If there’s one thing we’ve learned on this European adventure, it’s that nothing is ever quite as straightforward as it looks on the itinerary!
Day 13 saw us tackle one of the places we’ve been looking forward to most, The Eagle’s Nest (Kehlsteinhaus) and, once again, Steven managed to make getting there considerably more complicated than it needed to be!
A Day That Started With a Swim
We’re still parked up at the beautiful lakeside spot at Königssee, and because we’d decided to stay another night, there was no need to rush off first thing.
The lake is absolutely stunning yes, Suzanne, I know I use that word a lot! and the water is so clear you can see right down into it.
So, at about 10am, we took Tilley and Frankie down for a swim.
The girls absolutely loved it. They spent the morning chasing sticks and generally entertaining everyone around them. They’ve become something of a travelling attraction themselves, with people stopping to watch them.
And, to be honest, they were probably better behaved than us for most of the day!
The Journey to The Eagle’s Nest
We eventually headed off towards the buses around lunchtime.
Now, we'd booked our tickets and had been told to arrive half an hour before our allocated bus.
Simple, right?
Apparently not.
We misunderstood where we were supposed to be and ended up needing two buses just to get to the place where our booked bus actually left from.
Then we waited around 33 minutes for the second bus, only to find that when it finally arrived, a load of people appeared from absolutely nowhere and suddenly seemed to have forgotten how queues work!
Eventually, we made it to the Eagle’s Nest transport hub with plenty of time to spare.
So naturally, we did what any sensible touring couple would do...
We went for lunch and a beer.
Currywurst, chips and a rather large Bavarian beer later, we wandered around, browsed some jumpers, visited the toilets, basically doing everything except going to the bus we were supposed to catch.
Then Suzanne spotted the sign.
“Eagle’s Nest – 150 metres.”
Our bus was about to leave.
Cue two people, two dogs and one increasingly panicked Steven legging it up the road!
And Then We Missed The Bus… 🤦♂️
We arrived just in time to watch our bus drive away.
Yep.
We'd come all this way, negotiated two buses, waited in queues, had lunch and a beer, and then managed to miss the one bus we actually needed.
I went back to the kiosk, where the lady quite rightly pointed out that the terms and conditions clearly stated that missed buses weren't refundable.
Brilliant.
I was convinced that the Eagle’s Nest was destined to remain on my list of places I’d never actually manage to visit.
Fortunately, there was a tiny bit of hope.
We were allowed to change our return bus, and the next bus driver took one look at us, dogs and all and basically said:
“Come on, get on.”
What a legend.
And just like that, we were finally heading up the mountain.
The Eagle’s Nest
The journey itself is spectacular.
The road winds its way up the mountain through tunnels and a series of incredible switchbacks. Historically, this was also the same mountain road that was sabotaged as the Nazis retreated, and later had to be cleared by Allied forces.
At the top, you enter the famous long tunnel before reaching the lift.
The lift itself takes you up through the mountain, and the arrival area has an impressive circular room with a domed ceiling. It was designed to create an imposing and intimidating entrance for visitors.
Even the dogs weren't particularly impressed with the echo!
Tilley's tail was firmly tucked away.
Once at the top, though, the real attraction is the view.
And wow.
This time I'm allowed to use “stunning”.
The views across the Bavarian Alps, Germany, Austria and the lake below are absolutely incredible.
It’s one of those places where you can stand there for a while and just think about what happened here and the enormous historical significance of the location.
The actual building that stands there today isn't the original building as it was during Hitler's time. Much of the original structure was destroyed, and the building is now essentially a restaurant and visitor destination.
That was slightly disappointing for us because we'd expected more of the historical building to be accessible.
But the original tunnel and lift remain, and standing there certainly gives you a sense of the history surrounding the place.
Watch Your Step!
One thing we definitely weren't expecting was just how slippery the rocks were.
Years and years of people walking over them have polished them almost like ice.
There were people wandering around in sandals and flip-flops, which seemed slightly optimistic!
Even Steven, wearing sensible trainers, managed to slip.
So if you're planning a visit, wear proper footwear.
The views might be spectacular, but the rocks clearly have a sense of humour.
The Dogs Were Brilliant
Because it was so hot, there was no way we were leaving Tilley and Frankie in the motorhome, so they came with us for the whole day.
And they were absolutely brilliant.
We kept them well hydrated, found shade wherever we could and eventually managed to let them off the lead for the first time.
They were fantastic.
After everything they'd been through; buses, tunnels, crowds and mountain walks, they deserved their swim when we got back to the lake.
And that's exactly what they got.
This time, we came prepared!
Swimming gear, water shoes and even a chamois-type towel.
Very professional.
Back To The Lake
After walking back down from the Eagle’s Nest, we caught the last bus down and eventually made our way back to the motorhome.
By then, everything was closed and we were shattered.
So naturally, we went for another Bavarian meal!
This time it was pork steak with gravy, sauerkraut and a proper Bavarian bread dumpling with herbs.
And surprisingly, Steven actually liked the dumpling!
It wasn't the soggy, heavy dumpling you might associate with a winter stew. This was more like a piece of bread that had been shaped, seasoned and served up as a proper side dish.
Add another beer to the equation and it was a pretty good end to a very long day.
A Great Idea For Motorhomers
On our way back to the motorhome, we spotted another couple doing something really clever.
They had a projector set up on the side of their motorhome, effectively turning the van into their own outdoor cinema.
What a cracking idea!
We've got a projector ourselves but had never thought about using it like that.
Definitely one for the Touring Ideas list!
That's one of the things we love about travelling, you see what other people are doing, pick up ideas and think, “Why didn't we think of that?”
Slovenia Next?
Over dinner, the big question was where to go next.
We'd originally been thinking about spending more time around Berchtesgaden and perhaps visiting Salzburg.
But after chatting to another couple, they recommended heading straight towards Lake Bled in Slovenia.
And when someone describes somewhere as having spectacular scenery, blue water and incredible views, we're easily persuaded!
So...
Slovenia, here we come! 🇸🇮
Although Steven is already thinking about whether we can squeeze in a quick visit back through Berchtesgaden to finally buy that fridge magnet.
Because obviously, no European adventure is complete without one.
Day 13 – Done!
What started as a day where we thought we'd completely blown our chance of visiting the Eagle’s Nest turned into one of the most memorable days of the trip.
We swam in a beautiful Alpine lake, travelled by bus, nearly missed our booked bus, drank Bavarian beer, ate Bavarian food, explored one of Europe's most historically significant locations and watched our dogs become the stars of the show yet again.
And now we're sat back in the motorhome, Starlink is up and running, the battery is complaining about something, and we're hoping to watch a bit of Reacher before an early night.
Day 13 — done and dusted.
Tomorrow?
Lake Bled. 🇸🇮
Bring on Day 14!
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