So, a week ago, I decided that my wife and I should more routinely embark upon the true Bavarian past-time of hiking…in the Bavarian Alps…to an “Almhütte” (that’s a mountain lodge) – as we of course deserve a hearty Bavarian brew at the end of it. 😉

Not being true hikers to date, we first needed to get kitted out for the hike. A chunk of last Saturday was thus spent trying on more hiking shoes than you would typically have shoes in the course of your whole life-time and then, after that (i.e. hours later) buying some appropriate clothing too. The result (not bad for a “first timer” I’d say; ok, the Rucksack is a bit tight, but there you go):

I had already made full use of my Amazon Prime account and secured a few good books on hikes in and around Munich. All of them are from the Rother Wanderbuch range and are very informative and easy to follow. The pull-out front page also gives an overview of all of the hike routes, including difficulty, estimated time, distance, recommended ratings and the like. My tip for amateur hikers would be to buy one of these (if you can speak German that is).

Following a sumptuous meal en route to the Alps at the Aschbacher Hof (well, it was our first anniversary weekend and this is where we had our wedding reception last year), we decided to head for a hike at the Schliersee lake. It is less than one hour’s drive from Munich and is one of the smaller lakes in and around Munich. It is also nicely nestled in amongst the Bavarian Alps, with (we were told by our trusty travel guide) a lovely mountain lodge at the top of the (not all too high) mountain, with enviable views over the Schliersee. Surely a winner and worth a try, we thought. And we were not disappointed.

The “hike” up (I put it in quotation marks, as it was rather a lovely walk that true hikers would laugh at being called a proper hike) takes around one hour and is wonderfully sign-posted. It starts a stone’s throw from the train station in Schliersee and quickly turns into a mountainous track, which does get quite steep at times. If you’re heading to Schliersee by car, there are plenty of places to park. Some places try to charge you, but we found quite a few free spaces in front of the Intersport shop in Schliersee (in the Karl-Haider-Straße), which is even closer to the start of the hike up than the train station.

As for the hike itself, you head towards the Leitnerstraße and follow this road along in the direction of the cable car (Seilbahn). The road winds into the Dekan-Maier-Weg, which is the path (for want of a better name) up the mountain. It meanders past beautiful homes set into the mountain, which enjoy glorious views over the lake, and then eventually turns into some kind of dirt track (again for want of a better name), which continues on up the mountain. Look out for yellow signs with black text, if you sense yourself getting lost. That said, there really is only one way up.

To help you on your way, there are many vantage points  and strategically-placed benches looking out over the Schliersee, where you can catch your breath, as well as a wonderful view over the lake. Whilst we have seen lakes before, we were taken aback by the beauty of this one time and again and naturally needed an excuse for many selfies on the way up. Here is one for good measure:

Selfie taken on the way up the Schlierberg. Granted – I failed to look into the camera. But isn’t that view glorious?

Once you are some way into the hike, you will hear the buzzing of the cable car overhead, transporting wannabe hikers to the final destination without having had the joy of wandering along the stunning Dekan-Maier-Weg. Whilst you are free to hit the cable car (€5 one way, €8 return), I would definitely recommend the hike, as you enjoy nature for a good hour, as opposed to a four-minute journey up. Plus, as you will see shortly, there is a brilliant alternative way down for those who can and want to…

Soon enough, as you approach the summit, you’ll hear a hive of activity. That is a sign that you are approaching the much-promised Almhütte, which – in this case – takes the form of the Schlierbergalm. A nice, cold Bavarian beer awaits you, as does a truly spectacular view over the lake. There is even a swimming pool, allowing you to take a dip and simultaneously take in the beauty of the Alps.

Once you have had your well-deserved refreshments and have taken in the view, you can even have a go on the Alpenroller. It’s pretty much an old-fashioned (small) rollercoaster, which whisks you around a small track, falling (at quite some speed) down the side of the mountain, to be lifted up the other side. Best thing is that you yourself have control over the brake for your little capsule, so you can be as wild or as careful as you like. You also have a chance to take in the view (again, at speed) and to take some more selfies (this time with the cable car).

So, you have had your fun, and are now wondering how to get back down. Should you hike back down? Should you take the “easy option” and pay the €5 to cable car it down the mountain in less than five minutes? Or, should you continue this wild streak and take the Sommerrodelbahn (a toboggan track with wheeled carts) down the mountain to the bottom? Whilst it is somewhat speedy (although, again, you are the master of your own speed, having control of the brake) and the corners can be a bit sharp, there is nothing quite as refreshing as zooming through the alpine trees and (obligatorily) taking in large breaths of mountainous air. It really is an exhilarating experience and, let’s face it, a great deal more exciting than a cable car trip down. And, to make the decision even easier, it costs the same as the cable car single trip – €5 each. My tip: DO IT!

Once down at the bottom, you have only a short walk back to the car or the train and have a bit of time to take in the quaint town of Schliersee, whilst running through all of those impressions of the last couple of hours. This is a great trip for a beautiful afternoon in the Alps and is one we will certainly be doing again in the not-too-distant future.

Do watch this space for more hiking anecdotes and tips. We are kitted out now and want to get on out there into the nature. The hills are alive, as they say!