Tuesday 24 June 2014

Konigssee and Lake Oversee, the best 4 hour walk in the Alps

We went back to Konigsee, where we had swum previously. The cleanest lake in Germany. We wanted to go to the top of the lake this visit to see the waterfall.


We took the electric boat all the way up to the top of the lake to Salet, the 18 boats that go up and down are all electric, so the ride is very quiet and serene. And the surface of the lake is so calm.


Halfway up the lake the boat captain stops and blows a serenade of trumpet to an ampitheatre of rock which sends back a double echo. It sounds like a whole horn section of the orchestra playing, although it is just one horn, being answered twice.



The walk from Salet to the highest waterfall in Germany takes about 90 minutes, longer if you stop and have lunch and take photos. We took a packed lunch, but there is an Alpine hut about 30 minutes from the waterfall at the edge of the lake which sells fresh milk, apple juice, beer, or water, and serves 3 variations of bread and cheese or cured bacon. 


All sold by one lady from a tiny kiosk. 


The most bizarre menu I have seen; we have a glass of milk – very rich and creamy, and apple juice.


Since you cannot get here except by boat, the number of visitors is limited and on the long walk, it feels very intimate with the landscape, and not at all crowded. But it is still possible for tourists to take each other’s photographs, and after we indulge a Chinese couple, they do the same for us.


The round trip for the ramble has taken us 4 hours, including the stop for lunch and then refreshments, and the bit everyone is walking to is the waterfall. It is the highest fall of water in Germany.


Quite a bit of the walk is round the lake which plunges from the rockface into the sea, and the elevated walkway is quite a feat of engineering in places.


It wasn't only us walking, but at times it did feel as if we had this extra-ordinary landscape all to ourselves, a bit of an experience.





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