It takes a good hour and a half to leisurely cycle around Lake Tegernsee. We recommend planning significantly more time to make this most of this fantastic ride. The route takes you through the well-known towns around the lake with many places to stop for refreshments. Architecturally you can expect unique buildings and stunning villas as well as the many wonderful vantage points across the lake. With the bike path running parallel to the water for long stretches of the route, there are numerous opportunities to to take a dip in the water.
Details
Easy20 km
1.5 hrs
90m elevation
Directions
By car:
Coming from Munich, it makes sense to park in Gmund or in Seeglas at the outdoor pool and begin your bike tour around Lake Tegernsee from here. This saves you the traffic jams in the town of Tegernsee, especially in the summer months.
By train (BRB):
If you are traveling with the Bavarian Regiobahn (BRB) from Munich, you can either get off in Gmund and start from there. Alternatively you can travel one station further to the Tegernsee stop. Both stops are at the lake.
Route Description
The circular lake trail officially starts in the village of Tegernsee. The 20 km long and well-signposted cycle path runs almost entirely through pedestrian or traffic-calmed areas or on dedicated cycle paths. This first section of the tour will take you past the lake promenade, the popular Aran coffee house, the Bräustüberl Tegernsee and the monastery. Leaving Tegernsee up a slight incline it’s then on to Rottach-Egern.
Entering Rottach-Egern we recomment a short detour through the Schwaighof:
Keep your eyes peeled in Rottach-Egern for the sign to Bad Wiessee – here you’ll turn off in a westerly direction. Turning into Seestraße in the center of town you’ll take a Zone 30 road directly along the southern shore of the lake to Bad Wiessee. On this tranquil section, the boat docks, cafés and small parks offer a welcome break from the saddle. Don’t miss the traditional farm houses, many of which are still in use today!
The next part of the bike tour between Bad Wiessee and Gmund runs for several kilometers along a cycle path parallel to the B 318. Compared to the rest of the route around Lake Tegernsee, it is not particularly scenic. You’re can also expect the only significant incline of the whole route here between Bad Wiessee and Gmund. Arriving in Gmund you will be greeted with a magnificent view over Lake Tegernsee – a fitting reward for the efforts of the previous kilometers.
The final stretch brings you to the lido in Seeglas and back to the starting point of the tour in Tegernsee. The last 5 kilometers will take you along a wide bike path running close to the shore.
Summary
The bike tour around Lake Tegernsee is one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful, cycling routes in the Tegernsee region. With fewer than 100 meters altitude to overcome, the cycle path runs almost entirely separate from busy roads and is very well signposted. Long stretches run parallel to the shore and there is easy access to the many scenic facets around Lake Tegernsee. If you want to take a break from the journey, you will find numerous well-known inns, cafés, sights and beaches along the way. For those looking to extend this route, the bike tour to Siebenhütten south of Rottach-Egern is a great addition to this tour.
