Germany in June-any recommendations?

[SteveDrummie]

Hi,
Am off on a tour of the Normandy beaches with my teenage son in June and thinking of going on to the Eagles Nest -we will have eight days to tour after seeing the landing beaches before we have to be back in Calais-would appreciate any ideas or recommendations for our trip? not wanting to spend more than 4-5 hours a day in the saddle...any advice much appreciated!

Cheers

 

[Bryn]

Berchtesgaden is a fair way over its within an easy days ride from Slovakia... bear that one in mind ....

You could head for Garmisch....If I recall that is around 5 hours from Berchtesgaden.... plenty of places to stay, as long as it isn't the motorrad days weekend

 

[Whele]

I live in Southern Germany and know some nice less visited places in the region.

I would suggest heading down towards Comar, Freiburg, heading north up through the Schwarzwald Stasse (black forest street) then across to Tuttligen and follow the Donau valley to Sigmaringen (one of the best biking roads in Europe).

Head east across to Biberach an der Riss (Schwabish market town) or down to Ravenburg (walled city). Then pick your way through the lower slopes of the Austrian mountains/Bravaria down to Garmish and then on to the eagles nest. A nice two or three day tour. At Garmish there is a cable car up the Zugspitze and the woderfully picturesqe gorge (but be prepared to get wet as the riven will be swolen with snowmelt even in June). It may even be desirable to take your son on a tour through the Augsburg region and spend a day in Munchien (Munich) before heading to the eagles nest.

 

[The Grey One]

Forewarned is forarmed!

Lots of our guests, and us, have been to the Eagles Nest. It's within easy reach of our place-2.5 hours if you take the interesting roads, 1.5 if you blast along the autobahn. The view from the house (assuming you get a clear day) is wonderful.

At lot a of people are disappointed though to find that it really is just a cafe. there is little of historic interest left in the house itself. If you go knowing that then you will be fine-go expecting a sort of "Hitler Experience"! and you wont be.

Access to the Eagles nest is by bus, takes about 20 mins to get up there, then you can ride in the lift up the centre of the mountain and come out inside the house. The lift is more or less as was including mirrored walls, apparently Hitler was claustrophobic-amongst other things. Allow at least 2 hours for the visit-parking (there is a dedicated bike parking area),buy tickets for bus, bus trip up, visit house, bus trip back. 3 hours if you want to spend some time up there-they do food! Last time I went it cost 14 Euros each.

Not trying to put anyone off visiting the Eagles Nest, I still think it is one of those "must do" places, just better if you know what you are going to get when you get there.

John

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

I live in Southern Germany and know some nice less visited places in the region.

I would suggest heading down towards Comar, Freiburg, heading north up through the Schwarzwald Stasse (black forest street) then across to Tuttligen and follow the Donau valley to Sigmaringen (one of the best biking roads in Europe).

I can vouch for the Donau valley. Have a look at the following ride report for some thoughts.

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=278751

 

[grayinthestores]

Hi,
Am off on a tour of the Normandy beaches with my teenage son in June and thinking of going on to the Eagles Nest -we will have eight days to tour after seeing the landing beaches before we have to be back in Calais-would appreciate any ideas or recommendations for our trip? not wanting to spend more than 4-5 hours a day in the saddle...any advice much appreciated!

Cheers

There is quite a lot to seen in Normandy, Point Du Hoc, Peggasus Bridge, St Mare Eglese, and the beeches alone would take 2-3 days. I can not remember the dates, but due to ice the Eagles nest is not open all year round worth looking on google, hotel zum turken is worth a visit as Hitlers holiday home was situated just in front and its on the way up to the Eagles Nest. i would suggest Eagles Nest is a good days ride from Normandy.

 

[Ronno]

Lots of our guests, and us, have been to the Eagles Nest. It's within easy reach of our place-2.5 hours if you take the interesting roads, 1.5 if you blast along the autobahn. The view from the house (assuming you get a clear day) is wonderful.

At lot a of people are disappointed though to find that it really is just a cafe. there is little of historic interest left in the house itself. If you go knowing that then you will be fine-go expecting a sort of "Hitler Experience"! and you wont be.

Access to the Eagles nest is by bus, takes about 20 mins to get up there, then you can ride in the lift up the centre of the mountain and come out inside the house. The lift is more or less as was including mirrored walls, apparently Hitler was claustrophobic-amongst other things. Allow at least 2 hours for the visit-parking (there is a dedicated bike parking area),buy tickets for bus, bus trip up, visit house, bus trip back. 3 hours if you want to spend some time up there-they do food! Last time I went it cost 14 Euros each.

