Iffeldorf: Hiking at the Osterseen Lakes and Church Art

Iffeldorf combines trails through the Osterseen Lakes with church art and an annual tradition. If you’re looking for a hotel for your trip, you can plan your stay around hiking, the churches, or the date of the procession of lights.

Hiking at the Osterseen Lakes

The Natura 2000 route through the Osterseen Lakes is 10 kilometres long and takes about three hours. It starts either at the Osterseen car park on Jägergasse or at Iffeldorf train station. This gives you both the approximate duration and two starting points for the route.

Another option is the blue-marked Route 25, which starts in Iffeldorf and circles Ostersee Lake. The “Hike around the Osterseen Lakes” is a gentle nature experience through Iffeldorf. The long-distance hiking trail “Heilige Landschaft Pfaffenwinkel” (Holy Landscape of Pfaffenwinkel) also passes through the village.

You can choose between different features: the Natura 2000 route is described in terms of its length and approximate duration, while Route 25 is described as a circular route. If a time estimate is important to you, the stated duration of about three hours can help with planning; if you’re looking for a circular route, the trail around Ostersee Lake is a separate option.

Church Art and the Procession of Lights

The parish church of St. Vitus received its Rococo interior furnishings in the mid-18th century. The frescoes were painted by Johann Jakob Zeiller (1708–1783) from Tyrol. The Heuwinkl Chapel, a Marian pilgrimage site, is located on the eastern edge of Iffeldorf.

An annual event is the procession of lights on the second Sunday in September. It leads from the parish church to Heuwinkl Chapel and is accompanied by the Iffeldorf music band. If this event is important to your trip, you can use the second Sunday in September as a guide when planning.

More Places to Visit and Getting There

Gut Aiderbichl in Iffeldorf offers visits to its stables and enclosures, as well as exhibitions and video presentations. This makes Iffeldorf’s nature trails and churches an ideal complement to another specific attraction.

Iffeldorf is served by the Munich–Tutzing–Kochel railway line. Together with the starting points for the Natura 2000 route listed above, this rail connection provides a practical reference point for planning your journey.

Weilheim-Schongau as the Wider Region

The Pfaffenwinkel travel region is part of the wider Weilheim-Schongau destination. The Lech forms Weilheim-Schongau’s western boundary, the Ammer flows through its central area, and the Loisach runs along its eastern border.

Regional cultural highlights include the Wieskirche near Steingaden, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. Dominikus Zimmermann built it between 1745 and 1754. Church services, summer concerts, and quiet contemplation offer reasons to visit; concert dates may vary.

The Erdfunkstelle hiking trail, about 5 kilometres long, starts at Raisting train station and forms a circular route through the Erdfunkstelle, past the large satellite dishes and the Radom industrial monument with its historic Antenna 1. Trail conditions may vary.

In Penzberg, the Mining Museum preserves the memory of the local pitch-coal mining industry, which operated from 1796 to 1966. The museum offers multilingual tours for international visitors, families, and school groups.

For the wider travel overview: Seeshaupt.