Hiking Bastei Bridge, Germany

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

I traveled by train to Dresden and cycled to Saxon Switzerland National Park mainly inspired by the chance to hike Bastei Bridge.

And it’s awesome. 😀

First ➙ let’s clear up the confusion.

Saxon Switzerland National Park is in eastern Germany.

Saxon, Switzerland is a village of about 7000 in Switzerland.

Yeesh. 😀

The Bastei is a rock formation rising 194 metres (636 ft) above the Elbe River …

… situated near Rathen …

The Bastei (“bastion”) has been a tourist attraction for over 200 years. In 1824, a wooden bridge was constructed to link several rocks for the visitors. This bridge was replaced in 1851 by the present Bastei Bridge made of sandstone. …

I took the train one way to Rathen. Cycled the other.

Camped at the very convenient hostel.

My tent is my home away from home. Protection from the elements.

You take a short ferry across the river to reach the Bastei trailheads.

I do love the German country homes. Many are spectacularly colourful and well maintained.

There’s a scenic walk along waterways …

… then several steep ascent trails to get to the bridge.

A medieval catapult and many of the boulders are on display.

Of course the archeology of the eroded sandstone is varied and interesting.

Once up high it’s all good. Most of the trails are free. But to walk across the bridge itself there is a small fee.

The views are just as good from the free trails, in my opinion.

It is high. If you have a fear of heights, this might not be the hike for you.

Don’t miss Bastei if you get to Dresden.

It is busy. If you don’t like crowds on high walkways, come earlier or later in the day.

If you have the time, consider doing more hiking in the area. One popular hike runs from Stadt Wehlen via Bastei to Kurort Rathen (or the other way round).

On this hiking tour, also called the “Golden Triangle”, sights such as the ruins of Wehlen Fort, Bastei Bridge and the Schwedenlöcher (Swede Hole) Trail can be discovered.
saechsische-schweiz

August 26, 2023August 21, 2023

Circumambulating Eibsee (Yew Lake), Bavaria

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

I really wanted to use the word circumambulating. 😀

Eibsee (“yew lake”) is a lake in Bavaria, Germany, 9 km southwest of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and roughly 100 km southwest of Munich. …

It is at the northerly base of the Zugspitze (2,950 metres (9,680 ft) above sea level and 3.5 km to the south), Germany’s highest mountain. …

I like this video from Eduardo Rojas. Interesting use of drone and Insta360.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Cycling and hiking around lakes is super popular in Bavaria.

This was already my 4th or 5th in a couple of weeks out of Munich.

Like many others, I liked the look of the lake from atop Zugspitze.

And like many others, I went directly to Eibsee on getting back to the base of the big mountain.

Gorgeous colours from certain angles.

AllTrails – 7.2-km Eibsee Loop. About 2 hours.

August 24, 2023August 16, 2023

Camping Gear you DO NOT NEED 😀

I am slightly tempted by the Mosquito repelling camping lantern.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

August 23, 2023August 23, 2023

Hiking Alpspitze, Bavaria

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

The Alpspitze is a mountain, 2628 m, in Bavaria, Germany.

Its pyramidal peak is the symbol of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and is one of the best known and most attractive mountains of the Northern Limestone Alps.

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

I cycled from my campground early morning.

There are a number of ways up and down.

I chose to take the Alpspitze cable car up. Hike down.

Arriving at the top, I was surprised to see that most of the morning crowd was made up of climbers. Many were taking the Alpspitz Ferrata (or Alpspitze Klettersteig) to the top.

Many tourists chug up to the top of Zugspitze, next door. The highest mountain in Germany. And don’t bother with Alpspitze.

Both are good. But there’s much more and easier hiking on Alpspitze.

I quite enjoyed the long walk down.

It’s fun to watch the many paragliders. Most exit from lower on the mountain.

Best hike Alpspitze?

Depends on the weather. What you are looking for.

I’d say best is to either hike up, ride down. Or the opposite, as I did.

August 23, 2023August 21, 2023

Partnach Gorge, Bavaria

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Like nearby Höllental Gorge, this walk through a narrow canyon is wet, dark, and cool.

A nice escape on a hot summer day in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

You should probably bring a raincoat.

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

It’s popular. Narrow. And crowded.

Best go early or late in the day.

Easy access from near to the 1936 Olympic ski ramp in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

There’s a small fee to enter the gorge. Well worth it.

I was surprised at the challenging uphill climb going into and out of tunnels.

In fact, I was worried for some of the elderly tourists and small children. The footing is rough.

I was tempted to backtrack through the gorge as it is amazing — but instead returned to the start on a trail up above the gorge.

Again, it was surprisingly challenging.

There were warning signs, including one stating a bridge was closed. I crossed it anyway, as did everyone.

Luckily, you don’t need to read German as the signs were translated. 😀

Don’t miss Partnach and Höllental gorge walks if you get to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

August 22, 2023August 21, 2023

Zugspitze – Germany’s Highest Mountain

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Weather-wise, this was one of the best of the year. ☀️

I’d waited for a good weather window before heading to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

The Zugspitze, at 2,962 m (9,718 ft) above sea level, is the highest peak of the Wetterstein Mountains and the highest mountain in Germany.

