Chiemgau Lakes and Samerberg

A 158 km loop

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Why this ride

Scenery first, traffic last, with checkpoints that make sense on a bike. A 158 km loop that starts and ends near Munich, about 2 h 53 of riding. Much of it runs through woodland.

Roadbook

1. Munich start

   Munich is closer to the Alps than any other German city of its size, and on a clear day with a warm southerly wind called the Föhn, the mountains seem to sit at the end of the street. The wind brings a sharp clarity and headaches for the sensitive, and the locals are used to both. The city lies on the Isar, a river that once ran milky green with glacial water and is now lined with gravel banks where people sunbathe, barbecue and swim in summer. Munich's centre is compact and cheerful, with the twin onion-domed towers of the Frauenkirche, the Rathaus on Marienplatz with its mechanical clock figures, and the Viktualienmarkt for food.

   The history here is Bavarian through and through: the Wittelsbach dynasty ruled from the city for centuries and left behind palaces and the vast English Garden, one of the largest urban parks in the world. Beer is a big part of the identity, and the Hofbräuhaus is only one of many beer halls where a litre mug is the normal measure. The Oktoberfest, held on the Theresienwiese from mid-September to early October, draws millions of visitors. The city is also home to BMW, whose museum and showroom, a futuristic building near the Olympic park, is a destination for any motorcyclist, since the company has made motorcycles for more than a century.

   Riding out of Munich is a pleasure once you clear the suburbs. The roads south lead to the Alpine foothills, with lakes like the Starnberger See and the Tegernsee and a succession of green hills with cows and onion-domed churches, and the mountains rise on the horizon. To the north and west, the Bavarian plain is flat and agricultural, with straight roads and wide skies. Traffic is heavy at rush hour, and weekend trips toward the Alps can produce long queues. An early start, before the day-trippers wake, makes a big difference.

   Fuel is easy in a city of well over a million people. The streets near the centre are crowded, with trams, cyclists and a low-emission zone, but a motorcycle is a good way to move through them. Cafes serve strong coffee and the classic Bavarian breakfast of weisswurst, pretzels and sweet mustard before noon. The air has a fresh, slightly resinous smell in spring, and the light in autumn is gentle and golden.

2. Samerberg food
3. Munich finish

Where this sits

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