Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
STAR TREKS FOR...
»
Alpine hikers
Swoon over views of colossal mountains and jewel-coloured lakes
hiking in the Berchtesgaden National Park (
Click here
)
and Oberstdorf (
Click here
).
»
Family ramblers
Kiddies love the wondrous
Partnachklamm gorge
(
www.partnachklamm.eu
;
adult/child €3/1.50; 9am-5pm Oct-Easter, 8am-6pm
Easter-Sep)
and red squirrel-spotting on the trail shadowing the 163m
Triberger
Wasserfall
(adult/concession €3.50/3; Mar-early-Nov, 25-30 Dec)
Germany's
highest waterfall.
»
Serious mountaineers
One word: Zugspitze (
Click here
)
. The tough ascent and
phenomenal four-country views are breathtaking in every sense of the word.
»
Long-distance hikers
Trek Bavaria's beautiful 200km Altmühltal Panoramaweg (
Click here
)
or the 280km Westweg (
Click here
)
, the ultimate walk in the Black
Forest.
»
Wildlife spotters
Wander silently for the chance to see deer, otters, and woodpeck-
ers in the Bavarian Forest National Park (
Click here
)
and eagles, chamois, marmots
and salamanders in Berchtesgaden National Park (
Click here
)
.
»
Escapists
Seek solace hiking in the fir-cloaked hills of the Black Forest (
Click
here
)
and the Bavarian Forest National Park (
Click here
)
.
When to Walk
The summer months are the best for walking in the Alps, when snow retreats to the
highest peaks, and wildflowers carpet the slopes. Rush hour is from July to August when
you'll need to book hut accommodation well in advance. Autumn has its own charm, with
fewer crowds and a riot of colour in deciduous forests. Snow makes it impossible to un-
dertake high-altitude walks during the rest of the year. Many of the big resorts, however,
are criss-crossed with winter walking trails, and crunching through snow with a crisp blue
sky overhead certainly has its own magic.