100 years, is recommended.

• Rest stop: Kaiserschmarrn-Alm (only in German) at Graseck, Berggasthof Eckbauer (only in German) at Eckbauer
• How to get there: By train to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, continue by local bus, line 1 or 2, to the ski stadium

2

Relaxed Round Tour

To the Buchenberg (1,140 metres) in the Ammergau Alps
A very leisurely and well-signposted alpine pasture hike in the Ammergau Alps Nature Park: to the 1,140-metre-high Buchenberg, a rather unspectacular grassy hump seen from the valley. But at the summit and on the terrace of the "Buchenbergalm", there is a tremendous panoramic view of the Ammergau Alps in the south to the flat foothills of the Alps in the north.

Start at the valley station of the Buchenberg cable car. Directly below the chairlift, the ascent route soon branches off to the right onto the Kulturenweg path. Over lush alpine meadows and shady root paths, the trail leads relaxed up to the "Buchenbergalm", where children can let off steam in the playground or even pet donkeys and goats. From the large panorama terrace of the alpine pasture, you can look down on two imposing peaks of the Ammergau Alps: the Hochplatte and the Geiselstein.

Down in the valley lies the Bannwaldsee lake and to the west its big brother, the Forggensee lake. On days with good thermals, many paragliders take off from one of the two launch sites next to the Alm. Back into the valley, hikers first head east and then north downhill, always along a romantic babbling brook.

• Rest stop: Buchenbergalm (only in German), open daily 9 am. to 6 pm.
• Anfahrt:
• How to get there: By train to Füssen, continue with bus 73 to Buching, chairlift

3

Mountain Tour With Barefoot Path and Swimming Lakes

Round-trip hike Hoher Kranzberg (1,391 metres)
Of Mittenwald's local mountains, this is one of the smaller, much less prominent peaks, compared to the rocky massif of the 1,000-metre higher western Karwendelspitze directly opposite. On the other hand, the Hohe Kranzberg has its very own charm, especially with two refreshing bathing lakes on the round tour.

After the "access trail" from the railway station to the valley station of the Kranzberg cable car, we recommend the ascent on the right via the northern route under the chairlift. Still below the summit, the "Berggasthof St. Anton" invites you to a first rest stop. If you would like to take off your shoes for a moment: a barefoot circular trail a good one kilometre long leads from there on 24 stations over pine cones and pebbles, tree bark and moss floors, a sensory experience for the whole family. Back on the hiking trail, you will soon reach the summit with its fantastic 360-degree panoramic view.

After three more kilometres, the descent route towards the south comes to the shore of Lake  Ferchensee, into which Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also said to have dared to take a dive during the first G7 summit. Attractive bathing spots are just as tempting for refreshment there as they are a little further down at Lake Lautersee. From there it is almost flat back to the starting point. Tip: After the tour, visit the impressive Leutaschklamm gorge ... including a search for the gorge spirit.

• Rest stop: Berggasthof St. Anton, Gasthaus Ferchensee, Lautersee-Alm (only in German)
• How to get there: By train to Mittenwald

4

On Magdalena Neuner's Tracks

Panorama tour on the Krepelschrofen (1,160 metres)
It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful panoramic mountains in the entire Alpenwelt Karwendel and one of the easiest peaks to climb: the Krepelschrofen near Wallgau beckons with a magnificent panoramic view of the rugged rock faces of the Karwendel and the Wetterstein as well as of the entire lovely Upper Isar Valley all the way to Mittenwald. A tour in the footsteps of one of the once world's best female biathlon athletes!

From Wallgau town hall, head briefly north, continue across the village square and to the left via Sonnleiten to the start of the Magdalena Neuner Panorama Trail, named after the village's most famous resident, the two-time Olympic biathlon champion and twelve-time world champion, who gathered new strength and recharged her batteries during her career in the few quiet days at home on Krepelschrofen. A special energy spot for an outstanding sportswoman!

During the ascent, which is mostly on a forest path to the top, 28 information boards along the way describe the unique career of this exceptional athlete. From the summit, the view sweeps over to the Soierngruppe to the east of Wallgau, across the entire Isar valley to the Westliche Karwendelspitze and the adjacent Karwendel mountains to the Wetterstein and Estergebirge mountains.

