We have selected these tours on the Forggensee:
Paddle under King Ludwig II's Neuschwanstein Castle. Many paddlers have this destination on their bucket list. It's not for nothing that the world-famous fairytale castle is the tourist highlight of the Allgäu region. The best way for paddlers to get a special view of this visitor magnet is from Lake Forggensee. Anyone travelling to the Allgäu in summer can experience wonderful paddling moments on Germany's largest reservoir.
The lake is usually fully dammed from June to October. In winter, things look very different: Then the reservoir is almost completely drained. This allows the meltwater from the Allgäu mountains and rainfall to be collected in spring. The reservoir then resembles a large crater landscape in winter - also worth seeing, but you will have to switch to another lake for a canoe tour. However, the Alpsee below Hohenschwangau Castle is off limits. Even if the temptation to take a photo in front of the castle is great, stand-up paddling is prohibited on the private lake. For paddling fun on the picturesque Forggensee framed by the panorama of the Allgäu Alps, we have selected two half-day tours that reflect the different characteristics of the lake: Tour one in the north emphasises nature and tranquillity.
There, the lake is picturesquely embedded in the hilly landscape of the Allgäu, with only a few villages characterising the otherwise unspoilt green shore. Half-day tour two focusses on the view of the Allgäu Alps and Neuschwanstein Castle. Both tours can easily be completed in one day with a short car journey. If you stay overnight, you can take more time and spend two wonderful days in the Allgäu. There are numerous campsites, guesthouses and hotels. With a few extra kilometres, both tours can also be combined into an XXL full-day tour. In this case, the Forggensee is completely circumnavigated once - however, a total of around 30 kilometres must be covered.
Tour North: the Green - approx. 14 km
We start the first half-day tour on the western shore of Lake Forggensee, more precisely at the Dietringen bathing beach. The advantages here: a large car park just a few metres from the shore and a kiosk where you can stock up on provisions. We pump up our touring SUPs, stow food and drinks in our dry bags and get ready to go. It's still cloudy and the temperature is low. We are optimistic, the weather forecast predicts more sunshine and significantly rising temperatures for the day.
After the start, we paddle northwards along the shore. We paddle straight through a narrow section of the Forggensee. Behind it, we see the first highlight on the left-hand side: the Dragon Gorge - or simply the mouth of the Bernmoosbach stream. It is mystical, quiet and dark. Where dragons feel at home, however, access remains closed to paddlers. There is a ban on paddling in the estuary area. We therefore paddle further along the shoreline, passing the Roßhaupten water rescue station and the ferry landing stage. From here it is quiet, the countryside is green and absolutely peaceful. Perfect for enjoying and relaxing.
After another narrow section, where caution is required, especially when the excursion boat is approaching, we reach the northern "basin" of the lake. We keep a safe distance from the barrage here. Large signs on land and on buoys point out the 300 metre ban on navigation and swimming in the protected area in front of the dam and the outlet structure. We have now reached the northernmost point of the tour. It's time for a short drink break on the SUPs. We then paddle on to the other bank. At the narrow section, the excursion boat actually comes towards us. We paddle on, one behind the other and carefully over the waves. The lake opens up and we can see the Panorama-Stadl on the slope on the left. We land here on the shore and pull or carry our boards out of the water for a short break.
If you want to take a break here, you can walk up to the kiosk and provide yourself and your fellow paddlers with refreshments. After a pleasant break with wonderful lake and mountain views, we continue along the shoreline, round a small peak and paddle northwards again - past a herd of Allgäu Braunvieh cattle, the typical cows of the Allgäu. A little later, a small canal lies ahead of us, marking the entrance to the Illasbergsee, an offshoot of the Forggensee. It is an insider tip for nature lovers and those seeking peace and quiet. On the northern shore, we stop for lunch at the bathing area with its cosy kiosk and treat ourselves to currywurst, chips and soft drinks. Changing rooms and toilets are also available at this idyllic spot, which is mostly frequented by locals. From there, we enjoy the view of the Alps and the green landscape in front of us. After our lunch break, we explore the western side of Lake Illasberg with its extensive reed beds and marshy meadows. Then we paddle through the small connection back to the Forggensee.
It sounds like an extra lap like a biathlon, but the loop through the Illasbergsee is really worth it. In front of us, still relatively small on the horizon, is the royal castle of Neuschwanstein, only the telephoto lens brings it a little closer. Closer to us, we discover a small island in the lake that we really want to see. So we head straight there. We've only paddled three kilometres after our break, but we have to take a break here. We sit down on our SUPs, put our feet in the water and enjoy our time together. From there, we take the direct route back to the starting point, the Dietringen bathing area.
Tour south: the one with the fairytale castle - approx. 8 km
For the second half-day tour, we load the inflated SUPs onto the roof of the car and drive a few kilometres to Füssen. There are plenty of car parks around the lido and the landing stage for the excursion boats. This means we can get on the water quickly and paddle just a few metres to the quiet area between the shore and the two small islands off the coast. We stay away from the jetty, where there is a lot of hustle and bustle and the excursion boats mean we have to be particularly careful when paddling. And then the moment we've been waiting for so long arrives: The fairytale castle of Neuschwanstein towers above us and we enjoy the magnificent view of this world-famous monument.
King Ludwig II ordered the construction of the palace to begin in 1869. As construction progressed, the king's wishes also grew. By the time of his death in 1886, Neuschwanstein had still not been completed. The fairytale castle was to become a monument to medieval culture, which the Bavarian king adored. Neuschwanstein was opened to visitors just seven weeks after the death of King Ludwig II in 1886. Today, the magnificent palace is one of the most visited palaces and castles in Europe - with around 1.4 million visitors every year. During the southern tour, we enjoy the view of the fairytale king's castle again and again - without any tourist hustle and bustle.
We paddle along the shore behind the two islands and pass the Füssen Festival Theatre, which is located directly on the water. Musicals are regularly performed here and concerts are held in the garden in summer. We follow the west bank a little further north, passing smaller harbours and the boathouse of the rowing club. We cross the Forggensee at Café Maria, which invites us to take a break, and head for the Brunnen headland. After reaching it, we paddle southwards along the eastern shore. We pass Waltenhofen with the church of St Maria and Florian, which is well worth seeing. Further south, small islands, shallow areas and reed beds mark the point where the Lech flows into the Forggensee. We avoid the retreat zones for water birds and stay in the deeper bed of the flowing Lech. From here, we once again enjoy the unobstructed view of Neuschwanstein Castle. Then we paddle back to our starting point at the lido in Füssen.
Whether two shorter tours in one day with a car shuttle, two relaxed tours in two days or a full XXL circumnavigation: Lake Forggensee in the Allgäu is a paddler's paradise. The special view from the water of the fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle and the "green lung" in the north make stand-up paddling on Germany's largest reservoir a fantastic experience.
