Marquartstein and Reit im Winkl, Bavaria
The area surrounding Marquartstein and Reit im Winkl is full of gorges, mountains, farmland, rivers and pretty villages. This half-day trip will take you through this area of natural beauty which is beloved by the Germans. Some of the route is on a main road; therefore, if you are not comfortable on roads with traffic, then best to avoid this one. However, if you feel confident, it is such a lovely trip in a beautiful area on the border between Austria and Germany.
The route
From Kössen, heading towards Marquartstein, the road is part of the Deutsche Hochalpinstrasse (German high alpine road). You head through a beautiful gorge, where the road winds quite high up on the mountainside. If you have time, stop at the church (Wallfahrtskirche Maria Klobenstein) and walk down to the river, as it is worth it. The river is popular for canoeists and rafting, and looking back up the cliffside is impressive. There is a path high up on the opposite side of the gorge, a popular smuggling route in the past and possibly now. You never know.
Watch out for the bear…
Back on the road after the ‘bear’ (you’ll know it when you see it), you pass over the border between Austria and Germany. After that, it’s a swift descent down to the valley floor. This is great for getting up a bit of speed and blowing any cobwebs away.
Once on the valley floor, you cross over the river, and there is a path on the left, doubling back the way you came. It’s worth getting onto it and following it around the back of the village of Ettenhausen. Follow the bike route signs through Schleching all the way to Marquartstein. Most of the track is off-road through private housing areas with some lovely gardens to look at as well pasture land and wooded areas.
Marquartstein
Take a breather in Marquartstein, there is a cafe with a view of the river with particularly lovely views, but the choice is yours. There are a few to choose from.
Ready for part 2?
Out of Marquartstein head for Reit im Winkl. Look for the route along the riverside just out of Marquartstein, as it is much nicer than the road. We missed it the first time, so look for the sign. After the village of Oberwössen, you will join the main road and a pretty long slog up to the summit of the pass.
You will hear the roar of motorbikes up through this valley which might put you off a bit but don’t worry about it, as the road is wide enough for all vehicles to pass you. My top tip is to steady your pace and spin the pedals. Then when it gets steeper, put your ebike on tour or sport to the top. Celebrate at the top with a double arm raise above your head as you absolutely smashed it. Well done.
An epic descent
Now get ready for an epic descent down to Reit im Winkl. The gradient on this means you reach terminal velocity about 500 meters into the descent. The surface is smooth tarmac; no matter how hard I try, I can’t get my ebike over 50 km. So enjoy the speed and freewheel until you see the sign for the village of Reit im Winkl.
Reit im Winkl
If you eat meat, make a stop at Vinzenzmurr Butchers (Metzgerei), as it’s the best pork roll you will ever have. (ask for a krustenschweinsbraten semmel). Once you have refuelled, then it’s another descent over the border into Austria and down the curves into Kössen. This is a particularly pretty road down through a narrow gorge but keep focused as it’s a main road. There is a stopping point about halfway down if you want to take a look at the gorge.
Highlights for me
- The gorge from Kössen through to Germany
- The two big descents which get your heart pumping
- Pork roll stop in Reith im Winkl
- Stunning mountain scenery.
The route on Komoot
Recommended to confident ebikers that are happy to ride on the main road with a bit of traffic. Below find the route from my Komoot account.