• Rest stop: Gasthof „Zur Post“ in Wallgau
• How to get there: Take the train to Kochel, then bus 9608. Alternative: By train to Klais, continue with bus 9618, both to Wallgau town hall

5

Classic of the Bavarian Foothills of the Alps

The Tour up the Jochberg (1.565 Meter)
It is one of the best-known tours in the south of Munich: the hike up the Jochberg mountain. The excursion is particularly attractive with a round trip and a swim stop at Walchensee.

A big advantage: even on the car or public transport journey up the Kesselberg, you gain plenty of metres in altitude. From the top of the pass at 858 metres, the trail leads east through the mountain forest. At small clearings, the view opens up again and again to the north, to the Kochelsee lake and the foothills of the Alps behind it. When you reach the edge of the forest, you soon turn left onto a path towards the summit. The varied views of the high rocky peaks of the Karwendel in the south and the turquoise Lake Walchensee as well as the view out into the Alpine foothills in the north, with good visibility as far as Lake Starnberg, Lake Ammersee and even Munich, are always inspiring.

Continue downhill to the shore of Lake Walchensee, which now invites you to take a refreshing dip. Refreshments with snacks and drinks are available at the kiosk of the small farm shop at Sachenbacher Bucht (bay). Return along the lakeshore to the bus stop in Urfeld at the foot of the Kesselberg.

• Rest stop: Jocheralm, Kiosk/Hofladen Sachenbach (only in German)
• How to get there: By train to Kochel, continue with bus 9608 to Kesselberg, Passhöhe. Return from Urfeld bus stop with 9608 to Kochel

6

Dream View and Tobogganing Fun

Over the Heiglkopf to the Blomberg (1,248 metres)
They are two of Tölz's local mountains: the Heiglkopf and the neighbouring Blomberg. The tour to both peaks offers the best views of the picturesque surrounding countryside, a proper stop for refreshments and a speedy descent on the summer toboggan run. So everything is on offer for a perfect family day in the mountains.

Let's go to Wackersberg on the south side of the "Altwirt Wackersberg". And on presidential tracks: on a part of the Richard von Weizsäcker circular trail HK 52. The former Federal President had a second home in the village as a holiday domicile, and in summer and winter he was often seen in the area hiking, swimming and cross-country skiing. After two kilometres, you pass the "Waldherralm" and enter the forest, then turn right up towards Heiglkopf, a gentle grassy hump with an overwhelming view of the Isarwinkel, over Lenggries in the south and into the Karwendel.

Once you have had your fill, continue through a small hollow and along the exciting art trail with many sculptures, effigies and land art objects by well-known Upper Bavarian artists towards the "Blomberghaus", which serves up Bavarian delicacies. A highlight awaits you on the final descent: from the middle station, you have the option of taking the summer toboggan run down into the valley, great fun for the whole family.

• Rest stop: Altwirt Wackersberg, Waldherralm, Blomberghaus (only in German)
• How to get there: Take RVO bus 9564 from Bad Tölz central bus station or Lenggries station to Altwirt, Wackersberg. Return from Blombergbahn with RVO bus 9591 or 9612 to Bad Tölz station

7

From Lake Schliersee to Lake Tegernsee

Beautiful family tour over the Gindelalmschneid (1,335 metres)
Taking the train to the mountains, apart from ecological effects, this also has another decisive advantage: you don't have to go back to your car, but can walk leisurely from point A to point B. This is the case when crossing the Gindelalmschneid from east to west, from Lakes Schliersee to Tegernsee.

From Schliersee station, the trail goes down to the lake and along the north shore via a short ascent and descent towards Breitenbach. From there, the trail leads west past the "Almbad Huberspitz", an inn that is only open on weekend afternoons. With the exception of Monday, the "Gindelalm" is open every day with its sun terrace serving plenty of Bavarian snack classics. From there, it is only a short distance, just under 100 metres in altitude, to the summit, the Gindelalmschneid. At the top, a beautiful panorama opens up from the Schliersee to the Mangfall Mountains, the Karwendel or also towards the southeast to the Wetterstein mountain and the Zugspitze.

The descent leads over the next popular classic hut, the "Berggasthof Neureuth", from which the Tegernsee can already be clearly seen as the destination. The last three kilometres are a rapid descent to Tegernsee railway station. If you feel like taking a refreshing dip in the lake at the end, you can alternatively head north from Neureuth towards Gmund, to the beautiful sunbathing lawn at the "Seeglas" lido.

• Rest stop: Gindelalm (only in German), Berggasthof Neureuth (only in German)
• How to get there: By train to Schliersee, back from Tegernsee