Alpsee circuit from Hohenschwangau

The walk starts from the Alpsee car park (P4) in Hohenschwangau, below the two royal castles. It goes clockwise as the signs do: along the Fürstenstraße on the north side, with a short detour to the Pindarplatz, a rock viewpoint that looks back across the water to Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein. The path then drops to the shore, rounds the wooded west end over a footbridge, and returns along the south shore on forest paths and boardwalks, past the bathing place and the boat hire.

It is 5.6 km with 45 m of ascent; allow about 1½ hours. The grade is Easy. The path rises and falls over roots and rock on the south side, so it is not one for a pushchair.

The Alpsee is the lake King Ludwig II grew up beside; its water is very clear, and the wooded slopes come straight down to it on three sides. The Alpseebad, a small bathing place on the south shore, is open from May to October.

There is nothing to pay for the walk, but the car parks in Hohenschwangau are charged and fill early in summer. Buses 73 and 78 run from Füssen station to Hohenschwangau. In winter the path can be icy.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.