If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Eck, you can combine planning your excursions with the wider destination of the Berchtesgadener Land. A variety of themes come together there: hiking trails and alpine paths, regional mountain farming, a distillery, and cultural and historical experiences. When planning, it is worth keeping travel time and season in mind above all. A short stretch of trail, a challenging summit hike and a visit focused on history call for different priorities during your stay.
Hiking and alpine tours
Berchtesgaden National Park offers 260 kilometres of hiking trails and alpine paths. The range extends from accessible circular trails to high-alpine peaks. Many trails are in alpine terrain; in winter, large parts of the trail network cannot be accessed without specialist equipment. So take the season into account when choosing your hikes.
The named routes vary considerably in the time they take. From the Enzianhütte, you can reach the Eckersattel in about 30 minutes. By contrast, the normal route up the Hoher Göll via the Purtschellerhaus is considered a very challenging mountain tour: it covers 8.8 kilometres, climbs 1,296 metres and takes about 6.5 hours. Alpine conditions and safety requirements can vary; check them before setting out.
Another hiking route leads from Obersalzberg to the Untere Ahornalm. From there, a route continues via the Eckersattel to the Purtschellerhaus and Rossfeld. The Purtschellerhaus is also a distinctive landmark: the state border between Salzburg and Bavaria runs directly through the building. The routes therefore differ both in the time they take and in their course; choose your tour based on the information for the respective trail.
Cycling and regional cuisine
Cycling also comes with different conditions to bear in mind. In the national park, cycling is restricted to designated trails; there are no downhill routes or singletracks. The Rossfeld Panoramic Road is used by road cyclists and mountain bikers. This information helps distinguish cycling options in the national park from other cycling activities in the region.
Mountain farming also includes processing local milk: the milk from the cows at the Untere Ahornalm is made into butter and cheese on site. Another cheese from the Berchtesgaden area is Schüsselkas, a skimmed-milk cheese made especially at the region’s mountain pastures. If you are interested in regional products, both are part of the culinary side of the Berchtesgadener Land, though they are not the same thing.
Another attraction is the Grassl distillery in Unterau. During opening hours, its visitor centre offers a signposted tour about the distillation of gentian, juniper, gin and masterwort, as well as a free tasting of 40 specialities. Since details about the visitor centre may change, check the opening hours and current conditions before visiting.
Gorges, mountain views and history
The wider destination of the Berchtesgadener Land also offers different ways to experience the landscape. A short walking path of around 200 metres leads through the Wimbachklamm gorge in Ramsau, crossing bridges and walkways along steep rock walls. The hike through the Almbachklamm gorge has a different character: it leads through the deep gorge over 29 bridges and walkways, 320 steps and a tunnel blasted through the rock. Seasonal opening hours and weather-related closures may change; check the visiting conditions in advance.
Near the Haus der Berge, a panoramic trail passes through four habitats—water, forest, mountain pasture and rock—and offers views of the Watzmann, Hochkalter and Jenner along the way. The Berchtesgaden Salt Mine offers a very different experience: visitors cross the underground Mirror Lake on a raft, 130 metres below ground, and see sparkling salt crystals. Nature and an underground experience are both on offer, but they are different kinds of excursion.
For a historical focus, the Obersalzberg Documentation Centre offers a multimedia exploration of the history of Obersalzberg and the Nazi dictatorship. The historic bunker complex is accessible as part of the permanent exhibition. The pilgrimage church of St. Bartholomew offers a different perspective: built in 1134, it is located on the Hirschau peninsula in Berchtesgaden National Park, on Lake Königssee. When planning, you can therefore choose between nature, regional cuisine and various cultural themes.
Discover more destinations: Piding, Saaldorf-Surheim, Marktschellenberg, Anger, Schönau Am Königssee, Ramsau Bei Berchtesgaden, Ainring, Freilassing.
Go to the overview of the wider destination: Berchtesgadener Land.
