The 17,2 km long Tegelberg circuit is a truly royal hiking tour that leads to many places associated with the former Bavarian royal family. In addition to fantastic natural impressions and wonderful views of the Allgäu mountains, the crowning finale of this hike is a visit to the world-famous Neuschwanstein castle.
The Tegelberg in Schwangau is a striking, 1881 meter-high mountain that is part of the Ammergau Alps and is a popular excursion destination for nature lovers, those seeking relaxation and active athletes all year round. Hiking enthusiasts in particular will get their money's worth on the Tegelberg. On many of the beautiful paths here you can walk in royal footsteps, as the Bavarian fairytale king Ludwig II and his family often traveled here in the picturesque mountains. The starting and finishing point of this long hiking tour, which is of moderate difficulty, is the valley station of the Tegelbergbahn. To get there, follow the A7 or the federal highways B16 and B310 to Füssen and then take the B16 to Schwangau. Parking spaces are available at the valley station for a fee. If you arrive by train, you first go to Füssen and then take the hourly bus lines 73 and 78 to Schwangau. To visit Neuschwanstein Castle, you should get tickets from the ticket center in Hohenschwangau before the hike.
You should plan the whole day, or at least 7 Stunden, for the Tegelberg circuit. Initially it leads on the Schutzengelweg cultural trail up the mountain to the Rohrkopfhütte. You hike through a beautiful landscape with lush green alpine meadows and a view of the wonderful mountains. There are numerous information boards along the way that provide interesting information about the geology, history and culture of the region. Particular attention is paid to the former importance of the area for the Bavarian royal family. The Rohrkopfhütte is located about halfway between the valley and mountain stations of the Tegelbergbahn, surrounded by a wonderful mountain landscape. It has a cozy sun terrace where you can relax for a while while enjoying delicious hut dishes or a hearty Bavarian snack. The view of the Allgäuer Königswinkel with its castles, mountains and lakes is also fantastic from here.
Rested and strengthened, you then continue the climb to the top station of the Tegelbergbahn at an altitude of 1720 meters. There is a panoramic restaurant and the Tegelberghaus, which was formerly the royal Bavarian hunting lodge of Maximilian II. When the weather conditions are good, hang gliders and paragliders take off from the mountain station on their sightseeing flights over the royal castles. If you would like to extend the Tegelberg circuit, you can now take a detour to the Branderschrofenshoulder and the 1881 meter-high Branderschrofen summit, the actual summit of the Tegelberg massif. However, some experience in the rock is recommended. The fantastic view over the vast foothills of the Alps is definitely worth climbing to the Branderschrofen summit.
The actual Tegelberg tour continues down the mountain along the pleasant nature trail Ahornreitweg towards the Berggasthaus Bleckenau. In between, we recommend stopping every now and then and taking photos of the great view of mountains, lakes and castles. At the side of the Ahornreitweg, display boards provide information about the flora and fauna here in the Ammergebirge nature reserve, the largest nature reserve in Bavaria. At 1167 meters above sea level is the Bleckenau mountain restaurant, which used to be the hunting lodge of the Bavarian fairytale king Ludwig II. You can see that the traces of the Bavarian kings are everywhere here. In the Bleckenau you can fortify yourself with delicious Allgäuer hut dishes or a snack before the last part of the Tegelberg tour begins. We continue down the Tegelberg to reach the “Jugend” viewing point via the water pipe path. Here you can see Hohenschwangau, the Schwansee, the Alpsee and the castles from a beautiful perspective.
Then you hike to the Marienbrücke, from where you can marvel at the magnificent Neuschwanstein castle high above the Pöllat Gorge up close. The outside of the fairytale castle is reminiscent of an imposing medieval castle, while the inside is opulently furnished with lots of art treasures, gold and velvet. The opulent splendor in Neuschwanstein's large halls is almost overwhelming. Neuschwanstein Castle is considered a symbol of romance all over the world and is visited by well over a million people every year. The upcoming visit takes place in the form of a guided tour lasting approximately 35 minutes. Then you hike through the impressive Pöllat Gorge, along steep rock faces and beautiful waterfalls, back to the valley station of the Tegelbergbahn.
The Tegelberg circuit offers royal hiking enjoyment as well as fantastically beautiful natural impressions and views of the mountains. A visit to Germany's most famous attraction rounds off this hiking tour appropriately. At the valley station of the Tegelbergbahn you can have fun on a summer toboggan run, have a good time in a cozy beer garden or visit the Roman baths here, which are worth seeing and which were excavated and are an impressive example of Roman architecture.
