On a hill above the Ammersee, the onion-domed church of Andechs Monastery has drawn pilgrims for centuries, but many modern visitors come for something else: the beer. The Benedictine monks of Andechs brew some of the most celebrated beers in Bavaria, and the beer garden next to the monastery, with its view over the countryside, is famous. The climb from Herrsching through the Kiental, a narrow wooded valley, is a pleasant walk for those who want to earn their beer; riders, of course, take the road and leave the beer for later.
Herrsching itself is a lakeside town on the eastern shore of the Ammersee, with a promenade, a beach and a pier where the paddle steamers call. The Ammersee is a large lake, less fashionable than the Starnberger See, but equally beautiful, with reed beds, forests and villages around its shores. On clear days, the Alps rise beyond the southern end of the lake, and the sunsets over the water are spectacular.
The roads wind around the lake and climb into the hills, with gentle curves and views over the water and the mountains. The climb to Andechs is short but steep, with tight bends. Traffic can be heavy on summer weekends, especially around the monastery, and the roads are popular with cyclists. Watch for pedestrians in the villages and near the monastery.
Herrsching covers the basics without fuss: a pump, a supermarket, a few places to eat. The monastery has a restaurant serving hearty Bavarian food, including roast pork and pretzels, and its own cheese. The Allgäu foothills lie to the south-west, with green hills and mountain views.