In October the excursion boats call at the Riederau jetty for the last time, and then the Ammersee boat service takes its winter break. The bathers have gone, the lakeside paths belong to walkers, and in the mornings mist often lies over the water, lifting towards midday. For us it is one of the loveliest times on the west shore. Here is what we recommend to our guests in autumn and winter.
On foot to Dießen and the Marienmünster
The simplest outing starts at the front door. It is only a few minutes from the estate to the lake, and quiet paths take you on foot or by bike to Dießen, about three kilometres away.
There it is worth walking up to the Marienmünster. Johann Michael Fischer built the former collegiate church in the 1730s, and it is considered one of the most beautiful Rococo churches in Bavaria. On a grey November day, when the light falls through the tall windows onto the stucco and gold, you understand why. Afterwards, a coffee by the lake or a stroll through the studios and shops: Dießen has long been a town of artisans.
700 years of Markt Dießen: the last events of the anniversary year
In 1326 Emperor Louis the Bavarian granted Dießen its market rights. This year the town is celebrating its 700th anniversary, and there is still plenty going on in autumn:
- Sun 25 October, 5 pm: autumn concert in the Marienmünster
- Wed 4 November, 7 pm: talk on the painters of the west shore of Lake Ammersee
- Sun 8 November, 4 pm: presentation of Bruno Schweizer’s dictionary of the Dießen dialect
- Wed 18 November, 7 pm: talk on the painter, theatre maker and chronicler Karl Vorhölzer
- Wed 9 December, 7 pm: talk on the dissolution of Dießen’s Augustinian canons’ monastery in 1802/03
The talks are held in German at the Blaues Haus, Prinz-Ludwig-Straße 23 in Dießen. All dates and any short-notice changes are listed at 700-diessen.de.
Up to Andechs Abbey
From our jetty you can see across to the east shore, where Andechs Abbey sits on the Holy Mountain. In summer it is just a boat crossing to Herrsching; in winter you drive round the southern end of the lake. From Herrsching a footpath leads up through the Kiental valley to the abbey – a good hour’s walk and especially beautiful among the autumn leaves. At the top, the pilgrimage church and the Bräustüberl beer hall await.
Föhn days: when the mountains come close
On clear föhn days the Alps seem to move right up to the lake. The Zugspitze and the Wetterstein range then rise above the water as clearly as if they lay just beyond the southern shore. Such days announce themselves with a warm south wind and strikingly clear air. That is when it is worth dropping everything and heading down to the shore.
And back to the Stube in the evening
When darkness falls early, the estate shows its cosiest side. The masonry stove warms the farmhouse Stube, all the guests sit together at the table made from the old floorboards, and the 1962 jukebox provides the music. The fire crackles in the lounge, and next door is the kitchen for anyone who would like to cook.
Autumn and winter in particular make the estate a good place for a long weekend with family and friends, or for a team that wants to spend a few quiet days working together. You can see available dates and the price for your stay directly in the calendar.