Long-distance hikes in Polling

The Prälatenweg offers a special variety of church visits, stretching for about 140 km through a diverse pre-Alpine landscape from Marktoberdorf to Kochel am See. Besides Benediktbeuern, many other significant monasteries such as Steingaden, Rottenbuch, Polling, and Bernried, as well as the rococo masterpiece of the Wieskirche, lie along our route, which can comfortably be completed in six daily stages.

Three multi-day hikes lead through the most beautiful corners of the Upper Bavarian Pfaffenwinkel, whose culture has been shaped by numerous monasteries over centuries. The quiet hiking trails connect churches, monasteries and places of power in nature. The three pilgrimage routes start and end at Hoher Peißenberg, which offers a panoramic view over the entire region and is predestined as an important pilgrimage site. The northern loop with a length of 96km and 7 day stages connects Hoher Peißenberg with the monasteries Wessobrunn, Andechs and Polling, crossing the Paterzell yew forest as well as the unique Hardt landscape north of Weilheim. "Bubbling springs" – the theme of the route – are not only found in Wessobrunn, which according to legend was founded by Duke Tassilo III at the site where he found a spring in the shape of a cross after dreaming of a spring whose water flowed in four directions.

The first stage of the eastern loop of the long-distance trail Holy Landscape Pfaffenwinkel takes us from Hoher Peißenberg to Weilheim in Upper Bavaria. We cross the gentle rolling hills of the pre-Alpine region and enjoy magnificent views of the Alpine massif. Along the way, we pass several chapels, hike along the Ammer river, and can admire the churches of Peißenberg and Polling.

Three multi-day hikes lead through the most beautiful corners of the Upper Bavarian Pfaffenwinkel, whose culture has been shaped over centuries by numerous monasteries. The quiet hiking trails connect churches, monasteries, and places of power in nature. The three pilgrimage routes start and end at the Hoher Peißenberg, which offers a panoramic view of the entire region and is predestined as an important pilgrimage site. On the East Loop with the theme “reflecting waters”, 8 daily stages with a total length of 139 km lead to the significant monastery locations Polling, Bernried, and Benediktbeuern. The landscape of the route is shaped by Lake Starnberg and the Osterseen lakes as well as countless other lakes and ponds along the way, in which one can reflect themselves and their life.

The sixth stage of the long-distance hiking trail Holy Landscape Pfaffenwinkel North Loop takes us from Weilheim to Peißenberg. If we didn't have time to visit Weilheim after the long fifth stage, the not quite as long sixth stage gives us enough time beforehand to stroll through the pedestrian zone and across Marienplatz, visit the parish church Mariae Himmelfahrt, and admire the St. Pölten Church – the oldest Weilheim church, whose origins date back to the 8th century. After that, we set out for Peißenberg. Along the way, we encounter the Ammer again and can visit the picturesque monastery village Polling (Holy Cross Monastery) and the collegiate church St. Salvator of the Augustinian Canons.

Three-day hike through the Pfaffenwinkel into the Blaue Land and to the first mountain range of the Alps: Start at the world-famous Kloster Andechs above the Ammersee; along the Ammer and through Pähl, Weilheim, Huglfing and Uffing to the Staffelsee; The destination is the small town of Grafenaschau, just a bit south of the Staffelsee, but we also make a small excursion to the worth-seeing Murnau, ... the 17th stage of the long-distance hike from our book "2 x 2 Feet to Hiking Happiness", but also the 17th stage on the Hans & Thomas Trail, which connects Westphalia, Hesse and Bavaria continuously with Tirol, South Tyrol, Trentino, Lombardy and Ticino.

Fernwanderweg von Marktoberdorf nach Kochel