White-blue cycling delicacy: Two-day cycle tour around Lake Chiemsee

We start our cycle tour around Lake Chiemsee from Prien railway station along a wonderful path through reeds more than a man's height down to the lakeside promenade. Irmgard, a lovingly decorated excursion steamer, is waiting there to take us over to Herreninsel.

Cycling in a postcard idyll along the Chiemsee

A detour to the islands in Lake Chiemsee is a must on a cycle tour through Chiemgau! King Ludwig II was a beau, a aesthete, a reveller. Government business was often too mundane for him. In 1878, he had a small copy of the palace in Versailles built here - a feast for the eyes. With his palaces, he created an eternal legacy for Bavaria. The many American and Japanese visitors emphasise its international significance. They applaud frenetically as a trio of alphorn players in smart lederhosen sound out the architectural splendour.

After the sightseeing stop, we are back on the Chiemsee cycle path. Blossoming apple trees, colourful carpets of spots and fragrant meadows - the blaze of colour sweeps past us on our cycle tour through Chiemgau like a flip-book. Rustic beer gardens and countless bathing beaches want to drag us off our bikes like a siren. The advertising boards of the inns tempt us with white sausages with pretzels and wheat beer for a morning pint, Obazda, pork knuckle with dumplings. Or just an ice cream sundae and dangle your feet from the jetty into the Bavarian Sea... Dolcefarniente on the Bavarian Riviera? Not yet! The bikes are running fantastically and we still have a lot planned.

In early summer, the still snow-covered peaks of the Chiemgau Alps shine in the sun. Above all the jagged ridge of the Kampenwand, the queen of the Chiemgau. From the cycle path, the view stretches far across to Tyrol, to the mighty cliffs of the Wilder Kaiser, which rises like a monolith from the plain. The sky is a steely blue colour. Out on the lake, the castle and a few kitschy fleecy clouds are reflected one-to-one in the deep blue water. Wow, what a postcard idyll, what a start. Prien proves to be the perfect starting point for our cycle tour through Chiemgau.

Cycle paths in Chiemgau: spoilt for choice

Chiemgau cycle path, Mozartweg, the Bajuwaren-Tour ... the Chiemgau can be conquered on many wonderful cycle routes. Sometimes there are soon eight signposts at neuralgic junctions. If you have the choice, you're spoilt for choice. In our case, a real luxury problem. Because with our touring bikes, we can take on all routes, even gravel sections and a few dirt tracks are no problem at all with our slightly wider, profiled tyres. This means we can create an absolute treat with sections of several routes. Our goal: a Chiemgau cycle tour through a marvellous landscape with plenty of traditional Bavarian lifestyle and idyllic bathing options. Pack ma's.

Bernau, Marquartstein, we roll towards the mighty Hochfelln. We follow the Tiroler Achen upstream on the picture-book route of the Achental cycle path. Marquartstein, Schleching - the view of the Geigelstein and the Hochplatte opens up a kitschy local film. An alpine farmer is sharpening his scythe, mowing the steep stream bank by hand. The mountain peaks sparkle golden, the balcony plants squeaky red. The guild signs on the Schleching maypole are subtly painted behind clouds of sheep.

Stopover in Reit im Winkl

The steep ramp up to the Streichen mountain inn gives our calves a quick yelp. As a reward, we enjoy an XXL ice cream sundae under a huge chestnut tree and admire the surrounding mountain peaks. A flying visit to Tyrol takes us over the striking rock slabs of the Klobenstein to Kössen and straight back to the Bavarian countryside to Reit im Winkl, where skiers click their tongues in winter and cyclists will find plenty of first-class cycle routes in summer. That's it for today. At the Pizzeria da Angelo, we treat ourselves to a wagon wheel-sized pizza capricciosa and a monster of an ice cream sundae. Then we have a nightcap at the Milchbar - marvellous.

After a sumptuous breakfast, we pedal along the Mozart cycle path to Seegatterl. Just a few kilometres later, a stunningly beautiful trilogy of magnificent bathing lakes reveals itself to us. Weitsee, Mittersee and Lödensee sparkle like emeralds and reflect the surrounding mountains. Eureka - the water temperature is frosty. But we don't want to miss out on a few short dips in this biblically beautiful picture. Don't forget: Your swimming trunks are a must on this cycle tour through Chiemgau.

Picture book Bavaria along the way

An undulating and winding gravel road leads us through a bronchial-relieving enchanted forest to the huge biathlon stadium in Ruhpolding, the Mecca of biathletes. A few kilometres further on, right next to the Holzknecht Museum in Laubau, which is well worth seeing, the "Rauschberger Zell", a traditional costume group from Traunstein, celebrate their summer festival. The smart dirndls and dashing lads in their traditional costumes dance, shake their shoes and shout so loudly that the stage shakes and the surrounding walls break into a multiple echo.

"Extra bavariam non est vita et si est vita non est ita" is the motto of the Ruhpolding "Windbeutel-Gräfin". Loosely translated from Latin, this wooden plaque above the splendidly decorated inn is intended to make a very modest point: There is no life outside Bavaria - and if there is, then not this one. As if to prove it, the waitress bends round the corner in her pretty dirndl. It's not just the XXL cream puff with sour cherries and vanilla ice cream that is a feast for the eyes. And the mountain peaks of the Chiemgau Alps rise up directly behind it. Well, on days like these, there's not the slightest doubt about the Latin thesis.

