On the morning of day two of our trip in the Bavaria region of Germany we did a hike through the forest and around Lake Barmsee.
The weather was quite cloudy and dreary that day but we didn't let that stop us from enjoying the lovely scenery around our home base of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The lake is only a 20 minute drive from the city.
The hike begins at a tiny little village called Gerold. It only has a few homes and maybe a hotel or two but there's not much to look at there other than the scenery. No one's complaining about the scenery though.
From there you follow a dirt trail that takes you through a field dotted with little wooden huts that are presumably used to store hay over the winter for livestock. I read online that this area happens to be one of the most photographed sites in the area. I can only imagine how beautiful it is when the weather is nice.
A short distance away is a small lake which is actually more like a pond. Stoney mountains in the distance remind you that you're still located just on the edge of the Alpine mountain range.
There was one person fly fishing in the pond, which was a bit surprising to me given it's size. I don't know how the fish survive the winter there. Maybe it's stocked with trout each spring?
There were also tons of really pretty lily's in the water.
I believe the sign below translates to "No Lawn" - a gentle reminder that you're actually walking through private property.
I'm sure the area gets a lot of tourists and the owner probably doesn't want to have to fight a stranger for his own dock when he wants to go fishing.
It doesn't take long to reach Lake Barmsee. A mere 10 minute walk or so and you'll find yourself standing at the edge of the much larger body of water.
Still, glassy water reflecting the surrounding mountains and trees.
The walk around the lake takes about an hour and a half and the scenery varies quite a bit along the way.
Some parts are next to the lake itself,
while others have you walking along a creek next to a large field of tall grass.
Then you're in the forest again.
I don't usually take photos in the trees but I think these create a neat sort of effect.
The trail is a circuit and eventually it loops back on itself. Sometimes it's nice seeing the same sights but from the opposite perspective.
It wasn't even midday by the time we finished our hike, so we still had plenty of time to explore the area.
We didn't have a specific plan for the day but I typically have a few options lined up just in case we finish things early or if the weather is unpredictable.
For the afternoon we decided to check out the town of Mittenwald, so that will be the subject of my next post if you're interested.
