Two days on foot, over 32km and 2000 metres of ascent, to discover the valleys south of Garmisch, cloaked in coniferous forest. It is a one-way route from Garmisch to Mittenwald, and from there you return to Garmisch by train.
Day one: from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to the Meilerhütte.
The walk starts from Garmisch-Partenkirchen railway station (about m700), ideally reached by train for anyone living in or around Munich. If coming by car, it is probably better to park at the Olympia Skistadion. From Garmisch station we leave town heading south-east. Once outside town, we walk on a cycle path between bright green pastures dotted with farmhouses.
We first reach the Olympic ski jump stadium, an imposing neoclassical structure built for the 1936 Winter Olympics (the style of those years is recognisable...). From there we follow the road to the entrance of Garmisch's famous gorge (Partnachklamm). The quickest way for this hike runs right through the gorge (entry 6€); if you would rather avoid it, simply climb above the gorge on the path that starts to the left of the entrance gate.
Once through the gorge (m797, 1.30 hours), we take the Kälbersteig, a lovely stepped path that gains height quickly, first through broadleaf woods and then through conifers. In a couple of hours we come out onto a dirt road that leads us, with some ups and downs, to the Schachenhaus (m1866, 2.45 hours). This is e-bike country (these long, gently sloping valleys lend themselves well to (e)MTB, and this itinerary can also be done by bike, except for the climb to the Meilerhütte).
From here it is worth climbing the exact 500m that separate us from the Meilerhütte. The path first zigzags up above the Schachenhaus, then looks out over an impressive 700-metre drop into the Oberreintal. Finally, across meadows and rubble, we reach the terrace of the Meilerhütte (m2366, 1.15 hours), perched on a panoramic saddle between Austria and Germany. You can spend the night here and enjoy the sunrise over the Dreitorspitze.
Day two: from the Meilerhütte to Mittenwald.
We return to the Schachenhaus (if you are an experienced hiker you can take a “shortcut” with fixed ropes that descends to the right of the Frauenalplspitze). From the Schachenhaus (m1866, 1 hour) we cut across a boulder field to the Schachentor (m1873) and then descend through lovely meadows to the alpine pasture and refreshment stop of the Wettersteinalm (m1464, 1.15 hours).
From here we take the Bösplattensteig, in places no more than a faint trail through the woods. A long traverse, always gently downhill, brings us to the Ferchensee (m1060, 2 hours) and the Lautersee (m1012, 0.20 hours), both dominated by the rocky bulk of the Karwendelspitze. The lakes, with their mountain huts and refreshment stops, are a favourite destination for the people of these valleys. From here we descend to Mittenwald on one of several paths (m940, 0.30 hours).
From Mittenwald there are trains to Garmisch every hour at xx.36 (5.50€; you can check the timetable and buy a ticket at raileurope.com). The train takes about 20 minutes back to Garmisch.
