Has anyone hiked from Tegernsee in Germany to Sterzing in Italy?

[Twodogsonthecouch]

I came across this hiking route, a trans Alpine Crossing, today. It takes 7 days across the Alps. I would love to do it independently (without a tour company) this summer. I did the Camino Frances independently last year and loved it. I’m not sure if it’s as straightforward though. Is it easy to get accommodation? Is there an app like Buen Camino or Wise Pilgrim where you can plan your distances as you go and see accommodation options?

Having walked in Germany I would guess yes - signposts, solid paths, and hostelrys everywhere- but I have no specifics - just a wee bump for you

Thanks for the bump. 😊

Do you have any German? There are sites about the German huts online

Nope. Not a word 😰

If you find anything please could you share - I’m recently retired and looking for adventures !

This sounds amazing

So good to hear from you @Twodogsonthecouch. I followed your posts last year with great interest and it inspired me to start building up my walking gradually over the year. I am on Eurostar tomorrow then getting a sleeper to Bayonne and planning to start from SJPP Wednesday lunchtime. I'm beyond excited and just hoping I can match your stamina and positivity. I definitely would be more worried at this point if I hadn't followed you from your first uncertain steps and seen how you grew in strength and confidence over the weeks.

There have been a number of family factors against me actually getting away to the point that even last week I was only 50:50 whether I would make it. But things are looking stable here so I'm going for it.

I'm not able to comment on your plans for the Alps, but as part of my training I did 5 days/96 miles on the Eleanor Cross Way, a lost long distance route through Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire. It was very different to doing a route with more infrastructure but I really enjoyed planning out my route - searching for accommodation, using buses and the occasional uber to get me on to the route at the start and finish of the day. I think there is a very different sense of achievement in doing something where all the info you need isn't there on the internet. So I'd say go for it if you can find even the basics you need to make a plan. Good luck!

@Pilgrimish that’s really lovely of you to say. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I honestly think retrospectively being as innocent as I was with so little expectations helped make it so good for me so I hope you get that experience.
I’d love to hear how you are getting on as you go.
You’re right about this alpine trip too, I should just go for it. At least this time I know I can keep going 😂
I got this tattoo (my one and only 😊) in January to remind myself of what I can do. And of my sore feet 👣 😂😂

Resurrecting this thread in case anyone is interested. Just about to do the last day tomorrow. Really enjoyed it. Stunning scenery. Challenging hikes but definitely doable, I’m nearly 60 and overweight 😂

Beautiful 😊 well done. Was it easy to find accommodation and food en route?

Food is no bother. Chalets up the mountains that do food and lovely little towns at beginning/end of each stage.
I was very disorganised and only looked into booking accommodation the week before I left so had to stay a bit away from the route a couple of nights. It would not be difficult if you were better organised ( which would not be hard 🤯🤯😂😂)

Amazing ! Do you think I could take my dog ?

@2024riot from the point of view of the walk definitely. Accommodation wise I presume but it might be more tricky

I’m really impressed! I love walking but I’ve never done a solo hike.
How long did the Camino de S take you? I’ve been thinking about this one for a while now, also just moved to an area close to the Pyrenees so it would be rude not to!
The hike in the Alps looks good as well.
I hope @Pilgrimish is getting on okay?

@Sourisblanche tge Camino took me 6 weeks but I took a few very short days, around pampas Leon and also reduced my distance for a week or so to 15km/day due to bad blisters. Most people do it in around 35, some go slower.

Should have proof read….* Pamplona and Leon

Where did you fly in and out of ?

I flew into Berlin as I was staying with friends for a few days before I started walking. I got the train to Tegernsee. If I was going directly there I would fly to Munich which is only about an hour away. I’m flying home from Venice as I wanted to see Venice so am going there for 2 days before I go home. I’m getting the train from Sterzing to Venice.

I have added this to my ‘things to do when the teenagers have left home’ - list. Sounds fab and well done on completing it!

@Sourisblanche the Camino was amazing and everything I hoped it would be. Just the most wonderful, life affirming experience. Reading Twodogsonthecouch's account was an inspiration and a key factor in my actually committing to it after wanting to do it for 25 years.

I did a fair bit of training and a lot of physio on a dodgy knee, and it paid off. I was astonished that it felt very manageable and I was much faster than I thought. It took me 30 days with no rest days, and by the end I was doing 35km days and a final day of 42km.

I made good friends, sometimes walked with people I met in the first few days and sometimes on my own, and got so much from it. I'm mid sixties and always been fairly active but I'd never done anything like that solo and it turned out to be really important to me that, like twodogs, I did it on my own.

So glad you did it and had a great time. It's fantastic that your camino experience has built your confidence to the point where you can do something like this which is so much less structured. Did you get taxis when the accommodation was off stage? I had to do that (and buses) on my UK training walk, returning to the same point to start again next day. I never had to do it on the Camino, though some people did if they got in late and there were no beds available.

There were a few dogs on the Camino but it isn't easy - most accommodation won't take them, so one of the guys I met was camping, which is also hard as wild camping is illegal in Spain. And there aren't many campsites along the Camino as everyone stays in the relatively cheap and plentiful albergues.

I saw some small dogs which I thought it was a bit unfair on them - obviously depends on the distances you do, but most dogs don't walk for 5 hours a day, so it's not necessarily in their interests to do a distance walk day after day. And it would be very difficult in the heat. But some people do manage it.

I ve walked the camino it would definitely be too much for my dog but this walk looks like it would be better suited !

@Pilgrimish what an amazing achievement well done! I will look up the older threads you mention. I also looked up the Eleanor Trail last night as I’ve heard of this and I’m familiar with the area.

I am 51, reasonable fitness but struggle with plantar fasciitis for time to time. I would like to do this walk by myself, been thinking about it for many years but need to wait until youngest has left secondary school. And I’m not taking the dog - too old bless her.

@Pilgrimish, I’m so glad you enjoyed the Camino. I am very nervous about being so enthusiastic about it as I am afraid it will not live up to expectations. I agree with everything you said. Well done 👏 ❤️