Schliersee

Taking yet another BOB train to a Bavarian lake has led me to expect large crowds of daytrippers gathering around a handful of cafes and boardwalks. This expectation was solidified after my enjoyable, but admittedly touristy trip two weeks earlier to the wildly popular Tegernsee lake. Boarding the BOB train, this time to Schliersee lake, I initially expected the aforementioned lakeside situation, but quickly discovered an entirely different experience. Unlike other BOB accessible lakes, Schliersee offers all the Alpine charm of similar sites, but without the crowds and kitschy tourism, thus maintaining a quieter, peaceful atmosphere. I feel particularly validated in my assessment, as many conversations with Bavarians in the following weeks, validated my love for the lake, ranking it highly above the popular and overcrowded Cheimsee and Tegernsee. Combining a hike through the countryside to Hohenwaldeck castle ruins with a relaxing tasting at one of Bavaria’s most famous whiskey distilleries thoroughly into one daytrip finally persuaded me of Schliersee’s excellence. If you too are willing to embark on such a daytrip, check out NearFromHome’s video below or the rest of this article.

We started our journey by picking up a Bayern ticket from the Munich Hauptbahnhof, and heading towards the bright blue BOB trains, usually located on tracks 30-34. At this point, it’s important for me to explain that these BOB trains typically leave the Munich Hauptbahnhof as a sort of long mega train carrying distinct carriages, splitting off at various train stations along the route, heading to other towns and other adventures. Our BOB train was labeled as heading in the direction of Bayerischzell, but contained these so called split-able carriages, each labeled separately with their ultimate destination. So, as we walked along the platform, we naturally boarded the section of the train labeled “Schliersee”. I can’t stress how important it is that you pay special attention to board the correct train section. Otherwise, you may have to exit at a random train stop, running along the platform to reenter on the correct carriage. Finding the correct section is not too difficult, but if you’re confused, simply ask one of the station employees. They usually speak English well, and can direct you effortlessly.

After the hour and twenty minute ride, Schliersee lake was visible through the windows, and we were presented with two possible train station exits for the day’s itinerary. We could have exited closest to the day’s activities (only about a 20 minute walk) at the most southern point of Schliersee, the Fischhausen station. However, according to Ben, our orienteering expert, the walk from the Fischhausen station to the Hohenwaldeck castle ruins would circumvent much of the beautiful Bavaria countryside, opting instead for an unpleasantly quick and steep hike through the woods. We alternatively opted to disembark at the northern tip of Schliersee, at the creatively named town of Schliersee. I thoroughly recommend this approach, as it involves hiking through the cute town, traditionalist Bavarian suburbs, and aesthetic farms, eventually opening up to a beautiful ridge walk with views of the lake and town below.

We took our time walking to the Hohenwaldeck ruins, as the hills afford a diversity of scenery and beauty begging to be photographed. Starting from the Schliersee train station, we walked through the town, past the numerous Gasthäuser and floral displays. At the end of the town, we turned right, entering the surrounding rural suburbs where expensive and traditionalist Alpine homes overlook the lake. Bavarian lake fronts are home to the most expensive properties in Germany, and Schliersee is no exception. However, I’ve noticed that this lake, when compared to the more bougie Tegernsee, Chiemsee, and Starnbergersee, has a more reserved, old money feel. While exploring, I noticed less audacious displays of wealth (a lack of Ferraris blasting down the lake shore roads). These suburbs eventually give way to the most scenic section, (and my personal favorite): grazing pastures and farms dotted with friendly dogs and roaming cows. Following these pastures, comes a steep ascent into the dense forest obfuscating the castle ruins lurking above. After around 500 meters of elevation gain, hikers are greeted by a sign and wooden bridge, denoting the entrance to the castle ruins of Hohenwaldeck.

Not much of Hohenwaldeck castle remains, both in information and structure. We do know that the local lords of the region, the Waldecks, built the fortification at the end of the 14th century. However, this reign was short lived, as by the end of the 16th century, the Waldeck lineage ended, and the castle was transferred to another lord. By this point, the castle was unused and largely the ruined mess visible today, with most of the structure destroyed in 1480 by a landslide. Today, little can be surmised by the untrained eye from the single tower and two walls which still stand. However, scholars do theorize that this castle stood as mostly a symbol of power, projecting the wealth and strength of the Waldecks throughout the region.

Although Hohenwaldeck is an example of one of the more poorly preserved castles I’ve visited in Bavaria, the view from the lookout point is unusually excellent, providing a scenic spot for a packed lunch, and top tier view of Schliersee with the mountains rolling into the distance. After exploring and taking the scenery in, we headed down and out of the hills following the signs for Fischhausen. With the uphill exercise out of the way, our next stop was some well-earned relaxing and whiskey tasting at SLYRS Distillery.

As we walked through the forest and down the mountain, I quickly understood why Ben insisted on disembarking the train at the Schliersee Bahnhof and not Fischhausen. The steep forested path, made me incredibly thankful that we had descended and not ascended this section. Walking along the main road of Neuhauserstrasse running parallel to Schliersee, we passed the Fischhausen train station on our right. After ten more minutes walking along the same road, we arrived at SLYRS Whiskey Distillery on the left.

Whiskey lovers will surely recognize SLYRS as the absolute gem of a distillery that it is hidden in the Bavarian countryside. Allowing fans to forgo a formal pilgrimage to Scottland, this distillery offers dozens of varieties, which have become quite famous among Whiskey snobs. Not only does the distillery provide this high quality whiskey with a twist of Bavarian charm, it additionally features a lunchery, whiskey store, tasting bar, distillery tour, and truly overwhelming assortment of pesto, spreads, and jam.

Feeling a bit tired after the hike, we headed straight for the lunchery, whose space features both indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating was particularly excellent, as it offered both a covered patio, and grassy meadow, all nestled among the mountainous scenery. We had to hurry a little as, like many places in Bavaria, the restaurant closed at 5:00. We ordered our beer and lunch, ate, and headed down to the show room for some tastings.

Seeing as we made our Schliersee trip in the height of summer, we had several hours of daylight left after the distillery closed, so we opted for a later train in exchange for some relaxation near the Schliersee lakefront. A quick, twenty minute walk from the Fischhausen train station took us through another section of residential farm land. In this brief walk, we were graced by the prescence of horses, a barn cat, and a heard of cows walking to their barn for the night. Finally landing at the tranquil beach front full of sunbathers and swimmers, we stood in the water chatting and people watching, as we cooled down, and prepared to trace our steps back to the Fischhausen train station. We ended up spending about an hour here, but be sure to check the time tables for the last train back to Munich.