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Two days, two countries and a remarkable contrast between human ingenuity and wild alpine landscapes.

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My journey began in Bavaria with a hike around Neuschwanstein Castle, including the spectacular viewpoint at Marienbrücke above the Pöllat Gorge. From there, I crossed into Austria to reach the summit of the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain at 2,962 metres, aboard the impressive Tiroler Zugspitzbahn cable car.

After a relaxing overnight stay at Hotel Hirschen in Imst, I returned to the mountains for a demanding solo hiking circuit from Ehrwalder Alm. The route took me across rugged alpine terrain towards the Hinteres Tajatörl and Grünsteinscharte, including a steep, rope-assisted passage just below the latter’s summit.

 

The reward came at Drachensee and Seebensee, two spectacular alpine lakes whose crystal-clear turquoise waters contrast beautifully with the dramatic limestone peaks of the Mieminger mountains.

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From fairytale architecture and mountain engineering to challenging trails and pristine alpine lakes, this short trip captured everything I love about exploring the Alps: geography, adventure, technical ingenuity and the freedom of travelling independently.

 

Live Interactive Tracking: Explore the step-by-step GPS track, photos, and geographic logs on the embedded Polarsteps widget below.