Ramsau near Berchtesgaden: Between the Enchanted Forest and Wimbach Gorge
Accommodation in Ramsau Near Berchtesgaden
Ramsau near Berchtesgaden brings together a rugged mountain forest landscape, a rocky gorge and a historic church ensemble. In the Enchanted Forest, huge boulders shape the scenery; in Wimbach Gorge, a trail about 200 metres long runs along steep rock faces via bridges and walkways. St. Sebastian’s Parish Church adds a building whose history dates back to 1512. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, these features provide a clear guide to planning your trip: nature trails, landscape and local history offer different points of focus.
Die Pfarrkirche St. Sebastian gehört zu den prägenden Motiven Ramsaus.
Photo: GFreihalter via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Rock formations and trails in the Enchanted Forest
The Enchanted Forest by Hintersee is a rugged mountain forest landscape. It was formed thousands of years ago by a rockslide, and the huge boulders created by it still shape the forest today. In the mountaineering village of Ramsau, the Enchanted Forest has been awarded the “Bavaria’s Most Beautiful Geotopes” quality seal, certified by the Bavarian Environment Agency. It is also one of three natural highlights in the Berchtesgadener Land.
A footpath through the Enchanted Forest was laid out by the Ramsau Beautification Association in 1896/97. This brings two distinct periods together: the geological formation caused by the rockslide and the precisely dated construction of the path. The forest can therefore be experienced both through its distinctive boulders and through the history of its local development.
Gorge trail and sensory garden
Wimbach Gorge offers a different experience. The hiking trail, about 200 metres long, runs along the gorge’s steep rock faces via bridges and walkways. While the mountain forest landscape and its boulders define the Enchanted Forest, here the focus is on the succession of gorge walls, bridges and walkways. The two natural attractions thus offer different impressions, and the short gorge trail should not be confused with an extended forest walk.
The grounds of the Klausbachhaus include a sensory garden with a barefoot trail and sound stations. Alongside views of the landscape, other sensory experiences take centre stage: the trail engages the sense of touch, while the sound stations engage the sense of hearing. This complements the trails and rocky landscapes with another way of experiencing nature.
Church and historic ensemble
St. Sebastian’s Parish Church was built in 1512 under Prince-Provost Gregor Rainer and is dedicated to Saint Sebastian and Saint Fabian. Together with its historic cemetery, the former sacristan’s house and the rectory west of the church, it forms an architectural ensemble. So, alongside its natural attractions, Ramsau is also shaped by a clearly defined historic village setting.
More experiences in the wider Berchtesgadener Land region
The wider destination of Berchtesgadener Land stretches across southeastern Upper Bavaria, from the gently rolling Rupertiwinkel in the north to Berchtesgaden National Park on the Austrian border. In the south, the region’s landscape includes high-alpine mountain scenery and the natural setting around Lake Königssee. The national park offers a network of 260 kilometres of hiking trails and alpine routes.
Around the Haus der Berge, a panoramic trail brings the materials and plants of four habitats—water, forest, alpine pasture and rock—to life. It also offers views of Watzmann, Hochkalter and Jenner, combining the themes of habitats and mountain panoramas along one route. In contrast, the hike through Almbach Gorge crosses 29 bridges and walkways, climbs 320 steps and passes through a tunnel blasted into the rock. The gorge is open seasonally, and weather-related closures may change. Check the latest information before your visit.
Culture and industrial history also add distinctive features to the region. The pilgrimage church of St. Bartholomew, built in 1134, is located on the Hirschau peninsula in Berchtesgaden National Park on Lake Königssee. At the Berchtesgaden Salt Mine, visitors cross an underground mirror lake on a raft, 130 metres below ground, and see glittering salt crystals. The mine has been active for over 500 years and illustrates the journey of the brine from extraction in the mine through transport to Bad Reichenhall to processing into high-quality table salt.
The Grassl Distillery visitor centre in Unterau offers a culinary experience. During opening hours, a signposted tour introduces visitors to the distillation of gentian, juniper, gin and masterwort; there is also a free tasting of 40 specialities. As visitor information may change, check the opening hours in advance.
When looking for a holiday apartment, you can first consider whether you mainly want to experience Ramsau’s forests, gorge and cultural attractions, or also explore the wider range of themes in the Berchtesgadener Land. This lets you choose your holiday destination based on the balance between local experiences and regional excursions that you want for your trip.
Discover more destinations: Weißbach on the Alpine Road, Ainring, Anger, Freilassing, Teisendorf, Bischofswiesen, Berchtesgaden, Schönau on Lake Königssee.
Back to the regional travel overview: Berchtesgadener Land.