It lies south of the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, and the Austria–Germany border is on its western summit. …

On the flanks of the Zugspitze are two glaciers, the largest in Germany: the Northern Schneeferner with an area of 30.7 hectares and Höllentalferner with an area of 24.7 hectares.

Shrinking of the Southern Schneeferner led to the loss of glacier status in 2022.

Zugspitze from the Austrian village Ehrwald

Wanting to beat the rush — as much as possible — I caught the first cable car up in the morning from the Germany side. And immediately headed up to the former “glacier“.

Once 1.5km thick, it may be gone entirely by 2035.

This is the Zugspitze plateau. You can do a self-guided glacier walk. Or sign-up for a guided tour.

From here, I had to take another cable car up to the summit.

Three cable cars run to the top of the Zugspitze. …

The rack railway and the Eibsee Cable Car, the third cableway, transport an average of 500,000 people to the summit each year. …

… Did I miss the race? 😀

I didn’t bother getting in the long line to scramble up to the summit Cross.

Too. Many. Tourists.

BUT … all-in-all, I’m glad I joined the mob atop Zugspitze. The vistas are fantastic on a clear day.

I had been considering hiking down — until I heard it was 7-10 hours!

Instead, I descended by cable car and hiked Eibsee. 😀

Circuiting the lake was much easier.

Click PLAY or watch Rick Steves on YouTube.

August 21, 2023August 15, 2023

Best Multi-day Hikes in Europe

Though I use AllTrails everywhere I go, my main source for advice in Europe 2023 was Kati and Sabrina ➙ Moon & Honey Travel.

After years of traveling across Asia, New Zealand, and the Balkans, they are now hiking across Europe based out of Vienna.

The problem for me in Europe is that there are TOO MANY great hikes. It’s difficult to find advice this specific.

Start on this page:

20 Best Treks in Europe

A collection of thrilling multi-day hiking trails in Europe for the offbeat adventurer, ranked easiest to most difficult. We starred our top recommendations. We also linked each trek to its trekking guide.

Easy-Moderate European Treks

Rota Vicentina Fisherman’s Trail, Portugal*
Emperor’s Crown, Austria
High Tatras Hut-to-Hut Hike, Slovakia
Rätikon High Trail Circuit, Austria and Switzerland*
Alta Via 1, Italian Dolomites
Tour du Mont Blanc, France, Italy and Switzerland

Moderately Difficult European Treks

Liechtenstein Panorama Trail, Liechtenstein
Ortler High Mountain Trail, Italy
Montafon Hut-to-Hut Circuit, Austria
Venediger High Trail, Austria

Difficult European Treks

Karwendel High Trail, Austria*
Schladminger Tauern High Trail, Austria*
Triglav National Park Trek, Slovenia*
Berlin High Trail, Austria*

Challenging European Treks

Kamnik – Savinja Alps Trek, Slovenia*
Eagle Walk Lechtal Alps, Austria*

Short 2 – 3 Day Treks in Europe:

Veliko Špičje & Seven Lakes Valley, Slovenia*
Mount Triglav, Slovenia
Rosengarten Traverse, Italian Dolomites
Tre Cime di Lavaredo Trek, Italian Dolomites

August 20, 2023August 20, 2023

Höllental Gorge, Bavaria

Höllentalklamm (Valley of Hell Gorge) is a wild, narrow gorge located near the village of Grainau, at the foot of Zugspitze in Upper Bavaria, Germany. …

Most visitors hike to Höllentalklamm gorge from the Hammersbach hamlet in Grainau, close to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. This is the fastest and most direct route (1 hour to the gorge entrance).

However, a far more dazzling approach begins at the Kreuzeck cable car mountain station.

This moderate circuit hike is mostly downhill, which is a perfect option for hot summer days and acclimatization. …
Moon and Honey Travel

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

Knowing the tunnels would be wet and crowded, I opted to go late in the day. And hiked only the gorge. In both directions.

Very cool.

Also, literally cool. Air conditioning and water spray on a hot day.

I was happy to have brought a light rain jacket.

On the down side, it was very dark in the gorge by the time I got there.

August 18, 2023August 16, 2023

Women – 140 days Great Himalaya Trail

Wow. What an undertaking.

The Great Himalaya Trail (GHT) Women Leaders on the Trail Campaign (GHT Women Leaders campaign) is a once in a lifetime opportunity to elevate the roles and status of female Nepali guides and porters in Nepal.

The campaign involves organizing a group of female Nepali guide(s) and porters to trek on the Great Himalaya Trail for 140 days beginning February until July of 2024.

This campaign is in support of the mission of the non-profit human rights organization, The Porter Voice Collective, which aims to advocate for the human rights of porters in Peru, Nepal & Tanzania via all forms of media and storytelling. …
Details

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.