Riding to the Top Edge of Germany

30.06.25 – A Day Trip with History, Hairpins and Hilarity

May & June 2025 — bloody ripper of a month for motorbike shenanigans.
I’d already chewed through a decent chunk of the Trans Euro Trail, bouncing my way across the Netherlands, Germany, and Poland on the ever-trusty Royal Enfield Himalayan.
That thing takes a beating and keeps on thumping. But after weeks of gravel tracks and forest dodging, it was time to give the GS some lovin’.
You know the one — big, burly, Bavarian, and built to eat Alpine curves like a schnitzel on a Sunday.

And what better place to stretch her legs than the very top edge of Germany — up near Berchtesgaden, where the Alps start showing off and the air starts tasting like mountain freedom. Not just any road either, no mate — we’re talking the legendary Rossfeld Panorama Road, complete with death-defying bends, Instagrammable views, and a cheeky side dish of historical drama courtesy of a bloke named Adolf. More on that later.

First Stop: Austria, Obviously

The morning ride took me south through the Inntal, one of those underrated pockets where Austria goes full show-off mode. Rolling green hills, misty valleys, and roads that seem to have been designed by someone who really liked spaghetti.

I skirted around Kufstein, a pretty little border town that looks like it belongs in a snow globe. Didn’t stop, because I was chasing sunlight and curves, not souvenir mugs. From there, it was back into Germany, aiming for Lake Chiemsee.

Chiemsee’s a looker — they call it the “Bavarian Sea,” and it does a fair job pretending to be one. Flat as a pancake around the edges, but with the Alps rearing up behind it like a dramatic stage set. Bit of traffic around there, but I weaved through it like a needle through lederhosen.

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Alpenstrasse Shenanigans

Next up: a flirtation with the legendary Deutsche Alpenstrasse. It’s like Germany’s version of Route 66 — only with fewer tumbleweeds and more Apfelstrudel. Winding my way through Bad Reichenhall and up toward Berchtesgaden, I started getting that tingly “this is gonna be epic” feeling in my throttle hand.

Tarmac? Perfect. Views? Straight out of a tourism brochure. Traffic? Barely a sausage. Best of all, I wasn’t stuck behind any camper vans with Dutch plates doing 30 in a 100 zone. Bliss.

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Rossfeld Panorama Road – Bends, Brakes and a Bloody Big View

Ah, Rossfeld Panorama Straße — the crown jewel of this ride. The name sounds posh, but it’s really just a glorious loop of pure Alpine ecstasy. Officially, it’s Germany’s highest continuous road, peaking at just over 1,570 metres. You pay a couple of Euros at a little toll booth (worth every cent, trust me), and then it’s just you, your bike, and the kind of scenery that makes you want to cry, hug a cow, or propose to your fuel tank.

The road’s a proper rollercoaster — hairpins that sneak up on you, blind corners that test your braking, and wide open stretches where you can let the GS roar like a Bavarian bear. And the views? Mate, if heaven has a motorway, it probably looks like this. Mountains as far as the eye can see, valleys so deep they have their own weather systems, and the kind of crisp, clean air that makes you question your life choices living in a city.

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History, Hitler and the Eagle’s Nest

Now, here’s where it gets interesting — and a bit dark.

Perched high above Berchtesgaden, like a Bond villain’s Airbnb, is the infamous Kehlsteinhaus, also known as the Eagle’s Nest. It was built in 1938 as a 50th birthday gift for Adolf Hitler (which, let’s be honest, is a pretty bloody extravagant pressie), and was meant to be a retreat and meeting spot.

Here’s the kicker: ol’ Adolf barely used the place. Apparently he wasn’t a fan of heights or twisty mountain roads (which is kind of ironic given what we’re doing here). These days, it’s a restaurant and historical site, and while the structure itself is less “evil fortress” and more “Alpine chic,” the history is heavy. You can park your bike near Obersalzberg and hop on a special bus up the scary one-lane road to the top. Or, do what I did and skip it — I’ve been there before, and it’s amazing, but today was about the ride.

Still, if you’ve never been, chuck it on the list. The 360° views alone are worth it — plus it’s always good to see how a place of darkness can be reclaimed by light and tourists eating overpriced schnitzel.

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Lunch with a View – You Bloody Beauty

At the top of Rossfeld, there’s a cheeky little restaurant where the coffee’s strong, the cakes are criminally good, and the schnitzel’s roughly the size of Austria. I parked the GS, peeled off the gloves, and sat outside like a smug dog who’d just chased down a postman.

I don’t know if it was the altitude or the fact that I’d earned it with 175 km of pure joy, but that lunch tasted like victory. Fellow bikers rolled in, and we gave each other the classic nod — that unspoken brotherhood of “Yep, we’re living the dream.”.

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Now, here’s where things went slightly pear-shaped. I had a route planned for the return trip, but Germany had other ideas. Roadworks. Bloody roadworks. Signs everywhere saying “Umleitung”, which is German for “we’re about to ruin your day.”

But honestly? Didn’t care. Because when you’re riding through Alpine meadows with cows on one side and glacier-capped peaks on the other, a detour just feels like a bonus lap. The roads I ended up on were even more scenic than the ones I’d planned — the kind of stuff that makes you want to stop every ten minutes just to take a photo and yell “HOW GOOD IS THIS?!”

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Optional Side Quest: Königssee

If you’ve got time (and haven’t already been there a dozen times like yours truly), take a little detour to Königssee. It’s a deep emerald lake that looks suspiciously fake — like someone took a fjord from Norway and plonked it down in Bavaria. The sound of the electric boats echoing off the cliffs is haunting, and the view from St. Bartholomä church is postcard-perfect.

I skipped it this time — been there, done that, probably bought the fridge magnet — but if it’s your first rodeo in the region, definitely give it a squiz.

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Final Thoughts – Just Do It, Ya Muppet

So, here’s the thing: if you’re anywhere near southern Germany and you’ve got a functioning motorbike and a heartbeat, get yourself to Rossfeld Panorama Road. It’s not far, it’s not hard, and it’ll make you fall in love with riding all over again.

It’s got history, it’s got altitude, and it’s got that magic combo of engineering perfection and natural beauty that only places like this can pull off. Whether you’re a history buff, a twisties junkie, or just a biker looking for a bloody good day out — this loop’s a no-brainer.

And if you don’t stop for coffee and schnitzel at the top, I swear your bike will judge you.

 • Food Tip: Rossfeld restaurant’s Apfelstrudel is straight-up divine

#dustysocks