If you like to gaze into the depths, you don’t always have to climb a mountain. Bavaria’s many gorges also offer some truly dizzying views without requiring you to climb too many meters in elevation. A great spot to visit from Munich is the Asamklamm near Eschenlohe. A footbridge spans the gorge, allowing you to view it from above and enjoy the natural spectacle below.
The Black Brüll Gorge
The Asamklamm is a gorge approximately 600 meters long through which the Eschenlaine River flows. Blue-green algae cover the dolomite, making the walls appear almost black. This explains the first part of its former name, “Schwarze Brüll-Klamm.” The second part comes from the fact that the roar of the Eschenlaine, when meltwater rushes through the gorge in the spring, swells into a roar. Even after heavy rains, this roar can sometimes still be heard. In the summer, however, the gorge sometimes even dries up, so you can walk right in the riverbed.
The Asamklamm, in turn, owes its current name to Dr. Wilhelm Asam, a physician who practiced in nearby Murnau and also treated patients in Eschenlohe. The Asamklamm Bridge has spanned the gorge high above since 1936. It used to be a wooden structure that could accommodate a maximum of three people at a time. Today, it’s a metal footbridge that’s not for the faint of heart. Through the railings, you look straight down at the Eschenlaine below you—this is no place for those afraid of heights. If you don’t suffer from this fear, you’ll be rewarded with a spectacular view down into the gorge 40 meters below you, as well as a magnificent panorama of the surrounding forests and the Ester Mountains.
Hike to the Asamklamm
You can reach the Asamklamm via several trails from Eschenlohe. Simply follow the signs in town, which will lead you to Asamklammstraße and from there directly to the entrance of the gorge. Here you’ll find steep rock faces and small pools where the water of the Eschenlaine collects. At the other end of the gorge, steps lead you up to the footbridge, where you can now look down at the rugged walls you were just gazing up at. On the way back , you’ll pass the Katzensteg, which also crosses the Eschenlaine.
