“In the mountains, there you feel free.”
This line from T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land, for all the renowned poem’s mystery and cryptic meanings, has always stood out to me – a shard of clarity that rings true like the chime of a bell.
I remember it every time I find myself out in the billowing countryside, surrounded by rising and falling slopes, and rocky summits that break the flow of the horizon like the crest of a huge wave. It springs to mind at every view like this, as if unlocked by the land itself, but nowhere have I felt its truth more keenly than in the breathtaking
Bavarian Alps.
I visited this region back in July, completing a re-walk here with my colleague Becky. Our task was to check the route notes for Inntravel’s walking holiday in the area, tracking the walks by GPS and making updates to the notes where necessary.
It was a challenging landscape, with steep ascents and descents, rocky paths, and some long, tiring days, but my predominant experience of the trip was one of exhilaration and simple vitality. It felt so healthy to be outside all day, breathing fresh mountain air and putting our muscles to the test. We found we were stronger than we had thought, and the sense of achievement at the end of each walk was enriched by the astounding natural beauty we had seen along the way. It was like the mountains brought out the best in us, not just in terms of physical exercise but in perseverance, confidence, and laughter too. To rewrite Eliot’s words, they gave us the freedom to feel.
Upon returning, I have been asked many times about moments that stood out to me – particular walks, meaningful interactions, traditional meals – and there are genuinely too many to name. I have, however, set down a few of my favourites…
A twilight swim
Our first hotel on this holiday is the wonderful Berghotel Rehlegg in the village of Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden, which feels like stepping into a fairy-tale house. The décor is homely, cosy, and rustic, yet stylish – all wooden beams, natural colours, and snug corners. The buildings are chalet-like in appearance, with balconies dressed in colourful flowers and carved in pretty patterns. A timber walkway twirled with vines leads down to reception, over the threshold to which a prayer has been written in chalk. From the restaurant, a forest-green door opens onto a terrace overlooking the quiet village as it stretches down the valley. And, basking in the view of the Hochkalter and Watzmann mountains, the outdoor pool beckons in the Berghotel grounds.
After our first day of walking (exploring the beautiful Wimbachklamm gorge) we decided to ease our muscles into the week with an evening dip in the pool. The sun had set behind the mountains to the west, casting the valley in cool shadow beneath the fading blue sky. Floor lights had come on around the decking like warm lanterns and the water rippled quietly. We had the pool to ourselves. All was still.
Floating peacefully, we swam with gentle movements so as not to disturb the tranquillity of the valley. It felt surreal to drift on the water, looking up at the darkening forms of the mountains, which enclosed us like venerable guardians against the outside world. I felt simultaneously a safety in their presence and a thrill to explore their slopes over the coming week. It was like being away from it all and yet at the centre of everything that mattered.
Tea, cake, and hütten with a view
Hütten are quite possibly my new favourite type of place to eat. Dotted about the mountainsides, these remote huts offer comfortable spaces for walkers to pause, rest, enjoy refreshments, and take in their surroundings – small sanctuaries in the wilderness.
Each one we visited was lovely, and the food delicious, but there were two that I considered to be particularly special – both on the same walk.
The first was the Schärtenalm, perched about two-thirds of the way up to the Blaueishütte on our route from Ramsau. After a stretch of steep forest ascent, the sight of this enchanting cabin was a delight. It reminded me of a Wendy house, with quaint lace curtains showing through the shuttered windows and wooden wall planters overflowing with flowers. Guests were served through the stable door, over which I could see into the little room behind – traditional and simple, with a table laden with different cakes and pretty teacups. Picnic benches lined the terrace leading up to the building – front-row seats to the panorama beyond – and it was at one of these that we settled down to savour our precious tea and cake.
