Penzberg was a coal town until 1966, when its mine closed after more than a century of operation. The miners' houses, the old headframe and a museum recall that past, but Penzberg's real surprise is cultural: its museum houses a remarkable collection of works by Heinrich Campendonk, a member of the Blue Rider group of painters, with his colourful, dreamlike paintings and glass works. It is an unexpected treasure in a small town at the edge of the Alps.
The landscape around Penzberg is a mix of meadows, forests, moors and lakes, with the Alps rising to the south. A short ride away lie the Osterseen, a chain of small, clear lakes in a moorland nature reserve, and the larger Starnberger See and Kochelsee. Beyond Kochel, the road climbs the Kesselberg to the Walchensee, one of the most beautiful lakes in Bavaria, with deep turquoise water surrounded by mountains.
The riding here is excellent. The roads roll through the meadows and forests, with gentle curves and views of the mountains, and the Kesselberg road, with its hairpins, is a classic. Note that the Kesselberg has had weekend and holiday restrictions for motorcycles in one direction because of noise and accidents, so check the signs. Traffic can be heavy on summer weekends, and the roads are popular with cyclists.
Penzberg has fuel stations, shops and restaurants, making it a good place to fill up before heading into the mountains. A visit to the Campendonk museum is a fine way to spend a rainy hour. The Walchensee and Kochelsee loop continues south into the mountains.