The Schachen (1866 m) is a viewing summit in the Wetterstein and known nationwide through the royal family.
background
The Schachen is a small summit on the north side of the Wetterstein below the Partenkirchner Dreitorspitze and the Meilerhütte above Reintal at Garmisch-Partenkirchen. On the Schachen-Alpe with its fantastic view over the Reintal with the Zugspitzplatt, on the Alpspitze, the Ammergau Alps with the Kramer and on that Ester Mountains let himself King Ludwig II. Build a mountain villa for personal use with outbuildings for his servants at an altitude of almost 2000 m.
getting there
Tourists can only travel there on foot or by bike.
on foot
- From the hiking car park at Elmau Castle on the signposted Königsweg via the Wettersteinalm.
- Walking time 3 - 3.5 hours; approx. 10 km route; 850 m difference in altitude; no major gradients.
- On the Calf path: From the parking lot at Olympic Stadium in Garmisch in approx. 1 - 1.5 hours through the Partnach Gorge (Entrance 3.50 €), approx. 300 m after the end of the gorge at the confluence of the Ferchenbach in the Partnach, as signposted over the Kälbersteig to the Königsweg to Schachen. Sun-protected mountain path in the mountain forest, possibly smudgy when wet: good footwear required. The climb can be quite arduous for children because of the length.
- Walking time 3 - 3½ hours from the end of the gorge; 9 km route; 1150 m difference in altitude, some steeper sections.
- About the Reintal: to the end of the Partnachklamm as for the ascent Kälbersteig before, but then follow the signs along the Partnach in the direction of Reintal, through Mitterklamm and Hinterklamm, after approx. 2.5 km with the Oberreintalbach to the Oberreintal (Oberreintalhütte) branch off, after another 700 m branch off to Schachen.
- Walking time 3½ - 4 hours from the end of the gorge; approx. 10 km route; 1150 m difference in altitude; Most demanding ascent, sometimes a bit exposed, good footwear is mandatory, south-facing and little shaded.
- Almost the entire difference in altitude on this route is mastered in a single steep ascent from the Oberreintal, better: take the descent from Schachen, with a fantastic view of the deeply cut Reintal with the Zugspitzplatt.
by bicycle
The approach by bike is on the Royal road a former forest road (closed to public car traffic) from Elmau Castle from possible. See before. Especially on the last kilometer after the connection with the Kälbersteig, because of the heavy traffic and oncoming traffic from cyclists and mountain hikers, controlled descent is the order of the day in some less clearly arranged places. On the last kilometer of the way (rough, partly steep scree path, which can only be driven with off-road vehicles), the use of a MTB is recommended. Touring bikes may have to be pushed depending on the type of tire.
In addition to the approach from Elmau via Klais is also the approach from Mittenwald from possible.
Tourist Attractions
The royal house
The royal house was built from 1869 to 1872 according to plans by w: Georg_von_Dollmann on the Schachenalpe above Garmisch-Partenkirchen as a wooden structure in the style of a Swiss chalet house. The building served King Ludwig II. as a base for his stays in the mountains. The name "royal hunting lodge" came about after the mysterious death of the king, who was not a passionate hunter himself. He spent ten to twelve days a year here and used the building repeatedly to celebrate his birthday.
There are five living rooms on the ground floor, the furnishings of which are kept simple with pine wood paneling.
The "Turkish Hall", a state room, takes up the entire upper floor. In an elaborate design with elements such as colored glass windows, luxurious divans, fountains, enamelled vases, embroidered carpets and textiles, peacock feathers and candelabras, the room reflects the image of the king and his time of the Orient.
- Royal House on Schachen (1,800 m; Bavarian Palace Administration)). If the weather is nice, there may be waiting times;Open: late May to late September.Price: € 4.50, daily guided tours at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. (up to 30 people).
The alpine garden
Only a few meters below the royal house is the Alpine Garden, which is maintained by the Munich-Nymphenburg Botanical Garden. The special garden shows over 1000 plant species from the Alps, the Himalayas and the rest of the world.
- Alpine garden on the Schachen. Open: beginning of July to mid-September, daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.Price: € 2 entry, guided tours an additional € 2 per person.
Schachensee
The idyllic mountain lake is located around 700 meters northeast of the Königshaus at an altitude of 1,680 meters (47 ° 25 '26 "N.11 ° 7 '11 "E). The lake is oval and, depending on the water level, has a maximum diameter of up to 140 meters.
The lake has a pebble beach, in midsummer the clear water can reach temperatures suitable for bathing. However, the beach on the lakeshore is muddy.
The lake can be reached with a small and clearly recognizable, but not marked and not signposted, easy detour from Footpath from Ellmau, which at approx. 1710 mH (47 ° 25 ′ 31 ″ N.11 ° 7 '23 "E) branches off to the north (downhill) and after around 15 minutes descent to the lake shore.
Because of its close proximity to the royal family, the lake is often simply left "to the right" by the many visitors to the Schachen. Those who take the time and descend the few meters to the Schachensee often have it all to themselves.
activities
- Mountain hiking (see section Arrival "on foot")
- Mountain biking (see section Arrival "by bicycle")
- away from the mountain sun tan to let.
- enjoying the view of the valley
kitchen
In the former farm buildings, just a few meters below the castle, there is now the Schachenhaus restaurant (see accommodation below), which offers down-to-earth alpine cuisine.
About halfway there is the refreshment stop, which is open in summer Wettersteinalm possible.
Otherwise, there is no other option for provisions along the climbs and access routes.
accommodation
- 1 Chess house (Mountain restaurant, 1,866 m, private) (directly at the royal house). Tel.: 49 (0)172-8768868. Regional Bavarian-Alpine cuisine. Accommodation for up to 80 people, including 2 mattress dormitories for 12 people each, 1 mattress dormitory for 24 people and rooms.Open: depending on the weather from the end of May to mid-October, closed in winter.
- Another option to stay overnight in the area is that Meilerhütte, approx. 1.5 hours above the Schachen: Ascent from Schachen via the signposted mountain path;
climate
The Schachen is at an altitude of almost 2000 m. The weather hazards of the mountain climate with increased solar radiation, possible heat thunderstorms in the afternoon and sudden sudden falls of weather apply.
literature
cards
- freytag & berndt (1: 50,000) sheet WK322 (hiker, bike and ski tour map);
- Alpine Club cards (1: 25,000) sheet 4/2, 4/3; (for mountaineers);
