With a depth of 189.5 meters and an area of 16.4 square kilometers, this lake is considered one of the deepest and largest Alpine lakes and is the largest mountain lake in Germany. Due to its favorable location, the surrounding area has a relatively mild climate despite being 801 meters above sea level. Due to its short distance of only approx. 850 meters to another lake, it is also referred to as the “two-lake country”. Like the Eibsee, this lake is also known as the “Bavarian Caribbean”.
History and name
The lake was first mentioned in a document in 763, albeit without a name. The first mention by name followed in the 11th century. The name of the lake roughly means “lake where the Romans lived“. This refers to the Romanesque Walchen people who once settled in southern Bavaria. For over 1,000 years, until 1804, the lake was owned by the two monasteries of Benediktbeuren and Schlehdorf. Today it belongs to the Free State of Bavaria.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the idea arose to build a hydroelectric power station on the Walchensee. Construction work began after the end of the First World War and was completed in 1924. Due to its proximity to Kochelsee and the 200-metre gradient between the two lakes, Walchensee serves as the upper reservoir and Kochelsee as the lower reservoir for the power plant.
Wrecks at the bottom of the lake
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm8pWNSqv_c
Walchensee is home to several wrecks. As in Königssee, there is a VW Beetle here , as well as a Ford and other cars. There are also three aircraft wrecks in the lake. Two of them attempted to ditch on the lake during the Second World War and sank, while the third crashed over the lake in 1978 and was salvaged in large parts. The wrecks are popular destinations for divers.
More about the Walchensee
The uninhabited accessible island of Sassau is located on the lake. The cat island used to exist, but is now connected to the shore and only separated from it at high tide.
Walchensee has often been used as a filming location in the past. In 1955, scenes for the movie “Liebe, Tanz und 1000 Schlager” were filmed here. In 1959, the lake was the setting for “Tales of the Vikings” and the following year for “Till Money Do You Part…”. Most recently, Walchensee was the backdrop for Michael Bully Herbig’s live-action film adaptation of “Wickie und die starken Männer”.
Activities on and around Lake Walchensee
The 27-kilometre shoreline is almost completely accessible. This means you can almost circle the lake on foot or by bike. Those who prefer to enjoy the view from above can climb one of the surrounding mountains, such as the Jochberg or Herzogstand. There is a cable car to the latter, so you can reach the summit in just 30-45 minutes. From both mountains, you can look out over both lakes in the Zwei-Seen-Land region.
Of course, you can also swim in Walchensee. You can hire a boat to sail around the lake and explore the island of Sassau or go stand-up paddling. If you go on a diving tour, you can visit the sunken wrecks. If you are spending several days at Walchensee, it is also worth making a detour to the neighboring Kochelsee.