Out and about with Armin Kling: an active Allgäu experience

What is the best time of year to visit the Allgäu?

Spring is really the most beautiful season to be in the mountains of the Lochbachtal, where we spend the whole summer. Most of all I love being here in the spring, when all the flowers start to bloom.

Summer is a great time for walking in the Allgäu. My favourite route starts from my home in Obermaiselstein: you go along the Königsweg trail to the Besler, a freestanding outcrop of rock, then back through the Lochbachtal valley. If you don’t stop for refreshments it takes a good 2.5 hours. But you should always plan to stop for a break in one of the managed huts.

Autumn is also a lovely time for hiking or walking. When the leaves have turned, the countryside looks absolutely beautiful. At this time of year, I like to walk through the valleys around the Hörnerdörfer villages, Freibergsee lake or the Breitachklamm gorge. These routes are particularly appealing in autumn and make for perfect afternoon walks.

In winter we can enjoy skiing, snow shoe tours and cross country skiing round here. I love doing all of these things.

Why is winter particularly lovely?

When everything is coated with fresh snow and the sun is shining, it’s a wonderful sight. It’s just beautiful here in winter.

What are your favourite routes for snow shoe and ski tours?

My own personal favourite place is the summit of the Wannenkopf. I like to walk here from Obermaiselstein or Grasgehren in my snow shoes. From the top you get a great view over the whole village, but you can also see the Allgäu Alps in the distance as well as the Oberstdorf High Alps. That’s a great tour to do in snow shoes. When it comes to ski tours, I like going to the Riedberger Horn.

Where are the best ski pistes?

Naturally I regularly ski in the Grasgehren ski area, as that’s where I work as a ski instructor. The area is great if you just want to switch off and go skiing for two or three hours. It’s not huge, but it’s perfect for that.

What are the special products of the region and where do you get them?

I can never resist the Kaiserschmarrn at the Grasgehren hut. That’s a definite must in the winter.

And of course you can always get Kässpatzn here in this region. The best version is at Muttern, so I don’t have to make it myself.

What do you do in your free time?

When I have a day off in winter, I definitely go skiing. On my day off I like to go to Ofterschwang or Bolsterlang to take a look at the competition, to see what’s happening in my neighbouring communities. Or to Balderschwang, a little further away. You can have a great day’s skiing there. The ski areas are a bit bigger and not so crowded.

Where do you meet your friends in winter?

We usually meet in the Q Alp, which is in the middle of the ski area. I enjoy relaxing over a cup of coffee there, or an early evening beer or two.

And where do you like to go in the evening?

In the village I like going to the Haus des Gastes, a cosy inn. It’s an inn that also has a bar where you can have a few drinks in the evening.

Where do you go when you want to celebrate?

On special occasions, I like to go to the Bergwanger Hof in the village. The menu there is very varied, regional and constantly changing. One speciality I would recommend are the “Heugerichte”, which are cooked with Allgäu meadow hay.

And your tips when you have visitors?

You should definitely visit the Sturmannshöhle cave: it’s a natural limestone cave right inside the Obermaiselstein mountain which now has new LED lighting. A visit to the cave is a wonderful experience. And it’s the only accessible natural rock cave in the Allgäu – definitely worth a trip!

Another great experience is a visit to the Breitachklamm near Oberstdorf gorge in winter. When it’s cold enough, huge icicles hang down and glitter in the sunshine.

And if it’s raining?

Well, when the weather’s bad you can still go out in the snow, you just need the right clothes. When the weather isn’t great I like to walk about an hour to the Mittelalpe, which is a winter walking trail with a good place for refreshments at the end of it.

And your tips for families?

A ski course with me, naturally.

In winter, a trip to the toboggan run in Bad Hindelang is a great experience. Here you take the Hornbahn up the mountain and at the top there are toboggan runs of different degrees of difficulty. The routes are signposted in a similar way to the piste colours for skiing.

All the year round the mountains surrounding Lake Alpsee near Immenstadt, near Immenstadt, are well worth a visit. With a summer toboggan run that becomes a natural toboggan run in the winter, a climbing garden and alpine adventures, there’s something for everyone. In summer you can also take a boat trip across Lake Alpsee or visit the Bergbauernmuseum in Diepolz– this farming museum is a great place for families.

Which event is not to be missed?

In July, the Waldfeste (forest festival) in our village is a great event. Here people sit together under the trees, eating and drinking and enjoying the convivial atmosphere. The location is simply wonderful.

The Viehscheid (cattle drive) at the end of the summer is naturally a must-see event. We never miss it.

In winter you should try to catch the ski jumping or ski flying in Oberstdorf at least once. Every year, the ski jumping is a real highlight with the Vierschanzentournee tournament. Ski flying only happens every couple of years – and you really ought to see it.