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Stage 16 - Bavarian Alps - Garmisch 18th to 19th October
I left the hotel near Innsbruck with a low tank on enthusiasm, I think there has been an element of demob happy, for an inexplicable reason….I think ever since the weather changed, and I know I didn’t scrape the surface of Austria.
Also on this morning, I felt bizarrely a bit distant, then realised, although I always say it does not affect me, I’d had no coffee (cheapskate chose not to have the hotel breakie. I was tempted to use my gas stove, but couldn’t reach the smoke detector to cover it, I didn’t dare risk it….just in case I caused a mass evacuation!).
Heading north, and climbing towards Germany, I pulled into a lay-by, and had two coffees….I felt better immediately. Although, my initial plan was to road trip around the locations I’d planned back in Sheffield on Google Maps….and I even thought, by mid afto, I could take a few hours out of the Calais journey?
But then, I looked at myself….thought I didn’t want to get to Sheffield, and regret not doing something….and that almost certainly included just driving through points of interest with no detailed exploration and stopover….I eventually came to Garmisch (which from the car was very nice). But then the backdrop of the highest massif in Germany came into view…the Zugspitze….almost Dolomite in profile….and perfectly facing it, without any interruption soon was my tent….in a village (Grainau) just a few kilometres from Garmisch.
By 1pm I was on my bike, a Komoot route but with some starter pointers from the lady at reception…a great route that went around Lake Eibsee, a small cobalt gem in the woods, but with the mountain backdrop….thereafter followed pretty continuous climbing (but I knew once at the top, it was pretty much all downhill thereafter)…eventually I dropped into the ski resort of Ehrwald, which at the time I didn’t realise, is in Austria! Then a great gravel downhill all the way down to the campsite, back into Germany!
In the evening I popped down to Garmisch. Clearly very Bavarian, obviously, but lovely, in fact arguably the nicest town I’d visited on the whole trip. But unfortunately not matched by the quality of the curry, I decided to treat myself to, at a nearby recommended restaurant. Very insipid.
It got slightly worse, when I returned to the campsite for some reason the security gates wouldn’t let me in! So I had to leave the car with bike and camera outside the campsite…worried me a little, and I slept badly.
Very minimal rain and a cloudy morning, plus the poor night persuaded me to move on. I was going to do a cable car / hike circuit to the very tops…on a blue sky day it would’ve been sensational. But, as already stated I intend returning here and Austria with much more exploring. (For ref: €28 but €3 refund for car not on site!)
On the road again then, navigating to those places I’d mapped before leaving Sheffield. First, Plansee, which was very nice…then Fussen. At this point I was clearly leaving the Alps. Fussen and area is known for the castles, which except as a 5 year old, I’ve never had an interest in…so a short reassessment on the roadside, and soon, I was heading to Calais, in two stages (Metz stopover…€39 basic hotel) through pouring rain, and Le Chunnel was booked for 3.30pm the following day.
So that what the end of my trip…a summary must follow….😊
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