As soon as temperatures climb back above 15°C and the sun comes out, Munich residents are drawn out of the city and to the lakes for cycling, hiking, and, in summer, swimming. Lake Starnberg, which is easy to reach, is a particularly popular destination, meaning it quickly becomes overcrowded on nice days. If it gets too crowded here, you should head a bit further south and visit the Osterseen. Here, you’ll find 20 lakes to choose from in a large moorland area where you can enjoy nature.
An untouched patch of nature?
The Osterseen stretch south of Lake Starnberg and belong partly to Seeshaupt and partly to Iffeldorf. They consist of about 24 lakes, though there are also smaller bodies of water with a surface area of only about 100 square meters that do not have their own names. The 20 largest lakes cover an area of 225 hectares; the entire nature reserve surrounding the Osterseen covers 1,083 hectares. The area owes its name to the Großer Ostersee and is derived from the Old High German word ōstar, meaning “eastern.” The Großer Ostersee features several islands, including its own Rose Island, just like Lake Starnberg.
Until well into the 19th century, the Osterseen remained largely untouched by human intervention. The marshy landscape was not particularly suitable for hunting or fishing. In 1861, the Munich industrialist Joseph Anton von Maffei had two canals dug to create a waterway connection all the way to Munich. However, this became obsolete with the expansion of the railroad before it had even seen any real use.
Due to the growing use of synthetic fertilizers in agriculture, the water quality of the Osterseen deteriorated over the course of the 20th century. Furthermore, more and more people were drawn to the region for swimming. At peak times, up to 10,000 people came here daily, bringing the geotope to the brink of collapse. To prevent this, the Osterseen were eventually designated a nature reserve, and the trails and swimming areas were more strictly regulated. The flow of visitors decreased significantly, and the Osterseen recovered.
A visit to the Osterseen today
The big hype surrounding the Osterseen is long gone, and today, even on peak days, fewer than 5,000 people come here. Unlike at Lake Starnberg, it’s much quieter here, and visitors are spread out more across the landscape. If you decide to take a trip to the Osterseen, you should definitely observe and follow the rules of the nature reserve . Stay on the trails and swim only in designated areas.
Even the painter Georg Schrimpf was inspired by the enchanting Osterseen and created several oil paintings depicting the area on canvas. The lake landscape offers wonderful hiking trails away from the crowds and is definitely worth a visit. Here you can discover numerous native animals and plants. A wide variety of colorful flowers grow in the wet meadows, including orchids, primroses, gentians, and globeflowers. Signs along the trail point out special scenic highlights so you don’t miss any gems. On warm days, you can cool off in one of the lakes and enjoy the idyllic beauty of nature.