After signing the guestbook and waving goodbye to our smiling host, we continued up the slopes to the Blaueishütte – the second of my favourite mountain stops. At an altitude of 1,680 metres and flanked on three sides by rocky peaks, this hütte has an ends-of-the-earth feel to it. Wind whips all around, grey clouds graze the looming summits, and the remains of a glacier zigzag down the mighty crags behind the building, while opposite, on the ‘open’ side of its mountain nest, the Blaueishütte boasts an even more spectacular view. The ground falls away, thick forest carpeting the dramatic downward slope, directing your eye to the gorgeous, blue lake shimmering at its base – Hintersee, itself backdropped by a parallel ridge.
To say this spot is the pinnacle of the walk, literally and figuratively, would be no understatement.
A mountaintop meeting
One of the most heartwarming parts of travel lies in the coming together of strangers. En route to our second stay, Schönau am Königsee, from Ramsau, Becky and I ascended the Grünstein. Of course, the 360-degree views from up here were beautiful – the valley floor below a patchwork of green fields and villages, and above the impressive peaks of the Watzmann mountain pierced the blue sky – but my main memory of this part of the day centres around a friendly local I met there.
She asked me if I’d take a photo for her, as she was walking alone, with the views behind her. I obliged, and she did the same for me, both of us laughing as we took turns. We then got to chatting; she asked about Inntravel and what I was doing there (she could see my folder and pen, always ready to make notes), and I asked about the cross that stood on the Grünstein’s highest point. She told me that you can find crosses atop all the mountains in Bavaria, and that walkers tackle each peak to ‘collect’ them.
I was suddenly so grateful to have had this interaction with her. Not only had I met someone new and learned more about the region, but our exchange had added a new layer of meaning to my experience there. In that spot our paths had crossed, and from it we both came away with a shared memory.
The Watzmann sings
The eponymous lake in Königssee is understandably the focal point of the area. Its clear, serene waters are beautiful, glistening in many shades of sea green. One of Inntravel’s recommended walks begins with a boat ride across to the far side, but even before you disembark the landscape has a wonderful surprise in store.
On every outward journey, the captain stops the boat and lets it bob silently in front of the East Wall of the Watzmann mountain (Germany’s third highest peak). A hush falls over the passengers as a crew member leans outside the cabin, bringing a trumpet to their lips. They play a short melody to the cliff face, before waiting for the mountain’s response. Within a second, an ethereal, haunting rendition sounds back, almost elegiac, reverberating round the rocky walls of the lake. When silence descends, the musician picks up the tune, followed once again by the mountain in deep, echoey duet.
When Becky and I experienced this, it felt like we were in a dream, lulled by the gentle rocking of the boat, inspired by the majestic tones of the trumpet, and awed by the effects of the ‘Echo Wall’ – all heightened by the simple hush of the boat. It was a strange, eery, beautiful moment, and a powerful reminder to make time to stop, take in, and appreciate the natural world.
Other ‘mini’ moments
Sourdough bread
Upon checking out of the Berghotel Rehlegg, the lovely staff presented us with a homemade sourdough loaf!
An afternoon at the Alpenhof
We finished one of our walks early and decided to make the most of our stay at the cosy Alpenhof in Königssee, spending a restorative couple of hours alternating between the indoor and outdoor pools, the jacuzzi, the sunroom, and the garden deckchairs.
A curious chamois
Walking along a quiet mountain path through the forest, I suddenly spotted the striped face of a curious chamois peering over a tree stump at us. It held my gaze for a second or so, before crossing the path ahead of us. On the other side, it watched us move slowly past for a moment and then darted off into the trees. We couldn't believe our eyes! It felt so special to get to see one of these elusive creatures.
A mountain of cake
Sharing an indulgent cake formed of Choux pastry, ice cream, and cream – nicknamed the ‘Watzmann’ for its great height! It was upon emptying our plates of this delicious treat that we turned to the view and (we think!) spotted an eagle swooping in the skies over the valley.
This article features a rewalk of '
The Bavarian Alps' 6-nights. We offer a range of holidays within the Bavarian Alps in both summer and winter, which you can find below.