Discover Germany | Travel | Alpenwelt Karwendel Mittenwald Krün Wallgau Tourismus
Left: Hay bales on the hummocky meadows. Photo: © Alpenwelt Karwendel / Wera Tuma Top right: The Maria Rast Chapel in the hummocky meadows. Photo: © Alpenwelt Karwendel / Christoph Schober
Where hiking and indulgence go hand in hand
Below right: Schmalensee Lake in autumn. Photo: © Alenwelt Karwendel / Stefan Eisend
Around 100 kilometres south of Munich, between the famous Zugspitze and the Karwendel mountain range, one can find the Alpenwelt Karwendel. Here, in the vast Bavarian high valley with breathtaking panoramic mountain views, visitors can experience unparalleled nature experiences, untouched countryside, lived traditions and regional delicacies that are best discovered on exciting hikes.
up to one metre developed on the limey ground. Today, young and old alike can look forward to an exceptional hike from Wallgau to Mittenwald that features a variety of landscapes, as well as a rich offering of culinary treats along the way.
TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF
If you are looking for a somewhat different holiday this year, you should probably head to the Alpenwelt Karwendel around the three towns of Mittenwald, Krün and Wallgau. It combines special nature experiences, such as small creeks, sparkling lakes, colourful meadows, picturesque forests and beautiful gorges like the Geisterklamm. The latter is one of the region’s favourite sights with its waterfalls and deep gorges, and poses as a perfect hiking hotspot. Of course, distinctive peaks like the Soiernspitze also belong to the Alpenwelt Karwendel. At 2,257 metres, the Soiernspitze is the highest mountain in the Soiern Group and its summit can be climbed in an easy, yet breathtaking mountain hike. “And what 58 | Issue 62 | May 2018
could be better than jumping in a lake after an eventful mountain hike,” smiles Sarah Hoffmann, marketing manager at Alpenwelt Karwendel. One of Bavaria’s Top 100 biotopes “In summer, there’s a lot to discover in the Alpenwelt Karwendel. Visitors especially appreciate our ‘Buckelwiesen’ (hummocky meadows),” Hoffmann says. This is most definitely an insider’s tip for nature lovers and families alike: one of Bavaria’s Top 100 biotopes. The hummocky meadows which still get mowed by hand are a relic from the ice age as the distinctively hilly meadows developed in the ‘Würm glaciation’, the last glacial period in the Alps, when thousands of individual hills with heights
Hoffmann’s advice is to leave the car behind and to take the bus to Wallgau. From there, the hike leads to the idyllically situated Maria Rast Chapel before reaching the Goasalm mountain hut which is a perfect place to stop for a bite to eat. Here, a farm shop and a small cheese factory should not be missed as the local farm produces many great goat’s milk products. Especially popular is the goat’s milk ice cream. Or how about a special souvenir for your home, like the handmade hay cushions from the hummocky meadows? Next stop on the sunny, alpine hiking route is the Schmalensee Lake and, before reaching the historic town centre of Mittenwald, a visit to the quaint Gröblalm lodge is advised. Here, the junior chef,