The Tour

Over the Border to Austria: Bad Tölz - Maurach

Thursday May 31, 2007
Today, still not so far from home, we set out along the Isar and an amazing mountain panorama unfolds before our eyes. The peaks are highlighted by a light covering of fresh snow from the recent bad weather and cold snap. I wouldn't have liked to cycle in the storm, but I enjoy the results: the mountains are lovely to look at.

Church on a hill overlooking Bad Tölz: as depicted in a facade fresco and today

Looking back to Bad Tölz from the bike path along the Isar

Isar bike path heading south from Bad Tölz

I notice a sign, "Little Kairo", pointing off the path toward the river bank and discover the Isar Pyramids, created by Karl-Heinz Fett, a 65-year-old retiree who has found a life-filling project. Karl-Heinz has built dozens of pyamids out of the smooth, eroded Isar stones which can be found in the river bed. And his job is never finished: each time the river floods his work is washed away and he must start all over again.

Isar pyramids, near Bad Tölz

Our chosen route varies between unpaved dirt paths close to the river, small country roads with little traffic or paved bike paths next to the main road. The dirt paths are definitely slower. We switch back and forth until we reach Lenggries and see that we have dallied so long taking pictures and bumping along on dirth paths next to the river that it's already 11:00 and we have gotten nowhere - 15 km to be exact! But we did see some wild orchids.

Wild orchids along the Isar bike path

Now it's time for some serious cycling. We continue on the road up to Sylvensteinsee, a mountain lake and reservoir on our way to the Austrian border. The ride is lovely, we have an asphalt bike path through the woods for the whole climb.

Bicycle tunnel on the way to Sylvensteinsee

Birdseye view of the route up to Sylvensteinsee

Sylvensteinsee

We choose the road on the southern shore of the lake, go up a bit more and reach the Austrian border. It's a drive-through crossing, no officials, no formalities, no border controls, just a big sign letting us know that we are now in Austria.

We made it this far at least: Austrian border

Our bicycle guide recommends the bike path around the other side of the lake, a detour with substantial uphill stretches on dirt paths which we don't fancy. On the main road we have no shoulder to ride on but the traffic is light. For the most part we stick to the road, eventually the bike path joins our route and only once are we tempted into trying it. Before we know it, the asphalted path dips down to the shore of the lake only to return on a steep unpaved path. We've learned our lesson again. I feel to indulge in these scenic detours is a luxury of the fittest.

Back to the road

Achenkirch: Idyllic scenes along the way

The next pretty lake, Achensee, is coming up. Should we camp? It's a bit cool and we ride past the campgrounds to the town of Maurach where we find a comfortable room in Hotel Klingler. This is a tourist area and we aren't finding any bargains. Hopefully, it will warm up and we will soon be sleeping in our tent.