Not trying to put anyone off visiting the Eagles Nest, I still think it is one of those "must do" places, just better if you know what you are going to get when you get there.

John

Have none of your guests or indeed yourself visited the Documentation Centre at the main car park/bus terminal? I'm surprised you made no mention of it and yet say there is little of historic interest. It's well worth a visit IMHO.

 

[Rasher]

The only thing I would suggest is trying to add a couple of days and ride some of the Alpine Roads around there, it is a long way to go and then pass up roads such as this:

http://www.grossglockner.at/en/hochalpenstrasse/

Add a day or tow and you could do this and maybe the Andermatt figure eight on the return trip. (Furka, Grimsel, Susten, Nufenen, St Gothard)

http://www.alpineroads.com/uri.php

 

[The Grey One]

My mistake

Have none of your guests or indeed yourself visited the Documentation Centre at the main car park/bus terminal? I'm surprised you made no mention of it and yet say there is little of historic interest. It's well worth a visit IMHO.

I did say there was not much in the house itself, yes been to the Centre, my only defense is that I was trying to write something whilst packing to fly back to the UK. Should have mentioned it though but most of our guests have not been in, most go for the Eagles Nest itself so that was what I was commenting on.

John

 

[dadster]

Have none of your guests or indeed yourself visited the Documentation Centre at the main car park/bus terminal? I'm surprised you made no mention of it and yet say there is little of historic interest. It's well worth a visit IMHO.

+1

 

[wadham]

The Eagles Nest has changed in the last few years.

It is still advisable to visit out of season.

You used to be able to visit the inside of the building but as I recently found out, the building is now considered a private cafe which is closed to all visitors apart from pre-booked groups it seems. Money talks ?

However it is still worth a visit if you get there early before opening times and get on the first buses to the top. Stay no longer than 30 mins and get the hell outa-there. You will see why on the lift journey back down, it gets heaving with people from coaches at 10am.

Three or 4 tips after you have been up there -

1- Buy a book from the visitor center below to explain the place to you.

2- Drive to a position below to look up at it, possibly near this hotel where we stay. http://www.alpenhof.de/

3- Drive the Rossfeld strasse (toll road) to enjoy the drive but stop at the top to see the Kehlsteinhaus from another angle.

4- Have coffee or stay here on way up Rossfeld strasse http://www.neuhaeusl.de/en

5- Have a go or two and lunch at the top with views over Salzburg on the Rondelbahn at Durnberg. Its a very long rail toboggan with ski lift to the top restaurant just over the border in Austria from no 4 above.

So well worth visiting the area IMO.

 

[Wapping]

Via a very direct route, Caen to Berchtesgaden is about 800 miles, in near enough a straight line.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr...CUdBA&vpsrc=0&gl=uk&doflg=ptm&mra=luc&t=m&z=7

If you average a real speed of 50mph (so mostly motorway) you are looking at 16 hours. Get a tramp on and average 65mph and you will take 12.5 hours.

Or, viewed another way, your target of no more than 4-5 hours a day at 65mph average will give you 325 miles a day, so easy to ride across in two / two and a half days, even if you average just fifty miles an hour.

You have eight days to tour, so subtract the two and a half days, leaves you five and half days left. A half day look around the Eagles Nest, leaves you five days.

But, you don't tell us if that is just 'touring' time to spend in Germany or if it has to include getting back to the coast and Blighty.... If so, which port??? If it's five days and then home, then you can find plenty of nice routes around and then commence your ride back.... or (depending if you are stuck on your maximum five hours-a-day rule) you may need to work your return journey into your tour, if you see what I mean.

Fill in the gaps, please and we can then help you some more.

 

[Ronno]

I did say there was not much in the house itself, yes been to the Centre, my only defense is that I was trying to write something whilst packing to fly back to the UK. Should have mentioned it though but most of our guests have not been in, most go for the Eagles Nest itself so that was what I was commenting on.

