A Bavarian country trip

The Tölzer Land region, located south of Munich and stretching as far as the Austrian border, captivates with its real Bavarian picture-book idyll. Making it a perfect destination for a day trip.

The Herzogstand is over 1,700 meters (5577 ft) high and offers a fantastic view of Kochelsee (left) and Walchensee (right) lakes. It was the favorite mountain of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. These days the mountain summit can be easily reached by cable car, which means that in the summer months tourists flock up to the top. Too many now, according to some locals.

Walchensee lake is up to 190 meters deep and one of Bavaria's most scenic water sports areas. Turquoise colored water and white sandy beaches - ensure that the lake is also known as the Bavarian Caribbean. And it is absolutely quiet: there is no motor-boating allowed on the lake.

Walchensee lake is an ideal spot for divers, surfers and kiters. On a summer day, if you drive along the shore, you can see the surfers queuing up at the entry points. The sheltered location in a valley basin with steeply towering mountains ensures pleasant mild temperatures on the one hand, and ideal thermal conditions on the other.

If you want to cross from Walchensee to Kochelsee lake, you have to take the path over the Kesselberge mountains. The Kesselberg Road winds in narrow curves over the mountain for over 9 kilometers (5.6 mi). Motorcyclists love this track. Unfortunately there were so many accidents that motorcycles were banned from riding on weekends and overtaking is forbidden on the entire track.

Lake Kochelsee lies 200 metres below Lake Walchensee and is nestled in a vast marshland. Nature and art are closely linked here. At the beginning of the 20th century, the lake was the meeting point of the "Blauer Reiter" group of Expressionist artists. The Franz Marc Museum at Kochelsee is worth a visit. It is dedicated to the work of the great artist and his contemporaries.

During the summer months Franz Marc and his artist friends moved to the neighboring town of Murnau. The young Expressionists met in the home of Wassily Kandinsky and his partner Gabriele Münter. Today the residential house is a museum and memorial place.

The spa town on the Isar River gave the region its name - Tölzer Land. With just under 18,000 inhabitants, Bad Tölz is one of the largest cities in the region. From Munich the train takes about an hour to reach Bad Tölz, and from here it heads for the mountains. The pretty old town and the nature around it make Bad Tölz a perfect starting or finishing point for day trips.

A refreshing alternative to a mountain hike is a tour along the Isar. The river shows its original, wild character only in a few places. You can get a small idea of the untamed beauty of this river on a rafting tour between Bad Tölz and Lenggries.

Always impressive - Bavarians in festive costume. If you happen to be in Bavaria on Corpus Christi, the chances of meeting them are not bad. Corpus Christi is one of the highest holidays in the Catholic church year. Like here in Walchensee faithful Catholics march through their villages and towns all over Bavaria in festive processions.

What would a day in the mountains be without a visit to a mountain tavern? You don't have to worry about the basic supply of alpine delicacies. A hearty or sweet snack is readily available even at an altitude of 2,000 meters. It tastes best after a strenuous climb. An added bonus is that you can then confidently ignore calorie counting. So go ahead and enjoy, you've earned it.