Tree Top Walking…

The subject of my Silent Sunday a couple of weeks back – The World’s Longest Tree Top Walk, or the rather tongue twisting Der Baumwipfelpfad as it’s known here…

I had hoped to mention it before now, but sometimes life gets in the way – plus we have been busy gallivanting before school started – but better late than never!

Nestled deep in the heart of the Bavarian Forest National Park (close to the Czech border), it’s a little bit of a trek – and as we didn’t fancy breaking the news that after a couple of hours in the car we would have to turn around and go home again, we chose to ignore the pitch black sky and threat of thunder on the horizon (figuring that we would at least be on top of the trees rather than below them).    Thankfully the clouds were all talk and no trousers, and only grumbled at us from time to time – so Tree Top walk we did (we later found out it’s closed should the weather be too dodgy anyway)…

The height of the Walk varies from 8 to 25 metres which is manageable, even for those of us not overly keen on being high up!  We all enjoyed the fact that there was so much more to it than just “high-up walking” (which should be enough in itself!), and along the trail you will find plenty of things to spot, and “fact stations” (in English too!) about the flora and fauna, plus great little sections of walkway (to one side of the main trail) set with various “difficult” challenges to keep everyone interested (I was grateful for the “safety netting” under the tight-rope one though!)…

The whole thing stretches over 1300 metres and is crowned by the impressive 44 metre high Easter egg-shaped Tree Top Tower, that appears majestically as you turn a corner.   And it’s all (including the “egg”) suitable for absolutely everyone, which is just fantastic as no-one should miss out on those views at the top!

The photograph in question was taken on our descent – when the Seven Year old was enjoying herself so much she had a good old sing-song, much to her brother’s disgust, hence the fingers in his ears!    Apparently it was also of the utmost importance to walk the entire thing with bare feet, risk of splinters or not!

And the experience doesn’t end there.   Waiting at the end of the ramp is not only a lovely cafe (that serves a pretty mean Iced coffee), but there is an excellent Visitors Centre which kept us all entertained with little interactive forest scenes, tales and specimens from the Bavarian Wilderness, and interesting little films featuring unbiased interviews with locals about how they felt when the Forest became protected.  And best of all, when you need a decent rest after all that activity, there’s a giant-sized Squirrel’s drey that looks far too inviting.     Night everyone!

Tagged as: Der Baumwipfelpfad, things to do in Bavaria with children, things to do near Munich with children, World's Longest Tree Top Walk