Lake Barmsee is a small lake in Bavaria, located in the outskirts of Krün, to the North of Mittenwald, with a size of approx. 1.12 by 0.49 km. Surrounded by the forest and alpine meadows, with the Karwendel mountains in the backdrop, the lake is a popular destination.
Tour Info
Difficulty level: easy
Tour length: approx. 5,5 km (round trip)
Ascent: 100 m
Descent: 100 m
In summer there is a small beach on the northwest shore, another bathing location in the immediate vicinity is Lake Grubsee. A 5.2 km long circular path takes you around Lake Barmsee. In winter both the Grubsee and the Barmsee get frozen - both lakes are currently enjoying their winter rest.
As my mother is visiting Grainau again, we take advantage of this glorious winter day to hike around the Barmsee. By car we reach Krün in no time and park in the spacious parking lot in front of the 'Alpengasthof Barmsee' (parking fees apply). The morning frost is still biting us by the collar, but the sky is bright blue, so the sun will surely send us a few of its rays to warm up.
Before the 'Alpengasthof Barmsee' the hiking trail goes left. We follow the hiking signs and then keep to the right (while the left turn goes to Lake Grubsee) to cross the forest that separates us from the lake shore. After a few hundred meters, the path briefly goes downhill. Here we have to be careful, as some icy spots may be slippery after the cold night. In a few minutes we are standing on the lake shore.
Here it's sunny and we gradually get warm again after the shady forest we've now left behind us. The frost has turned the reed grass, the bushes and the trees into real masterpieces by decorating them with tiny ice crystals, which are now sparkling in the sun and make the whole landscape glitter like in a winter fairytale.
From the lake shore we enjoy a magnificent panorama of the Soiern range and the northern flank of the Karwendel mountains. If it was a bit warmer, we would definitely settle here for some time to enjoy the view. But the cold keeps us on the move. We follow the signs, and the route takes us closer to the frozen lake. After a right turn we arrive at the designated bathing area, which currently lies before us under a light blanket of snow. As we enjoy the mountain view once again, a few cross-country runners go by.
At the next junction we wonder where our trail actually continues. So far the hiking signs on the route mentioned the 'Barmsee circular trail' ('Barmsee-Rundweg'), however, here there's nothing about a 'circular trail'. Since we intend to complete our hike around the lake, we finally take the path to the right, which leads us into the woods. The lake now disappears from our view, and we only see the trees around us. Was this really the right way? In a few minutes the forest opens up again and we reach another junction. Fortunately, here the circular route is signposted again, and we make another right turn. The last part of the trail is not really "close to nature", since we reach the main road. Here we have to keep right once again, the last section goes through a residential area and ends at the Alpengasthof Barmsee.
Winter outdoor activity was great as usual - we are beaming with energy. Let's treat ourselves to a latte macchiato or a hot chocolate before heading back to Grainau!
Tips & Infos:
- Arrival from the Hotel am Badersee: From Grainau drive in the direction of Partenkirchen and then follow the B2 to Innsbruck. Shortly after Klais take the exit 'Barmsee / Grubsee'.
- Refreshment stop on the route: Alpengasthof Barmsee (check opening times)
- The trail is generally suitable for strollers, however, at the beginning you would have to go slightly uphill and then downhill to the lake.
- Parking fees apply at the 'Alpengasthof Barmsee' parking lot. Some parking spaces are reserved for the guests of the Alpengasthof. Should this parking lot be full, you can find more parking spaces along the road that you would reach at the end of the tour.
The Badersee Blog - Winter In Grainau
The Badersee Blog - Hiking & Mountaineering Snowhiking In Zugspitze Area
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