John

Glad to hear you didn't miss it I know a few folk that have been to the Eagle's Nest and didn't know what I was on about when I mentioned the Docs Centre. Seems a pity that folk miss this

 

[sven]

We rode up to Berchtesgarden from Kaprun on a Sunday in July 2010 and the queues for the Eagles Nest were horrendous

We ended up having lunch in the cafe in the main car park and then riding round the cracking Rossfeld Ringstrasse before heading back to Kaprun and then going for a play on the Grossglockner road in the sunshine - as opposed to fog and sleet the day before

The Deutsche Alpen Strasse through southern Bavaria was quite pretty in parts, but a lot of Germany can be quite dull e.g. the Romantische Strasse isn't very romantic... The best parts are in the west, such as the Mosel valley, Eifel area (Nurburgring), Black Forest and the overlooked Sauerland to the south east of the Ruhr valley (Mosel, Eder and Sorpe dams of Dambuster fame)

As someone else has mentioned, there's a lot to see in Normandy and the roads slightly inland offer pretty good biking.

 

[Ronno]

We rode up to Berchtesgarden from Kaprun on a Sunday in July 2010 and the queues for the Eagles Nest were horrendous

We ended up having lunch in the cafe in the main car park and then riding round the cracking Rossfeld Ringstrasse before heading back to Kaprun and then going for a play on the Grossglockner road in the sunshine - as opposed to fog and sleet the day before

The Deutsche Alpen Strasse through southern Bavaria was quite pretty in parts, but a lot of Germany can be quite dull e.g. the Romantische Strasse isn't very romantic... The best parts are in the west, such as the Mosel valley, Eifel area (Nurburgring), Black Forest and the overlooked Sauerland to the south east of the Ruhr valley (Mosel, Eder and Sorpe dams of Dambuster fame)

As someone else has mentioned, there's a lot to see in Normandy and the roads slightly inland offer pretty good biking.

A Sunday in July at The Eagles Nest. It's scary even thinking about how busy that would be...

 

[The Grey One]

Don't be put off though

Yes a Sunday visit to the Eagles Nest in July or August is not the best idea. We often try to persuade our guests to go on a week day (beware of public holidays though-both Germany and Austria have some on a Thursday!)

We have been there ourselves in August, yes is was busy but not unbearable. Most of the rest of the season it's not too bad. It is, after all, a major tourist attraction. The reason it was spared by the Americans was that the local mayor managed to convince them that it could be turned into something to benifit the local community. They are certainly making the most of it and get visitors from all over the world.

So go by all means, if you have to go in high season then the get there early advice makes a lot of sense. As had been pointed out there is more of historical interest in the area.

And a little further south you will find the castle at Werfen (closed mondays) that featured in the film "where Eagles Dare" Well worth a visit, good guided tours, lots of history and not usually too crowded. And has the added bonus of only being 1.5 hours of wonderful roads from us!

John

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

I haven't been to the Eagle's Nest, so can't comment. Don't overlook the Black Forest, though - an idyllic place to ride.

Or visit the Dambusters lakes - also lovely scenery and a theme to the trip.

(I defy anyone not to hum the Dambusters tune as you walk across the dams. Do it quietly... )

 

[Rasher]

I haven't been to the Eagle's Nest, so can't comment. Don't overlook the Black Forest, though - an idyllic place to ride.

+1

Not as spectacular as the Alps, or even as rugged as the Pyrenees, but at a fairly easy days ride from Calais and not so huge as to make you want a month to stay.

I think it makes for a great 3-7 day stop, i.e. long weekend / weeks return Journey / addition to another trip (way to from the Alps) / combine with Vosges or Ardennes.

I have stopped here on the way to or from the Alps on the last two years, as a holiday on its own 3 years ago and I am going back for a long weekend this year, and next year it will also be included in the Alps tour again.

 

[Mide]

We visited the Eagle's Nest in August 2011, and the Documentation Centre.

Really interesting place. I can't remember what day of the week it was but the queue's weren't bad, having said that it was pissing rain and the visibility was very poor
We had no problem going inside the building and had lunch in the cafe!

It is definitely a place worth visiting, particularily with young people. I'd love my kids to see it, it's good for them to see the scary/bad stuff too

However, it's a long way from Normandy. We stayed about 40 mins west of Berchtesgaden and the day we left we rode as far as Wertach, a little village just north east of Lake Bodensee, and that was a day's comfortable riding

I know that with hindsight we should have spent our whole holiday in the Black Forest. We had a fantastic time but would have seen more of the one place rather than little bits of loads of places

If you're doing a WW1 tour with your son maybe Ypres in Belgium would be in keeping with that??
The Menin Gate and the museums in Ypres and even out to Paschendale are fascinating places to visit