Walk to Lautersee and other Mittenwald, Germany Things to Do Tips

From Mittenwald station head into town past the church and follow signs to the Kranzberg lift. This chairlift will take you up to Kranzberg in a single chair with legs dangling down. At most the height is 100 feet but most of it is nearer 50 feet from the ground. It takes about 10 minutes to ascend and the views are good. You jump out as the chair slows down at the top but there is an attendant to help the nervous or novice. Follow the signs to Bar St Anton and there is a good view of the Karwendel to the east although there are a few trees in the way in places. Bar St Anton sells Mittenwalder beer but also the Josefibock dark beer that's woth a try. Lautersee is signposted and it's a pleasant & easy hour's stroll down throught the woods to the lake. There are four bars on the lakeside and a stroll around the lake would take about 30 minutes. There are nice mountain views particularly in late afternoon as the sun colours the Karwendel in golden light. Walk past the little chuch towards Mittenwald and take the left path down Reintal and the small gorge. The path takes you back to Mittenwald in about 40 minutes.

Leave a Comment

Address: Lautersee
Directions: Lautersee and back via Kranzberg

As with the Lautersee walk head for the Kranzberg chair lift. Walk up the stepp hill to Hohe Kranzberg in about 30 minutes. Have the beer you've earned. Ferchensee is well signposted from the bar. Green wooden signposts give the direction and likely time it will take. The walk winds through the woods but there are occasional views of the mountains. Eventually the path reaches a cart track and widens out before it joins the main track from Elmau to Mittenwald. Follow the signs to Mittenwald and the lake will appear to the right behind Gasthof Ferchensee. Excellent Mittenwald beer and a cracking lunchtime menu. After 1500 it's cold plates only but they are some of the best in the area. There is a large terrace outside and the trout are clearly visible in the clear water. The feeding station helps attract them. Ducks also frequent the lakeside and small birds abound in the trees. Fish, ducks and birds, excellent views of the lake and mountains and great beer. Stay a while. Head for Mittenwald via Lautersee which is about 25 minutes away via a very steep descent. The view is obscured by the trees in many places but it's a good one. From Lautersee Mittenwald is about 40 minutes away via the Reintal gorge.

Leave a Comment

Address: Ferchensee
Directions: Ferchensee via Kranzberg chair lift

As with the walk to Lautersee head for the Kranzberg chair lift. At the top climb the steep slope up to Kranzberghaus. it should take about 30 minutes but it's worth the effort. It's a cracking bar and sits just under a viewpoint where you can see Mittenwald far below and excellent allround views of the valleys and Karwendel range. It can be a bit windy up there. The bar has a small terrace with excellent mountain views and sells Lowenbrau which is worth a glass or three. Inside it's non-smoking. They used to play Bavarian music but the last couple of visits it's just been some local radio station playing pop music which seems a shame. The menu is small and basic so don't expect a great choice. You can either walk back down to Mittenwald or head for the lakes of Ferchensee and Lautersee. Cracking views and beer.

Leave a Comment

Address: Hohe Kranzberg
Directions: Kranzberg chair lift and up the hill

After the Zugspitze Seilbahn this is the second best cable car in the area and it's better value for money at 21 euros up and down (2006). It is the second highest cable car after the Zugspitze too. It looks steep as you approach it but it isn't as scary as it might seem. The views from the gondola are stunning and at the top there's a bar(naturally!) and a good area to stroll around and admire the astounding views. There's also a border sign as it marks the boundary with Austria. The gondola holds about 40 people so can be crowded at peak times. It's best to get the return ticket as the walk down is not easy. The bar is self service but sells good food and the beer is good too! Must be the altitude. There's a small terrace outside but it's small and many people sit on the unpaved ground. There are a couple of viewing points where there is no barrier and you don't want to get too close to the edge. On a clear day you can see for miles but in summer it does get very hazy. In the winter the views are clearer but there is a lot of snow!

Leave a Comment

Address: Karwendelbahn
Directions: Mittenwald station. Cross the railway and follow signs