Alpsee, Forggensee, Schwansee and Weißensee - Füssen is an absolute must for water lovers. Probably no other Bavarian city can offer so many bathing waters in the immediate vicinity.
As if these four mountain lakes were not record-breaking enough, to the west of the city of the royal palaces there is a mysterious fifth body of water that seems to be unique on the entire globe: At a depth of around 16 meters, the Alatsee has a bright red layer of purple-sulfur bacteria that is one of the most pronounced in freshwater lakes worldwide.
The bacteria themselves swim on an extremely sulphurous layer of water like on a pillow. A pillow that the colorful prokaryotes feed on at the same time. Above the bacterial layer, however, the Alatsee is rich in oxygen and populated by a rich flora and fauna, but below the layer there is almost no oxygen. From the hostile ones
As an excursionist who strolls around the pretty circular lake path, you don't notice any depths - as a brave diver you do. This inspired a very successful team of authors from Allgäu to start one of their crime novels with a corpse in a wetsuit on the banks of the Alatsee. In addition to deadly bacteria, there is said to be a gold treasure belonging to the Deutsche Reichsbank on the lake bottom, which was sunk at the end of World War II. In the 1950s and 1960s this attracted divers, but they only found rusty weapons. Many a treasure hunter was gone forever. An absolute diving ban was the result.
Spectacular water quartet
Hiking is of course still allowed. Our jaunt to the Zirmgrat begins, as it were, on Inspector Kluftinger's footsteps on the lakeshore. After just a few hundred meters, the ascent leads us away from the Alatsee and over the “Josefs Steig” to a vantage point from which you can see not only the lake, but also the Zugspitze. And that's just the visual overture. By turning to the right shortly before the Salober-Alm, which you save for the way back, you continue on beautiful mountain paths to the “Four Lakes View”, a water quartet consisting of Weissensee, Hopfensee, Bannwaldsee and Forggensee .
Detail from: Kompass 4, Füssen; License: 17-0906-LVB.
© compass
Continuing along the mountain ridge and thus following the German-Austrian border to the west, it first goes through a wonderful mixed deciduous forest, sometimes uphill and sometimes downhill. A comfortable final ascent finally leads to the Zirmgrat - mountain pine or Swiss stone pine also means Zirm in Tyrolean. Wooden benches invite you to take a break with great views. On the Tyrolean side, however, no lakes set the tone, but rather big, wild guys made of rock and stone, as befits an Alpine republic. The peaks of the Tannheimer Berge directly opposite are so steep that they especially attract climbers in droves.
Leisure hikers are content with the view of dizzying ridges and enjoy the scenic charms on the descent. You return to the Salober Alm over lush alpine meadows surrounded by groups of trees. How long you make yourself comfortable here also depends on the weather. On a hot summer day you should definitely jump into the Alatsee at the end. In contrast to the hostile lake bottom, the crystal clear water surface is excellent for bathing. The beautiful sunbathing lawn on the west bank is also the perfect place for water-shy contemporaries to air out their hiking socks ...
MICHAEL PRÖTTEL
ALATSEE / ZIRMGRAT
DIRECTIONS - A 96 Munich - Lindau, Landsberg exit. Continue on the B 17 via Schongau / Peiting, Steingaden to Füssen. There direction "Weißensee" and "Pfronten". After crossing the autobahn, follow the signs “Alatsee” on the left.
LITTLE TOUR - (red) From the parking lot to the lake, right bank path. At the fork on the right, Ww. "Salober-Alm". Soon you can leave the steep road to follow the “Josefs Steig zur Salober Alm” to the right, which finally leads back onto the road to the Salober Alm. A good bit in front of the alpine building you go right - Ww. "Zirmgrat" - into the forest. Slightly uphill and to the north side of the ridge. Briefly descending slightly, the path leads to the "Four Lakes View". Further down to a forest saddle, where you can turn left directly to the Salober Alm.
However, it is worth following the signs to Zirmgrat. Over a forest hump you reach a wider saddle and walk along a fence to a crossroads with signposts. From here you can return later to the Salober Alm. Before that, follow the Ww. “Zirmgrat”, which you now reach steadily uphill. The highest point is where some benches invite you to enjoy the excellent view of the Tannheimer Mountains towering in the south. After the break, it goes back to the last crossroads. There right through the gate and meadows back to the Salober Alm (closed Mondays / Tuesdays).
HIKING TIME - 3 hours. Distance: 7 km. Difference in altitude: 500 m; Start / finish: parking lot at the Alatsee.
LARGE ROUND TOUR - (dark red) You can also hike the entire length of the Zirmgrat: To do this, you start at the Oberkirch pool on the western shore of the Weissensee. After crossing the main road, follow the road to Hinteregg in Oberkirch. There on the left the little street Roßmoos. Then Ww. Falkenstein, at the parking lot on the left Ww. Zirmgrat. Continue to the lookout point in front of the Zwölferkopf. Always along the ridge to the viewing benches on the Zirmgrat. From there (see above) via the Salober Alm to the Alatsee / parking lot. Road in the direction of Füssen to Ww. "Weißensee- Rundwanderweg". Here left, next fork right. Above the Weißensee the path leads back to Oberkirch. (Altogether 4.5 hours; difference in altitude approx. 600 m.)
MAP - Kompass hiking map 4, Füssen-Ausserfern.
