The 12,8 kilometer-long Zirmgrat tour takes you to Germany's highest castle ruins, Falkenstein Castle, which is suitable for anyone with a bit of fitness. On this hiking tour you can also expect wonderful impressions of nature and wonderful views over the vast foothills of the Alps. The starting and finishing point of the hike is the picturesque Weißensee in the Füssen district of the same name.
Due to its exceptional altitude, the Falkenstein castle ruins are one of the most interesting sights in the Allgäu. The Bavarian fairy tale king Ludwig II was so impressed by the exposed location of the ruins that he quickly purchased it in order to have another dream castle built in its place in the style of Neuschwanstein. The plans for Falkenstein Castle were already ready when the king 1886 died on Lake Starnberg under circumstances that are still unclear today, so they were ultimately never realized. The start and finish point of the Zirmgrat circuit is the Weißensee outdoor swimming pool in the very rural district of Füssen of the same name. If you come via the A7, take the Füssen exit and follow the B310 to get to Weißensee. The federal highways B16 and B17 also take you to Füssen, from where Weißensee is well signposted. You can park your car free of charge in the parking spaces at the outdoor pool.
If you arrive by train, you can take the 71 bus from the Füssen train station to the Weißensee/See stop. The Zirmgrat tour is also suitable for families with older children. Ankle-hugging hiking boots with good tread soles are a prerequisite for this hiking tour. Since large parts of the route through the wooded Zirmgrat are in the shade, you can also undertake the hike on warm summer days. After it has rained, it is not advisable to go there as the paths are very slippery.
First of all, on this hiking tour you walk counterclockwise along the Weißensee, which, with its turquoise water and numerous idyllic spots on the bank, makes every nature lover's heart beat faster. The junction towards Pfronten takes you to a cycle and footpath that runs along the B310 to Roßmoos. Here, on the southwestern edge of the town, a meadow path leads left towards Falkenstein. You hike along the road up to the castle ruins, which were built around 1280 around on behalf of the Tyrolean Count Meinhard II as “castrum pfronten”. At that time it was intended as a clear threatening gesture towards the Bavarian dukes, with whom Meinhard II was in competition for the Hohenstaufen inheritance in Ostallgäu. The castle complex later served as the seat of the Augsburg bailiffs and guardians before it was closed at the end of the 16. century was abandoned.
During the Thirty Years' War it was set on fire by the Tyrol state government, which was afraid that it would fall intact into the hands of the enemy. 1803 The ruins came into the possession of the Bavarian Kingdom and 1883 King Ludwig II acquired them, despite his already high debts at the time. Today the ruins are an attractive sight and a popular destination for holidaymakers. From a viewing platform inside the castle, you have a fantastic view over the vast foothills of the Alps with its numerous lakes and mountain peaks.
There is a castle hotel around 50 meters below the castle ruins, from which you can descend to the Mariengrotte. From here you get back onto the road and hike to the Zirmgrat / Salober Alm junction. When hiking over the wooded Zirmgrat, there are always wonderful views of the surrounding Allgäu mountains. Where the route leaves the Zirmgrat, you walk along colorful flower meadows in spring. It is particularly breathtakingly beautiful here in May, when countless gentians transform the meadows into a sea of blue. When you reach a central fork in the road, from which you turn right to the Salober Alm, it is recommended to walk slightly left along the fence into a small forest, where after about 10 minutes you will reach a great viewing point from which you have a wonderful view over the Weißensee. As the route continues, you will come back to the path that leads to the Salober Alm. There you can make yourself comfortable on a cozy terrace and enjoy a delicious Bavarian snack or warm hut dishes.
Afterwards you climb in about 40 minutes on a well-developed path down to the Alatsee, which is known nationally from the Allgäu crime novels about Inspector Kluftinger. The locals tell many legends and myths about the beautiful mountain lake, which is also called the “bleeding lake”. In special lighting conditions, its water shimmers slightly reddish, which is caused by a layer of purple-sulfur bacteria at a depth of 15 meters. At the Alatsee parking lot, turn left to follow the road to the junction that leads back to Weißensee. After about 50 meters a forest path branches off to the right, which takes you to the Weißensee outdoor swimming pool.
The Zirmgrat tour combines picturesque natural impressions with wonderful views over the Allgäu and a visit to the Falkenstein castle ruins. This hiking tour offers lots of unforgettable moments.
