Bavarian Alps - In Style

TRIP DOSSIER
Bavarian Alps - In Style
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• A Self-guided walk from the Allgaeu to Garmisch through beautiful landscapes
• Fairytale Castles ‘Schloss Neuschwanstein’
• Follow the trails of King Ludwig as you journey through the Bavarian Alps
Self-Guided Departures
Walking Grade: B/C – Moderate/Demanding
Trip Code: TISK
For dates and prices visit
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Bavarian Alps - In Style
Introduction
both are a wonderful way to end an even more wonderful
week on our Bavarian Alps walking discovery.
This walk follows the trial of the of King Ludwig II, the
‘Swan King’, some say he was mad, but one thing is for
sure, this somewhat eccentric King of Bavaria left behind
a legacy intertwined with the history of art and
extravagant architecture. The Swan King is probably
best known for creating the fantasy castle of Schloss
Neuschwanstein, which is without doubt the most
famous and iconic landmark in Bavaria. During the
course of this amazing walking holiday through the
stunning scenery of Bavaria you will see and discover
more about the fascinating Swan King whilst exploring
the Bavarian Alps. From the outset, a short stroll on the
‘Panoramaweg’ sets the tone with delightful views of
distant Neuschwanstein, as well as the Bavarian and
Tyrolean Alps. Walking through delightful Bavarian
villages, there are more fantasy castles to enjoy,
including Falkenstein, the highest castle in Germany.
Reaching Füssen, it’s time to pay a visit to iconic
Neuschwanstein and if you have the energy a stiff hike
to the top of Tegelberg (1,730 metres) for fine Alpine
views. Of course you can always take the cable car
up/down instead.
Important Note
The trails of the Bavarian Alps continues upwards to King
Ludwig’s old, historic hunting cabin at Bleckenau (1,167
metres) and beyond to the Alpe Jägerhütte (1,435
metres). Descending to another fairytale castle of the
Swan King, Schloss Linderhof you spend the night in a
true Schloss Hotel, very close to the castle itself. As hard
as it may be to leave here, there is more to look forward
to as you then walk along the scenic ‘Via Alpina’, through
delightful Bavarian Alpine forests, where eagles dare to
reach the Bavarian resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
From Garmisch you can take a ride up to Zugspitze
(2,964 metres), the highest mountain in Germany for
utterly sublime views over the Bavarian Alps, take a swim
in the crystal clear Eibsee and appreciate the beautifully
painted, colourful Bavarian homes. Your final day of
hiking is a choice between a challenging walk up, up and
up to Schachen Schloss, King Ludwig’s high Alpine
castle, or to Mittenwald. This easier walk is one of the
most scenic in Bavaria passing Schloss Elmau and
glittering lakes along the way to reach the exceptionally
attractive, traditional village of Mittenwald, famous as the
home to violin craftsmen in a picture postcard setting
surrounded by high mountains. Whichever you choose,
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Due to the specialist nature of our holidays, day to day
itineraries should be taken as a guide only, and as
statements of intent and not contractual obligations. We
regularly update our trip dossiers to take into account
changes to trekking routes, accommodation, local
transport etc. Such changes are a factor of this type of
holiday and when made are out of necessity. Other
factors such as adverse weather, unforeseen
circumstances and other matters entirely out of our
control etc can also lead to enforced changes during the
course of the holiday. It is not possible to guarantee that
any of our holidays will operate exactly as per the
anticipated itinerary. The most current trip dossier will be
made available on our website. We will also send you the
most up to date trip dossier with your “Final Joining
Instructions” approx. 2 weeks before departure and you
should carefully check this for any changes that may
affect your plans. Before booking you should read our
“Types of Trip” and “Essential and Useful information”
sections on www.walksworldwide.com including our
‘Important Warning’.
Your holiday
Life on trek
As this is a self-guided holiday you can of course dictate
your own schedule. As a general rule, usually you will
walk for 2-4 hours in the morning, and then halt for a
leisurely lunch (either at a café/restaurant en route, or a
picnic lunch in a scenic place). After lunch you’ll walk for
3-4 hours to your next overnight accommodation. Your
main baggage is transferred to your overnight
accommodation, so during the day you will only need to
carry your usual daypack.
