At the southern end of the Tegernsee, Rottach-Egern sits where the lake meets the mountains, and it has long been one of the most comfortable addresses in Upper Bavaria. Painted houses, carved balconies and well-kept gardens line the shore, and in summer the lake is busy with sailors and swimmers. The Wallberg rises steeply behind the village, and on a clear day its summit looks close enough to touch.
This is a sensible place to fill the tank before heading deeper into the hills. There are filling stations around the lake and in the neighbouring towns of Tegernsee and Bad Wiessee, and once you climb south towards the Achen Pass and the Austrian border, choices thin out. The road south from Rottach runs past Kreuth and Wildbad Kreuth before climbing gently through forest to the Achenpass and on to the Achensee in Tyrol. It is a lovely ride, more flowing than technical, with good surface and long views over pasture and pine.
Be aware that the Tegernsee valley is a magnet on sunny weekends. Day-trippers from Munich pour in, and the lakeside roads can crawl. Early mornings are far better, and police take noise and speed seriously here; the residents are not shy about complaining. Ride with a light hand on the throttle through the villages and you will be fine.
The area has a long monastic history. The Benedictine abbey at Tegernsee, founded in the eighth century, was one of the great centres of learning in southern Germany, and its brewery still produces the Tegernseer beer you will see on every menu. Save that for the evening. For now, the lake's clear water, the smell of cut grass and the first ridges of the Mangfall mountains are a fine way to start a day in the Bavarian Alps.