Majestic peaks. Powdery snow. And a remote, escape-from-it-all feel. Balderschwang is Bavaria’s answer to the French Alps. With world-class ski runs to tempt winter sports lovers, its deep valleys and high alpine meadows also give it year-round appeal for active and relaxing holidays alike.
NATURE
Set in Nagelfluhkette Nature Park, Balderschwang is like something from a pretty picture postcard, with hazy blue hills, wildflowers and grazing cattle. Walk through meadows and forests of silver firs, keeping your eyes peeled for butterflies and your ears tuned for woodpeckers. Out in the open, you may spot red deer and nimble-footed chamois – or even golden eagles and peregrine falcons up above.
SPORT
From gently undulating paths to challenging summits, Balderschwang is serious hiking country. Pick up your walking poles and try Nordic walking, or opt for mountain biking if you’d prefer to get about on two wheels. When the snow arrives, swap your poles for salopettes and take to the region’s 41km of slopes – and ski, snowboard, or snowshoe to your heart’s content.
CULTURE
This bucolic part of Germany is famous for its relationship with the land. If you’re visiting in autumn, don’t miss the sight of one of the region’s cattle drives – or ‘Viehscheids’. Local people in traditional dress accompany cows, sheep, and goats from the Allgäu’s high mountain pastures down into the villages, the sound of cowbells and clogs filling the air.
The Balderschwang Yew is one of Germany’s ancient trees, thought to be around 1,000 years old – and in Celtic mythology, a magical tree which kept evil spirits at bay.