Walking conditions
From lower level valley walks to higher walks in the
mountains you’ll be following waymarked trails, primarily
with good conditions underfoot. These can vary from
rocky trails to forest trails. There will also be sections of
both ascent and descent, which may be steep at times,
but rarely sustained. The walk to the summit of
Tegelberg involves 950m of ascent and descent on a
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Bavarian Alps - In Style
steep, winding trail. There is the option to take the
Gondola up and/or down. Average daily walking distance
is approx. 15km, with an average daily walking time of
around 5-8 hours. Although the distances may appear
‘short’ please note that the elevation and terrain does
make some trails demanding and you will need to be in
good physical fitness.
notification of any changes along the way
or
recommendations for improvement if you would care to
forward any useful and specific information to them.
Alternatively, send to Walks Worldwide and we will
forward accordingly.
A full explanation of the trip grading can be found in our
brochure or online at www.walksworldwide.com. You
should ensure you are comfortable walking at this level
of grading and are physically prepared for the trip.
Detailed itinerary
Self-Guided Holiday
As the name suggests, self-guided holidays are for those
that prefer to be independent. Within reason you are able
to dictate your own schedule, as well as walk at your own
pace with the aid of route notes and maps. All your
accommodation has been reserved in advance and
unless otherwise stated within this trip dossier, your main
baggage is transferred between each accommodation
along the way, so there’s no need to worry about carrying
heavy loads and having to back pack. This means you
only need to walk each day and carry your usual
lightweight daypack. However, it is important that you are
entirely comfortable with being independent whilst on a
walking holiday.
For detailed information as to what a self-guided holiday
entails please read the self-guided walking holidays
section in the Types of Trip section on
www.walksworldwide.com before booking your selfguided walking holiday.
Route Notes - help keep them up to date
Things can and do change along the routes that selfguided walking holidays follow. A sign may have been
changed, or even removed, a path may have been
obstructed, even re-routed, a landmark the route notes
refer to may simply no longer exist. It is clearly
impossible to keep track of all the changes that may
occur outside the local tour operators control and
knowledge. It may be the route notes translation can be
improved (they are translated into several languages by
the local operator after all) too. Clearly a case of “last
person to walk the route” has the most up to date
information. In the spirit of camaraderie amongst walkers
and in an effort to constantly keep route notes updated
and improved upon, the local operator (contact details in
your final joining instructions) will always welcome
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Day 1 Arrive Munich/Memmingen and take
train to Oy-Mittelberg
Arrive at Munich (or Memmingen) and travel to the
Bavarian village of Oy-Mittelberg by train/bus (see ‘How
to join and depart this trip’ section later in this Trip
Dossier).
Depending upon your arrival time, a great short
afternoon option would be to take a stroll along the
‘Panoramaweg’ beneath the Bavarian and Tyrolean
Alps, enjoy the views.
Optional walk 1-3 hours / 1-2 hrs
Ascent 300m / descent 300m
4* Hotel (breakfast)
Day 2 Walk through Bavarian villages to
Lake Grunten
This is a fairly easy day to get things started with some
low level walking passing through several delightful
Bavarian villages. Along the way you’ll come to the lovely
Lake Grunten where a dip in the lake will cool you down
on warmer days. You can also pay a visit to the
Klettergarten by another small lake where you can go on
an aerial walkway high in the tree canopy, or simply relax
and enjoy a snack at the café. You then head towards
the tiny villages of Eisenberg and Zell, where your hotel
is located beneath the ruins of Freyburg and Eisenstein.
From the sauna of your hotel you can enjoy breathtaking
views of the Bavarian Alps.
Ascent 300m
Walking duration: 4-5 hours / 15km
4* Hotel (breakfast)
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Day 3 Hike to Falkenstein to Lake Forggen
You now head across countryside of the Allgäu towards
the mountains across the valley floor and to the small
town of Pfronten. Here you ascend 400m up to the ruined
castle of Falkenstein (1,203m) where you can look
forward to wonderful panoramic views. The Falkenstein
was intended to surpass Neuschwanstein in splendour;
however, a “credit crunch” halted this! There’s a great
restaurant at the top to reward your efforts. Skirting the
border with Austria the route then descends to a beautiful
alpine pasture area known as Salober Alm, where a
mountain café does a well deserved coffee and cake.
