Benediktbeuern: Monastery, Moor and Nature Trails

Discover the monastery and village along different routes

The meditation garden is on the west side of the Maierhof. Its layout is based on the floor labyrinth of Chartres Cathedral. Benediktbeuern Monastery is also home to the Documentation Centre of the Bavarian Mountain Riflemen. It presents more than 500 years of Bavarian history, traditions and customs. The Benediktbeuern audio trail offers a different focus: this audio guide leads you around the village via 11 stops and stories, including Mariabrunn, Fraunhofer and the secret passage beneath the basilica. If you prefer to follow a historical theme, the Historic Mill Trail introduces you to aspects of life on and alongside the Mühlbach at 17 stops.

“Around the monastery” is a walk of about 2 km, estimated to take around 30 minutes. The flat route circles the monastery, including along Spatzenpointweg on the eastern side of the monastery and through the biotopes. Its length and route distinguish it from the Moos circular trails, which also start at the monastery and continue towards the moor.

Moorland trails and nature stops

Moos Circular Trail 2 is about 6 km long and takes around an hour and a half. From the monastery car park, it heads towards the moor, passing the biotopes and following the monastery wall back to the starting point. The path is flat and offers little shade. At about 10 km, Moos Circular Trail 1 is the longer of the two described routes, taking around two and a half to three hours. It leads from the monastery car park through the moor, along the Loisach and back to the monastery over the Lainbach bridge. A section along the Loisach River is used at your own risk. This trail is also flat and offers little shade.

The approximately 400 m barefoot trail runs through the Erlebnisbiotope area, a few hundred metres west of the monastery. The circular route crosses various types of rock, forest and moorland soil, as well as mud, and covers geology, soil types, vegetation and the use of natural materials. The woodland trail offers another way to take a closer look at nature: it runs for 2.5 km through easy-to-walk terrain and a moorland landscape with wide views. More than 30 stops explore native trees and shrubs; wood puzzles, a magnifying-glass station, and hedge and animal detective tasks complement the information. The variety of stops may be a point of interest for families who want to explore nature-related topics together.

Along the Lainbach, the Wildbach nature trail leads from Mariabrunn beside the stream to the unstaffed Söldner Alm. Ten information boards cover the geology of the Lainbach Valley, mountain streams and their engineering, as well as adapted plants and small animals. The Benediktus Trail, meanwhile, passes through the natural surroundings of the monastery complex. Its twelve stops offer reflections inspired by the Rule of Benedict, giving it a different focus from the nature trails.

A longer hike as a day-long plan

The Benediktbeuern–Kochel hike is about 16 km long and takes around four to four and a half hours. At the beginning there are some short climbs and shady sections; later, there is little shade. These details help you distinguish the hike from the shorter, flat circular routes around the monastery. If you plan to include several different outings in your trip, you could consider whether short walks, nature stops or the longer hike will be the focus of your days when choosing a holiday apartment.

Discover more places

Bad Heilbrunn, Reichersbeuern, Sankt Heinrich, Wolfratshausen, Geretsried, Greiling, Wackersberg and Kochel Am See also invite you to explore further: Bad Heilbrunn, Reichersbeuern, Sankt Heinrich, Wolfratshausen, Geretsried, Greiling, Wackersberg and Kochel Am See.

For the regional travel overview: Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen.