So we set off after a hearty pre-hike meal. The hike is probably more of a long walk around a lake and up a valley to the Röthbach waterfall. This is pretty much the only goal for the day as it is an easy, but fairly time consuming hike to the Röthbach waterfall which is Germany's highest single-drop waterfall at 470 metres.
I felt oddly fresh after a currywurst and beer after sitting in a car all day waiting to get to Konigssee. Nonetheless, we headed off on our hike, dodging tourists left and right, while powering on to our goal. I often find it surprising how easy it is to get the picture you want, while hiding 60 people just outside the frame of a shot. It makes it especially easy in this case, when you aren't allowed in the water or on the lake as a non-local.
This is one of those lakes where at any point you can get down near the shoreline, the view is just unbelievable. The huge rock walls on either side seem to cramp you in right up against the water and make you feel like... well, like where we are headed would be the perfect Zombie Apocolypse retreat location. I'm not a doomsday-prepper by any means, but its still fun to think about. Not to mention where we were headed looked straight out of Jurassic Park. Maybe I watched too much TV last week.
The pathway hugs one side of the lake and hits the intensity of a long, 2 storey staircase, so compared to the routes around us, and the ones we would hit over the next two days, this was simply a walk by the lake. We stopped as often as we could to skip stones and get photos.
... while also getting harassed by the local livestock. This particular type of cow is the result of the locals breeding an almost extinct type of cow from this region. Lets hope the milk tastes good.
The Röthbach waterfall appeared over the next hill and while it has nothing of a fall like Victoria Falls, or Niagara, it is still spectacular as a centerpiece of the valley.
There was a little twist at this point... we encountered a snake. As Aussies, we were unperturbed, except one of the two Melbournites with us who had never actually seen a wild snake... especially in Germany!
But we scooted him off the beaten track where he was sunbaking, so the rowdy group behind us didn't bother it.
The clouds had been slowly setting in for a while now, but this was one of those times when we were too close to our goal to be turned away by a bit of rain. We had our rain gear and were happy to hang around. It was the footwear that while good for a walk, wasn't waterproof in any way.
We reach the base and realise it is nothing but a stream. The fall can't actually be viewed from up close, unless you want to go bush-bashing which at this point we didn't see much gain in the last 500 metres or so, so we hung around, taking in the huge basin for what it was, then headed back the way we came. But not before one of my famous Sweep Panorama's
We reach the top of the hill heading towards the lake again and decide a group shot is a necessity, so I put the timer on, and run to meet the others.
So the clouds grow dark, and we walk, ultimately not too worried about a bit of water... but maybe it was the cows we should have been worried about passing again...
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Part 3 will be coming tomorrow evening.
DanedeBeau
Find Part 1 here: Mismatched Travel Diaries - Bavaria - Hiking Konigsee - Part 1: Das Boot.
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