Following the ridgeline of this small mountain you
continue to descend to the medieval town of Füssen,
home to two castles of King Ludwig and your delightful
hotel, complete with Spa on the shores of Lake Forggen.
Ascent: 450m
Walking duration: 5-6 hours/ 16km
4* Hotel (breakfast)
Day 4 Visit Schloss Neuschwanstein and
climb Tegelberg
The number one and ‘must see’ attraction here is the
most famous landmark in the whole of Bavaria (and
probably Germany too), the truly magnificent fairytale
style Schloss Neuschwanstein. Here you can take a
guided tour (in English) of this truly amazing castle, a
mere 45 minute walk up from Füssen, as well as take a
visit to Hohenschwangau where King Ludwig spent
much of his childhood. In the afternoon it’s time to
ascend to the 1730m summit of Tegelberg. The hike is
around 6km and a steep up, up, up, with 950m of ascent
and will take you between 3-4 hours to climb to the top.
There’s always the option of taking the cable car up and
hiking down, or taking the cable car both ways. The
views from the summit are genuinely breathtaking as you
look over the Alps of both Bavaria and Tyrol and down to
the forests, valleys and lakes below.
We recommend you pre book your tickets to
Neuschwanstein Castle as early as possible. Here is the
link to make the bookings:
https://www.hohenschwangau.de/543.html
You may book your tickets online, but not print them.
Tickets have to be picked up at least one hour before the
tour time at the ticket counter at the foot of the castle. Be
warned, if you do not collect your tickets an hour in
advance, you lose your ticket time without a refund.
Ascent: 1,150m (Neuschwanstein & walking ascent of Tegel,
cable car descent).
Walking duration: 6-7 hours/ 16km
4* Hotel (breakfast)
Day 5 Walk up to the Alpe Jagerhutte,
descend, transfer to Schloss Linderhof
It’s now time to head into the Bavarian Alps proper.
Leaving the lake behind you head into a valley
surrounded on both sides by the steep mountain slopes
of Tegel and Säuling. The trail rises steadily to reach the
old, historic hunting hut of the last Bavarian King at
Bleckenau (1,167m). Close by is the Berg Gasthaus
where you can get a delicious meal and refreshments.
The route continues upwards to reach a pass and the
Alpe Jägerhütte (1,435m) before beginning to descend
quickly down into the Ammerwald valley and onto the
Hotel Ammerwald. From a here a short transfer brings
you to yet another fairytale castle, Schloss Linderhof.
Tonight you will stay ‘next door’ to the castle in a true
Schloss Hotel (980m).
Ascent: 400m
Walking duration: 5-6 hours/ 16km
4* Hotel (breakfast)
Day 6 Follow the "Via Alpina" to GarmischPartenkirchen
Before leaving Linderhof, it’s highly recommended to
visit the Schloss Linderhof itself. You can always visit it
the previous day too and enjoy a stroll around the
landscaped parkland surrounding the Schloss. You’ll
then hike to Garmisch through the mountain valleys and
forests following the “Via Alpina”, that runs all the way
from Trieste to Monaco along old forest tracks.
Ascent 600m
Walking duration: 6-7 hours/ 20km
4* Hotel (breakfast)
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Bavarian Alps - In Style
Day 7 Walk to Schachen Schloss, or visit
the scenic village of Mittenwald
Today you have choices from Garmisch, one moderate
and one more challenging. The challenging hike (and
remaining true to the theme of “In Search of the Swan
King”) is to walk to King Ludwig’s High Alpine Castle,
Schachen Schloss. Lying at an altitude of 1866m in the
shadow of Dreitorspitze peak (2633m), the strategically
located Schloss commands magnificent views of the
valleys below. This challenging hike of some 20km
involves around 1200m of ascent and descent and takes
approx. 7 hours. The more moderate option is arguably
one of the most scenic walks in Bavaria to the utterly
charming village of Mittenwald. Along the way as you
walk along the valley floor to Mittenwald you pass
Schloss Emau and a couple of delightful alpine lakes.
avoid unnecessary costs inflating the trip price,
departure airport transfers are also not included. If
you prefer, our consultants can arrange a departure
transfer for you on request - please contact us for prices.
