Great fun for short legs - legendary hike

Convincing children to go hiking can quickly become a challenge for parents. We have found the ideal solution: Accompanying our hiking trail, which leads through the breathtaking landscape of Lenggries, we tell legends that revolve around the various stops on our route, in addition there are also numerous educational boards about different plants and animals. 

The trail leads past the ruins of Hohenburg, along the Mühlbach as well as the Isar and finally back to the centre of the town. The start and finish is always at the Lenggries trains station. 

This circular route is particularly suitbale for families with children; children of primary school age are recommended.

Start at the Lenggries train station. Leave the station straight ahead along Bahnhofstraße to the next crossroads, where you finally turn right into Karwendelstraße in front of the Sparkasse. While you are following this road and enjoying the beautiful landscape, you can see both the Kalavrienberg and the Hohenburg castle, which is now used as a school¹, on your left. As soon as the Hirschbachstüberl appears on the right-hand side of the road, turn left and follow the path to the ruins of Hohenburg, which according to legends are the results of a fire in 1707. On this path you will also pass the castle, which you could already see from the road. As soon as you arrive at the ruins after a short, quite steep climb, listen carefully if you can hear an unearthly, beautiful voice that is said to have been heard during the fire in 1707².

Continue in the direction of the Mühlbach, past several car parks for hikers, to our next stop, the farm shop Isarwinkler Pumpheisl. Here you have the opportunity to buy fresh, regionally produced delicacies four your lunch break, such as cheese, various spreads and also delicious spritzers. You can then enjoy the beautiful landscape along the Mühlbach. At the end of the Mühlgasse, you will have to cross the Sylvensteinstraße. Unfortunately, there is no official crossing here, so please be attentive and careful.

Once you have crossed the road, follow it a little to the left. Then turn right to follow the Toni-Seber-Weg directly along the Isar. If you hear the peculiar call "Tutli-i-i Tutli-i-i" on this stretch, you are listening to the lovely song of the popular Isarnixe. This was particularly feared by rafters from Tölz, as according to legend it has already lured some to their "wet death". To protext oneself from this, a successful method is to plug one´s ears or carry a consecrated object with one³. On this part of the route, please also pay attention to the signs, which not only contain some important information, but also interesting facts about various plants and animals. Here you will also find a few places where you can get directly to the Isar. You will find the best place as soon as you have passed the Lenggrieser Baggerweiher. There is a large square there that is perfect for a short break, where you can also dangle you feet in the cold Isar water. 

To get to our last stop, continue following the path along the Isar until you have the option of going up a flight of stairs. At the top, turn right and follow the path back into town. Continue straight ahead along Isarstraße until you can finally turn left into Tölzer Straße, where you will also see the Gasthof Pension Neuwirt. A few years ago, this belonged to an old, rich innkeeper whom they called "Alte Pfund". He was very hard and merciless towards people who were not exactly well off. Beggars and poor people who asked for help were brusquely turned away from his door. One day, however, he fell ill with a disease that nobody knew about, not even the most expensive doctors could help him. According to legend, a stranger appeared one day with the solution. All he had to do was have pity on others and he would soon get better. In fact, after following the advice, the innkeeper got well again and since then made sure that every day a table with hearty food was provided for poor children⁴. This inn is a good place to stop and enjoy a delicious meal at the end of the hike. If you are not hungry enough for a full meal, there is also the possibility to reward yourself with a quick ice cream on the opposite side of the road. 

To get back to the train station, just follow Marktstraße straight on until you reach the same crossroads as at the beginning of the route and turn right. From there you can already see the train station and have reached the destination of the trail.

¹https://www.lenggries.de/winter/schloss-hohenburg

²Sazenhofen, 1967 quoted after Schinzel-Penth, 2016, p.50f.

³Raff, 1950 quoted after Schinzel-Penth, 2016, p.149ff.

⁴Schmidt, 1936 quoted after Schinzel-Penth, 2016, p. 56f.