Back to the Stone Age

Near Siegsdorf, we suddenly come across a life-size replica of a mammoth. In 1975, 45,000-year-old mammoth bones were found there. Since 1995, the small museum has been revealing all kinds of interesting facts about the Stone Age in Chiemgau. We switch from the Chiemgau cycle path to the shady Traun-Alz cycle path and are soon strolling through Traunstein's beautiful market square. A little later, we reach the shores of Lake Chiemsee again at Chieming and complete our cycle tour around Lake Chiemsee. Seebruck, Gstadt, Rimsting - the riverside cycle path runs like clockwork. Picture-book farms and the play of light on the lake put a big grin on our faces. At Seebruck, we automatically switch to the Via Julia. On the last section of our cycle tour through Chiemgau, we stay as close to the lake as possible. It's only a stone's throw back to Prien, leaving us plenty of time for Bavarian dolce far niente at the beach, beer garden & co. This white-blue bliss is already getting our hormones pumping.

MYBIKE cycle tour tip for the Chiemgau region

Stage 1: Lake and mountains

41.3 km, 420 m elevation gain, tarmac and good gravel and dirt tracks

Out of Prien railway station and down to the lake. Optional boat tour to the castle on the Herreninsel, the excursion steamers sail several times a day (allow enough time!), otherwise directly along the lakeside cycle path to Felden, over the A8 motorway, past the Förchensee lake through the Rottauer Filz - always with a view of the mighty Hochfelln and the Kampenwand - via Rottau to Marquartstein. Cycle along the Achental cycle path parallel to the river to Schleching. Optional short, steep ascent to Berggasthof Streichen, which is currently being renovated, or continue directly across the Tyrolean border to Klobenstein (option: short hike to the chapel, the split rock and the Ache, cosy inn), via Kössen in Austria back to Bavaria. Overnight stay in Reit im Winkl (gives you time to get there and visit the Herreninsel).

Stage 2: Mountains and lake

79.5 km, 370 m elevation gain, asphalt, well-surfaced cycle paths along the rivers, gravel

After breakfast on the Mozart cycle path parallel to the German Alpine Road to Seegatterl and on a magical forest path with good gravel to the lake trilogy (Weit-, Mitter-, Lödensee), optional stop for a swim in the usually quite fresh mountain lakes. Past the Chiemgau Arena (biathlon stadium) to Laubau (optional visit to the Holzknecht Museum), on to Ruhpolding (legendary stop: Windbeutelgräfin) to Siegsdorf (optional mammoth museum). Follow the Traun along the shady banks to Traunstein (very beautiful market square with various inns) and continue to Chieming back to the shores of Lake Chiemsee. Stay by the lake and continue to Seebruck, always with the best panoramic views, then continue directly along the Via Julia along the lake via Gstadt and Rimsting back to the starting point in Prien.

GPS data Chiemgau

The GPS data for the two-day cycle tour around the Chiemsee you will find download here and in the MYBIKE Collection on komoot

Information about the cycle tour in Chiemgau

Arrival

Car: Motorway BAB 8 - Stuttgart - Munich - Salzburg, exit Prien

Railway: To Prien am Chiemsee

Worth seeing

With the Herrenchiemsee Palace King Ludwig II had a vaporised Versailles recreated in 1878, thus creating an eternal legacy for Bavaria. He could hardly have chosen a better place for it: The fairytale castle rises up into the air in the middle of an island with magnificent trees. You can either pedal across on the Bazi, Romy or Sepp pedal boats or take the Irmgard, the speedy paddle steamer, to Herreninsel without putting in any extra effort. www.herrenchiemsee.de

In 1975, a 45,000-year-old mammoth was found in the tranquil village of Siegsdorf. A small, but well-arranged Natural History and Ice Age Museum gives even small children an impressive insight into the Ice Age - a must, and not just for families. If you want to delve deeper into the topic, take the 31-kilometre adventure tour that goes with it. www.museum-siegsdorf.de

Accommodation

Guest house at NuihausaDorfstr. 9, 83242 Reit im Winkl, Tel.08640 8164, rustic, cosy, friendly, double room with breakfast from 112 Euro, www.nuihausa.de

Food & Drink

Pizza Pasta da AngeloRathausplatz 8, 83242 Reit im Winkl, Tel. 08640-796763. Large pizzas, savoury pasta and huge sundaes. There are numerous other worthwhile restaurants around the village square.

Inn Windbag CountessThis iconic and rustic restaurant serves great cream puffs in 16 different variations, as well as delicious, hearty dishes. Brandner Str. 23, 83324 Ruhpolding, Tel. 08663-1685 Ruhpolding, www.windbeutelgraefin.de

MYBIKE tip:

Under the arcades of the Traunstein town gate, the smell of freshly scalded sausages wafts through the air early in the morning. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, the stalls at the weekly market are piled high with ham and cheese. And as soon as the sun climbs over the spire of St Oswald's church, the morning dew is already being wiped off the tables and chairs in the surrounding beer gardens.
www.traunstein.de/tourismus-freizeit/einkaufen-shopping/maerkte/wochenmarkt/

Bike service and hire

www.fahrradhaus-prien.de, 08051-5934, Hallwanger Str. 22, 83209 Prien am Chiemsee

Map

ADFC regional map, Chiemgau, 6.80 euros

Cycling map Chiemgau - Upper Bavaria - Berchtesgadener Land, Public Press, 4.95 euros

Info

www.chiemsee-chiemgau.info/radtouren