The Priest's Way 2010 | ||
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This six day / seven night walking tour aims to allow you to visit as many as
possible of the striking baroque and rococo churches that dot the countryside
of the Pfaffenwinkel. Day 1 is a short day, allowing you to get get into your stride gently.
On the other hand, day 4 will be too long for most people. However, various options
are available to reduce the distance significantly.
Otherwise all the stages are between 13 and 14 miles long. This walk has had to be restructured over the first three days, to take account of suitable hotel accommodation. |
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Day 1. Arrive in Marktoberdorf. Day 2. The whole route starts with a steady uphill walk across typical Upper Bavarian meadows where the local cattle graze peacefully. The stage ends in a steep climb to the top of the Auerberg (3461 feet), crowned by the pilgrimage church of St. George, and from where there is a fine view over pre-alpine Bavaria, (about 9½ miles). |
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Day 3. Walk down from the Auerberg to the River Lech at Lechbruck;
then cross the river and walk to Steingaden with its fine minster.
Continue to the Unesco Heritage site of the Wies Church, before
ending the day in the peaceful village of Wildsteig (about 13 miles). The route from Steingaden the same as the King Ludwig Way, but you walk in the opposite direction. Day 4. At 23 miles this stage is too long for most walkers, but there are various options you can take. Whatever you decide, the first part of the walk (again, identical with the King Ludwig Way) brings you to Rottenbuch, which has an impressive abbey church. Here you have to make a decision. Option 1 The official route. Through mature woodland above the Ammerschlucht gorge to Böbing where there is a fine Baroque church. Then follow a ridge and pass a waterfall to Peissenberg (about 16½ miles). You can end the walk here and take the bus to Weilheim. Otherwise, continue to Polling, where there is another impressive Abbey church to visit, before continuing to Weilheim (about 23 miles from Wildsteig.) Option 2 The short cut. The route between Rottenbuch and Böbing is very indirect, and covers at least 4 miles. However, the direct distance, albeit mainly along a minor road, is under 2 miles. Taking the (less interesting) direct route reduces the distance by over 2 miles.) Option 3 The King Ludwig Way. Follow instead the King Ludwig Way from Rottenbuch through the Ammer gorge to Hohenpeissenberg, from where you take the train to Weilheim. As the station is reached before the centre of Hohenpeissenberg, this gives a day's walk of about 12 miles. Day 5. Today's walk starts across mixed farm and woodland before you reach a nature reserve. Then the route crosses marshland rich in wildlife to end on the shore of the Starnberger See lake at Bernried (about 14 miles). Day 6. You can save the first 3 or 4 miles of the walk by taking the ship up the lake to Seeshaupt; if you walk the the path follows the lake shore. From here you stroll through woodland to the nature reserve at Ostersee and on via Iffeldorf to end at Penzberg (about 15 miles if you walk all the way). Day 7. Through and along the River Loisach to Bichl. Continue to Benediktbeuern, the oldest monastery in Bavaria and home to the Carmina Burana. Along the river once more through wetlands to the Kochelsee lake and the town of Kochel which is well known for its artistic connections, particularly Franz Marc, some of whose works can be seen in the museum here (about 13 miles). |
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