Alternatively, a licensed, metered taxi or local, public
transport may be arranged from the hotel to take you to
the airport.
Flight Inclusive
Walking duration: 6-7 hours / 20km
We recommend that you book this trip as a 'Flight
Inclusive' package. Booking your international flights
through Walks Worldwide guarantees you peace of mind
and provides 100% financial protection under our CAA
ATOL licence. What's more, if you book your flights with
us as well as your ground arrangements, we will manage
these flight arrangements both before and during your
trip. As an ATOL Licence holder, we are able to secure
and arrange competitively-priced airfares with most
major airlines from the UK (as displayed on our website),
as well as the option of regional departures too.
4* Hotel (breakfast)
Land Only
Ascent 1,200m / Descent 1200m
Day 8 Take train back to Munich
Depart Garmisch.
(breakfast)
Practical Information
How to join and depart this trip
The joining point for this trip is Oy-Mittelberg train/bus
station on day 1 of the above itinerary. The nearest
international airport is either Munich or Memmingen.
In order to avoid unnecessary costs inflating the price of
your trip, arrival airport transfers are not included, so
you should make your way on arrival to the joining point
(full details of the joining hotel will be sent 2-3 weeks
before your trip departs). However, if you prefer, our
consultants can arrange an arrival transfer for you if you
request this - please contact us for prices. Alternatively,
a licensed, metered taxi or local, public transport may be
available from the airport.
The departure point for this trip is our tour hotel in
Garmisch on day 8and you can plan your departure
anytime on day 8 of the trip itinerary. Again, in order to
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If you would prefer to arrange your own international
travel you can book this trip as a 'Land Only' package,
where the price does not include international flights.
Please note that if you are booking your own flights there
are certain risks you should be aware of. Many airline
tickets purchased directly are non-refundable and often
do not provide you with any financial protection (unlike
booking your flights with ourselves where you would be
100% protected under our CAA ATOL licence). For this
reason we strongly advise that you check the rules of any
flight booking you make, and check the limitations under
any insurance policy you may have in relation to
cancellation or date changes. We cannot be held liable
for any losses incurred or consequences of any flight
bookings or related travel arrangements you have made
yourself, such as if your international flights were
delayed or cancelled and you could not join or depart
your holiday on time. If you do decide to book Land Only,
we strongly advise that you do not book international
flights or make other travel arrangements (especially if
there are financial penalties for cancellation or change)
until your chosen holiday is guaranteed to run. Please
also ensure when making your own international travel
arrangements that they enable you to join and depart this
trip in accordance with the criteria specified in the How
to join and depart this trip section of this Trip Dossier.
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Travel by Train
If you would prefer to travel to/from Munich by train
www.raileurope.co.uk provides an online booking
service for European rail services, including Eurostar.
Please do not book your International rail tickets or make
any other travel arrangements until we have checked
availability and confirmed your booking.
Accommodation
Accommodation will be reserved for you on a twin-share
basis unless you have already requested a single room.
3* Schloss Linderhof and the 3* Burg Hotel Baeren are
used, as there are no alternatives on these 2 nights. 5
nights are spent in 4* Hotels, including the Hotel Sommer
Spa on the shores of the Forgensee in Füssen and the
delightful Treffhotel Alpina in Garmisch. If any of these
are not available alternative 4* hotels may be used for
one or more of these 5 nights.
Food
All breakfasts are included in the Land Only price of this
holiday. Lunches and dinners are intentionally not
included to afford the opportunity to enjoy the wide
variety of wonderful Bavarian cuisine to suit your own
particular tastes and budget. During the course of the
walking you will pass by villages and towns, mountain
restaurants, cable car stations etc where you can take
lunch, or simply carry a picnic with you to enjoy in a
scenic place, which you can obtain from your overnight
accommodation or village shop.
