It is a quiet, wealthy area of villas and forests, and for riders coming back from the Tegernsee and the Sudelfeld it is a pleasant, low-key finish, close enough to the city but still among trees.
The plateau has been inhabited for a very long time. In the forest near Grünwald, the Römerschanze is an earthwork on the edge of the Isar bluff, used as a fortified site in prehistoric and later times, and Roman roads crossed the river nearby. Upstream, at Schäftlarn, a Benedictine abbey sits beside the river, with a Baroque church and a long tradition of brewing, and its beer garden is a popular spot for walkers and cyclists following the Isar paths.
The Tegernsee and Sudelfeld ride is a classic Munich day out. The Tegernsee is a beautiful lake surrounded by mountains, with a monastery and brewery at Tegernsee town and elegant villas around the shore. From there, the German Alpine Road continues over the Sudelfeld pass road to Bayrischzell, a curving mountain road that is extremely popular with motorcyclists, and as a result it has a history of accidents, noise complaints and frequent police controls. Ride it with respect.
Coming back to Munich, the roads through the Isar valley and the forests south of the city are calm and pleasant, especially in the evening. The B11 and the Isartal roads are lined with trees, and the views over the valley are lovely. Grünwald, Pullach and the surrounding villages have fuel and shops, and there is no shortage of beer gardens for a final drink. On summer evenings, the river below is full of swimmers, kayakers and people grilling on the gravel banks, a scene of very Bavarian contentment.