Panoramic hike with two cable cars
I confess: I may be an employee of the Jennerbahn, but I’m also a real fan of the Obersalzbergbahn. The little red gondolas from 1949 have a wonderful touch of nostalgia. They take their passengers comfortably up to the Carl-von-Linde trail, a high-altitude hiking trail that connects the Obersalzberg documentation with the Scharitzkehl alpine pasture in front of the Göll west face. The mostly well-shaded forest path leads along the slopes of the Obersalzberg and repeatedly offers wonderful views of the valley. If you can manage a few climbs on the mostly flat trail, we recommend the hike from the Obersalzbergbahn mountain station to the Jennerbahn middle station. It scores points with numerous refreshment stops along the way and, above all, a knee-friendly ascent and descent!
There are three of us with Lara the dog and we catch the first ride on the Obersalzbergbahn at 9.30 am. As the cable car does not have a large capacity, we recommend an early start, as there are hardly any waiting times. The ascent leads across beautiful meadows and beautifully situated farmhouses, we enjoy the view of Berchtesgaden and the Watzmann. After a short change at the middle station, the mountain station is quickly reached.
Today’s hike first leads downhill towards the summer toboggan run – great fun for families. We continue to follow the signs “Carl von Linde” in the direction of the Jennerbahn middle station. After just 20 minutes, we reach the Graflhöhe inn, which is famous for its giant cream puffs. However, the view of the Berchtesgaden valley from the terrace or one of the sun loungers is even more spectacular. Pleasure hikers can take their first break here (note opening times). We’ve just come from breakfast and so we carry on walking. The trail leads past the Alpetalhütte. The former shelter used to be the starting point for the Göll ascent and is now privately owned. Modern vacation apartments in a wonderful secluded location have been created here with great sensitivity. We soon reach open meadows and the Vorderbrand inn with its beer garden and view of the Untersberg. Here you can also take a 20-minute detour to the Brandkopf, a small peak with a great panoramic view. We can already see the Jennerbahn glass cabins gleaming in the sun from there. A small path leads back down to the crossroads below the Hinterbrand parking lot. Today’s destination, the HALBZEIT restaurant at the middle station of the Jennerbahn, is only a 25-minute walk away. Once here, we enjoy the panoramic terrace and the comfortable deckchairs with a homemade lemonade before we take a leisurely ride back down into the valley. Incidentally, there is a new playground for children right next to the HALBZEIT terrace, where they can let off steam while their parents relax and enjoy their coffee.
Note: If you have a dog with you, please buy a dog ticket at the ticket machine at the Jennerbahn middle station. Back in the valley, it’s worth making a detour to Königssee. You can get back to the starting point by bus, the bus stop is right next to the Jennerbahn valley station. It is only a 15-minute walk from Berchtesgaden train station to the parking lot at the Obersalzbergbahn.
The tour is of course possible in both directions. Nostalgia and modern cable car technology, combined with a wonderful, panoramic hike.