Roadtrip Around Germany – Part 5 (D) Berchtesgadener Land

High Up in the Mountains

Thursday, 06.08.2015

You just have to love the camperstop in Übersee. Since we are planning on exploring multiple locations in Berchtesgadener Land we have just booked in for four nights. We could also stay for a fifth night, but would have to leave very early on Monday morning because of the preparations for the annual Chiemsee Reggae Summer-festival, which takes place on the meadows next door every year.

As you might have already found out I love the mountains. Therefore I want to drive to Roßfeld Scenic Road in Berchtesgaden, some 80 kilometres east of where we are staying.

Right behind Reit im Winkl there is a beautiful swimming lake. Many magnificent fish are swimming inside lake Mittelsee (Middle Lake) and the stunning panorama of the Alps in the background make for the perfect spot for a short break.

On scenic federal road B305 time passes by quickly. After a total of about 1.5 hours we arrive at the beginning of Roßfeld Scenic Road, also called Roßfeldhöhenstraße (Roßfeld Hights Road). The toll-road itself is a 15.4 kilometres long ring road crossing the Roßfeld, and Germany’s highest through road at a maximum altitude of 1,570m above sea level.

Built solely for the purpose of tourism, Roßfeld Scenic Road offers breathtaking views far into Berchtesgadener Land which make you stop every few hundred meters.

At the peak there is a pub offering some light meals, called “Brotzeit” (bread time) in Bavaria. Here there are cows walking cross-country over meadows and paths. This cow seems to be used to tourists, she pulls photogenic faces. 😉

Since we are back down in the valley around 15:00 we consider visiting the famous Eagle’s Nest (Kehlsteinhaus) at Obersalzberg. The road leading there with its long incline of 1 in 4 is a true challenge for the Didimobile with its only 70hp!

Puffing in first gear the Didimobile manages to climb up the road to the big parking lot at Obersalzberg, where we have no difficulties finding a space for the Didimobile to park. The Eagle’s Nest, built during the Third Reich by the German national socialist party NSDAP and given to Adolf Hitler for his 50th birthday, is only accessible by a narrow and steep 6.5 kilometres long mountain road. This road is closed to private traffic and only served by a bus shuttle which starts at the parking lot next to the Information Center Obersalzberg at the foot of Mount Kehlstein. We are lucky and get a ticket for the very next bus which we can board immediately.

Having arrived at the upper end of the road we gain a first panoramic view which reaches far inland due to missing mountains in the foreground.

The ascent from here to the actual Eagle’s Nest (which today functions as a pub) can be achieved either by climbing up numerous steps along the mountain slope or by means of a lift deep inside the mountain. The lift was created as a rectangular triangle, a 124 metres long tunnel leads from the busstop deep into the mountain, from where a lift takes the visitor up another 124 metres directly into the entrance foyer of the Eagle’s Nest.

Eagle’s Nest offers spectacular views over the Austrian Alps, Königssee lake, the town of Berchtesgaden and far into the famous Berchtesgadener Land.

From the restaurant a footpath leads all the way up to the peak of Mount Kehlstein at 1,881m above sea level. Here chances are high to spot many eagles, the German heraldic animal, flying through the air. The English name Eagle’s Nest for Kehlsteinhaus is derived from these birds.

On our way back we take our time and enjoy the Bavarian landscape, and the junior fervently wants to take a bath in ice cold Mittelsee.

While the junior is swimming in the cool water, a passing reptile catches my full attention. A splendid snake is pulls along and meanders along the beach. ♥

Shortly before darkness sets we are back home and spend the evening at the Didimobile.

The Echo At Königssee

Friday, 07.08.2015

Once you are deep inside Bavaria you should absolutely try a Weißwurst (white sausage) for breakfast! Our warm camperstop owner recommended us the Gasthof zum Ott in the neighbouring town of Staudach-Egerndach, and yes, we really get one of these delicious Schmankerln (Delicacies) there.

After this delicious breakfast we are heading back to Berchtesgaden today. We want to explore famous Königssee Lake with a pensioner’s boat tour and all the frills. 😉

We park the Didimobile at the large parking lot at Lake Königssee and walk down the pedestrian zone with all its souvenir stalls and tourist rip-off shops toward the lake.

Next to the pier we get our tickets for the large round trip all the way to Salet on the other side of the lake and back again. About half an hour we have to wait until our boat is ready for boarding.

Silently the elegant boats slide across Lake Königssee, which is up to 190 meters deep and is one of the cleanest lakes in Germany.

After roughly 20 minutes the boats reach the famous echo wall. Here all the boats have a short break in the middle of the lake, and the boatman shows the reverb effect by playing a trumpet.

Shortly afterwards we reach the old pilgrimage church of Sankt Bartholomew where we disembark the boat and have an ice-cream in the rather expensive café.

About an hour later we take the next boat and continue our trip up the lake to Salet, from where a footpath leads to the smaller but scenic Lake Obersee (Upper Lake).

A walk to Lake Obersee takes about ten minutes, to Germany’s highest waterfall Röthbachfall a signpost indicates 1.5 hours. We have got three hours left until the last boat goes back to Königssee.

Unfortunately, the famous photo scene of the boat house at the northern shore of Lake Obersee is completely occupied by bathing Japonese and other tourist crowds. Therefore we decide to at least walk to the other side of the lake because hardly any other people seem to go there.

Since we seem to have enough time we dare an ascent to Röthenbachfall waterfall, always keeping an eye on the time for being able to reverse in time.

Cross-country through herds of ringing cows we reach the waterfall in less than an hour without actually having hurried. In summer the waterfall carries only little water, but in spring the sight of the 350m high waterfall must be spectacular.

On the way back we still have enough time for a drink at Fischunkelalm at the southern shore of Lake Obersee. The junior is again magically attracted by the water and so he again goes for a swim in the ice cold waters of Lake Obersee. 😉

Half way back to our camperstop we have a delicioius pizza at an Italian restautand in Reit im Winkl before we finally head back into the sunset towards Übersee.