By Vicky · Published Jan. 28th, 2023 · Updated Mar. 23rd, 2023
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The walk around Hopfensee and up to Burg Hopfen combines a beautiful lake walk with a short climb to a panoramic viewpoint over the lake and Alps beyond.
Hopfensee & Burg Hopfen Walking Map
Get the route by downloading the .gpx or .kml file below. For navigation with Maps.me on your mobile phone, simply download the .kml file and open to add it to the Maps.me bookmarks.
Location
Since it’s a loop walk, it’s possible to walk around Hopfensee starting from several different car parks. There’s a car park in the centre of Hopfensee town itself (paid), but we started from a car park on the other side of the lake (free).
Tips
- If you’re feeling tired, you can skip the walk up the ruins of Burg Hopfen and instead continue by the lake, but you’ll miss some great views.
- The path is paved in places and a good track elsewhere. The detour up to the castle follows a smaller path.
- There are several places to grab a bite to eat or drink in Hopfen town.
- In summer you can swim in the lake, best done near Hopfensee Campsite, or rent out small boats/canoes.
- For more hikes, check out our Germany Hiking Page.
Hopfensee & Burg Hopfen Walking Route
From the car park, turn left and you’ll come to a map board showing the loop walk around Hopfensee. You could hike either way around, though we chose to head right because it felt more natural. The entire route around Hopfensee Lake is either paved or a flat track, so makes for easy walking. Only the stretch up near Burg Hopfen castle is steeper and along a smaller path.
The route around the lake is very easy, as you just take the trail that sticks closest to the edge of the lake, and there are signposts at every junction. At first there’s a bit of forest between the track and the lake, but when the route heads north by Camping Hopfensee the path is right next to the lake. If it’s warm enough you can go swimming from here, or rent out a canoe.
Past the campsite, the walk reaches Hopfsensee town and you walk along the lakeside promenade. To walk up to Burg Hopfen and the great viewpoint, you need to take a right just before a wooden jetty, signposted to the Tourist Information. Take the road on the left of the tourist information and follow the road straight on until it becomes a track.
Other Hikes in the Snow
Burg Hopfen
The track becomes smaller and heads around the corner, up through the woods. There’s a cute wooden shelter on the left where you can take a break. Continue onwards and soon you’ll reach Burg Hopfen, the ruins of an old castle. There’s not too much left, but there’s still the circular outer wall and a few other remains.
Head left to make a little loop of the castle. At the far side, you’ll find a great viewpoint. You can see Hopfensee Lake below, and in clear weather you’ll also have a panorama of the Alps beyond. After admiring the view, continue on the loop until you arrive back at a signpost.
From here head left down the track and follow it around until you reach a car park. Continue onwards down the road until a main road. Cross over, head slightly right and then left down a track to rejoin the loop walk around the lake.
From here, the route is again very simple. You’ll head past some streams and tall reeds, with nice views back to the town of Hopfensee. The route continues along by the edge of the lake, and soon you’ll be back at the map board near where you started. Turn right to reach the car park and the end of the Hopfensee & Burg Hopfen Walk.
Guidebooks to explore more of Germany
For another walk in the snow, try the nearby walk up Alpsitz, the walk to Kenzenhütte, climb the Seekarkreuz Peak or hike up Wolfkopf Peak. Alternatively, check out our Germany Hiking Page for more great hikes nearby and for walking tours of the famous Bavarian cities.
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