Murnau, the Murnauer Moos and the Staffelsee

The term "The Blue Land" was embossed in the beginning of the 20th century by the artist group of Blue rider . Gabriele Münter lived here in Murnau am Staffelsee with Wassily Kandinsky, in the "Russenhaus". Franz Marc, August Macke and other artists were so impressed by the special light in Murnau that they became pioneers of Modern Art of the 20th Century and Expressionism.

Located on a hill above the Murnau Moor Murnau am Staffelsee, a 12,000 souls nest that is not so tiny when you take the time to discover it. From here you can let your eyes wander, over the moss, to the high and highest mountains in Germany: to the Zugspitze massif with Zugspitze and Alpspitze, but also the eastern Ammergau Alps, the lonely Estergebirge, Heimgarten and Herzogstand. In the south and west these mountains are framing the moss, in the north then lies on an ancient ridge Murnau am Staffelsee. Behind the glacial ridge, the Staffelsee is dark and warm, with wonderful flat hiking trails around it.

Location and origin of the Murnau Moor

The Murnauer Moos is the largest closed bog area in Central Europe. At the end of the last ice age, the 32km² large moor was created in the tongue basin of the Loisach Glacier, which stretched far beyond the Ammersee to the north. An indentation remained, which began to bog when the water level of the lake was falling below the ridge of the molasse.

Today, the area includes a diverse natural and cultural landscape with litter meadows, spring funnels, backwaters, lakes and bogs. A special feature are the Köchel, which are towering in the south. The Köchel are wooded rocky outcrops, which are made of hard rock and could not be removed by the ancient glacier. They used to be islands in the glacial lake, and since they are very difficult to access they preserved ecosystemswhich were destroyed elsewhere.

Natural reserve

From 1992 to 2003 the Murnauer moss was one of the largest conservation projects in Germany and is classified as a natural area of national importance. Land was purchased and restored for near-natural development or extensive use. Only the severe impairment of the water balance, caused by the construction of the A95 motorway in the 70s and the drainage by the land consolidation could not be cured fully.

Because of its size, its landscape forms and the flora and fauna, the Murnau moss is considered unique in Central Europe.

Nature lovers

Because of these qualities Murnauer Moos is a magnet for nature lovers, ornithologists and photographers. Rare plants and species of animals throng here in a relatively small and easily accessible area, so it often happens that you meet here crawling biologists or sitting motionless in front of your monocular ornithologists. Even photographers use the natural beauty to capture the impressions. Especially at the Blue Hour, which even then attracted the painters of the Blue Riders magically, it is worthwhile to expand their photo skills in the moss. For beginners of this profession, I have recently stumbled across a guide, in the Secrets and know-how Inaugurating outdoor photography and even including some photo hiking routes in Germany and Switzerland. From preparation to equipment and the basics of image design to concrete on-the-go tips, the eBook covers everything you need to know and follow at the beginning.

But now we start our hike through the Murnauer Moos.

The moss trail

Our hike on the approximately 12-kilometer long moss trail starts at the Ramsach Church, called the Ähndl. We walk along the streams Ramsach and Lindach on good trails deep into the moss.

After not quite four kilometers, we turn right into a small grove, from there on to the wooden boardwalk through the "Lange Filze". Now we are in the middle of the moor. A small hut offers the opportunity to rest.

We continue to Westried. Here you could board the train to get back to Murnau (or to Bad Kohlgrub). We keep walking on the ridge to the right and are rewarded with views of the entire moss and the mountains. Back at the Ähndl we end the day in the "Biergarten".

Literature:

• Blue land. Murnau, Kochel, Werdenfelser Land, Pfaffenwinkel: 25 cultural hikes between Murnau, Kochel, Werdenfelser Land and Pfaffenwinkel
• Murnau - Kochel - The blue country around the Staffelsee: Hiking map with active guide and bike paths
• Zugspitze with Ammergau Alps and Werdenfelder Land (Rother Bergverlag)