Round TRIP

Allgäu

Mountains are for hiking. The most glorious paths, which we were still carried uphill and downhill by our parents as children, we discover today on our own legs. Thanks to sturdy shoes and fortifying snacks, we can then climb to lofty heights in the best of moods.

But mountains are much more than that: they give us a feeling of home. Of coming home. Of idyll. Everything unimportant recedes into the distance. And one simply enjoys the here and now. All too often, journeys to exotic countries make us forget how fulfilling it can be to explore the beauty of nature at home.

In the magnificent Allgäu, the Tegelberg lures us towards the sky on narrow, rocky via ferratas. A little challenging, when the surrounding summit panoramas invite you to marvel at them. Now, in summer, the most delightful alpine flowers are also in bloom, clinging tenaciously to steep faces and indulging in the sunlight on the higher meadows. So a break. Only briefly. Because like us, other hikers want to climb to the top of the mountain. All kinds of bees, bumblebees, beetles and unknown insects buzz around the colourful blossoms, so that even off the paths it is quite busy. 

When we reach the summit cross, the Tegelberg rewards us with a panorama surrounded by clouds. On a day like this, the view stretches incredibly far, so that even the distant mountain ranges and surrounding lakes, such as the Bannwaldsee, Forggensee, Alpsee and Schwansee, are clearly visible and compete with the sky in brilliant blue. 

Carefully, we start walking downhill again. Looking ahead, Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle greet ones in the distance with their fairytale architecture. Once in the valley, a few cows graze in complete contentment on lush green meadows, completing the romantic picture of this Allgäu mountain idyll. A picture that could not be painted more beautifully here and now.

Germany, July 2020. | All words and photos by The Sturgheons.