Climate
It is of course impossible to predict the precise weather
conditions you will encounter during the course of your
holiday. However, we do schedule our holidays to
coincide with what should be the most suitable weather
periods for walking. Summer in the Alps is usually quite
warm, with frequent dry periods, although rain and
thunderstorms can occur at anytime. Mountains are
notorious for creating their own, localised weather
conditions, so you should always be prepared for
inclement weather conditions. For climate statistics visit
www.worldweather.org
Roughly speaking temperatures decrease by approx.
1ºC for every 200 metre increase in altitude.
Altitude
The altitudes on this trip are moderate and you should
not anticipate any problems.
Baggage
Please make sure that your baggage is clearly marked
with your name, inside as well as outside, in case the
labels get detached. Your main baggage will be
transferred by vehicle between accommodations. Please
restrict your main baggage to one piece per person. As
your main baggage will be transported by vehicle a
normal suitcase can be used for your main baggage.
Vaccinations & health
We always recommend visiting your doctor and dentist
for a check up before travelling. Your doctor will also
have access to the most up to date information on
vaccinations and medical precautions for the country you
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are about to visit. In general, no vaccinations are
necessary for Germany and health problems here are
quite rare. A useful travel health online resource is
www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk
Please make sure that you obtain form EHIC either
online www.dh.gov.uk or from your local post office
– you will need to produce this if you have to see a
doctor.
First Aid
You should always carry your own small, personal first
aid kit. This should consist of the following: A general
anti-biotic, throat lozenges, painkillers, plasters (bandaids), blister treatment, insect repellent (DEET),
rehydration salts, antiseptic cream, diarrhoea treatment
(e.g. Imodium).
Security
Whilst the vast majority of travellers never experience
anything untoward it is worth taking precautions
particularly in urban areas. You should take sensible
precautions in crowded areas such as street markets
and airports, where pick-pocketing is common, and keep
clear of any street disturbances. Don’t wear jewellery, or
leave your bags unattended, keep large amounts of
money, cameras and mobile phones out of sight when
walking in town centres, and avoid walking in city centres
after dark. Keep copies of important documents,
including passports, in a separate place to the
documents themselves, together with details of credit
cards. Leave copies at home with a friend too. Safeguard
valuables, important documents and cash and deposit
them in hotel safes, where practicable.
Currency
The currency used in Germany is the Euro (€) Please
refer to www.xe.com for up to date rates.
ATM machines are common in the main towns visited
during the course of this holiday.
Language
The language spoken in Germany is German. In many of
the places you visit English may be understood, but this
may not be the case everywhere. It is always a good idea
to learn a few simple phrases, common greetings and
courtesies in both German and taking along a
phrasebook can be very useful in this respect.
Tipping
Tipping is at your discretion. However, if you have
received good service a tip is the normal way of saying
‘thank you’.
Maps
We recommend Stanfords at 12-14 Long Acre, London
WC2E 9LP (Tel: 0207 836 1321) www.stanfords.co.uk.
Travel Insurance
It is a condition of booking any of our holidays that you
have comprehensive travel insurance. It is your to
responsibility to ensure you are covered for medical and
personal accident risks for the part of the world you
intend to travel and the activities involved. This cover
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Bavarian Alps - In Style
should include repatriation costs, air ambulance and
helicopter rescue. It is also advisable to take out
cancellation insurance as all deposits paid are nonrefundable.
You may arrange either single-trip or annual multi-trip
travel insurance through Walks Worldwide. Please call
us on 01962 737 565 for a quotation.
Passports & Visas
British passport holders (and other EU passport holders)
do not require a visa for stays up to three months for visit
to Germany (please ensure your passport has at least 6
months validity).
You can obtain the latest visa information, as well as
book your visa either by contacting your reservation
consultant, or by following the link below to our
designated visa service:
http://www.walksworldwide.com/information/visa.html
Budgeting for your trip
Please refer to the detailed itinerary for information on
what is included in this trip. You will need to budget for
meals and drinks not included in the holiday, any optional
sightseeing, souvenirs and items of a personal nature
such as laundry.
Clothing & Equipment
Please check our website for the most up to date
information regarding packing for your trip. The
information we provide is our suggested guide to help
you with your packing based upon our many years of
travelling. Using your own judgment for packing is of
course important, especially with regard to casual
clothing etc but please do not hesitate to contact us if you
have any questions about packing for your trip.
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Date of issue: 15 April 2016