Germany: SUP tour on the Alz

Truchtlaching in Upper Bavaria. A Bavarian picture-book village. The village church is located directly on the River Alz, next to the village pub with sun terrace. On our SUP tour through Chiemgau on the unspoilt Alz, Truchtlaching is halfway between Chiemsee and Altenmarkt an der Alz. In summer, there is a special kind of fun to be had there: It's great fun for children to jump from the bridge into the Alz and splash the day trippers and tourists in the boats - or increasingly on SUPs. This custom has been around for decades. The best technique for "sinking boats" is passed down from generation to generation. Will we be "sunk" too? We'll find out later.

But for now, let's start our tour. To Seebruck, on the north-eastern shore of Lake Chiemsee. The perfect starting point for the SUP tour is the car park at the end of the village towards Chieming, which is only separated from the lakeshore by the road. We start by enjoying the marvellous view across the lake to the Alps. To Hochfelln, Hochgern, Hochries and the Kampenwand - the famous mountains of Chiemgau. Then it's time to get to work - our boards need air. So we pump hard until the desired pressure is reached. Pack some provisions in the drybags for in between and you're ready to go.

Strength lies in tranquillity

We set off at a leisurely pace and enjoy the first paddle strokes in bright sunshine on Lake Chiemsee - the "Bavarian Sea". We first pass the Chiemsee-Schifffahrt landing stage and then head directly towards Seebruck. In front of us is the pretty yacht and sailing harbour and the historic village church, which stands on a small hill. After a slight bend to the right, we paddle under the road bridge and arrive on the Alz. From 1 January to 30 June, however, the Alz is closed to navigation - as the large sign on the bridge shows.

The Alz flows leisurely for the next seven kilometres to Truchtlaching. It meanders in wide bends through the fields. Time to paddle leisurely, let yourself drift and enjoy the landscape. The shallow water means we can see right to the bottom. Between the river grass, we spot various species of fish such as carp and trout. No wonder, as the Alz offers a great diversity of species.

In the small village of Pullach, the locals sit in their gardens having breakfast in the morning sun and greet us from afar. The perfect time to take a short break! We sit down on our boards, dangle our feet in the water and savour the moment. Nevertheless, we make progress. This is because the Alz has a moderate flow speed along the entire section. This is one of the reasons why holidaymakers even float the stretch from Seebruck to Truchtlaching on air mattresses in summer. However, we rely on muscle power and paddle on past wide meadows and green hills. On both banks, the tall reeds rustle in the light wind. The Ischler Ache now flows into the Alz on the left. At the Ischler Schleife, which follows shortly afterwards, we keep to the right, as it is forbidden to use the left branch of the river all year round. A sign points the way.

Break at the lido

Shortly afterwards, we reach the entrance to Truchtlaching. We paddle under the "dangerous" bridge. But we are lucky. The children seem to be taking a break on the day of our tour. We don't get "sunk" and stay dry. We take a look at the Truchtlaching parish church, which was built in the first half of the 15th century. Directly opposite is another highlight of the region: the Flussstrandbad. The large, green sunbathing lawn is surrounded by trees and invites you to take a break. In the summer months, a small kiosk provides guests to the Alzbad with cool drinks, coffee and cake, snacks and ice cream. However, we "missed out". Not only are the children on the bridge off at the end of September, but the beer garden is also closed. So we land at one of the four bathing jetties, attach our SUPs and look for a shady spot under a tree. We share the - unfortunately sparse - supplies of fresh fruit and muesli bars. Those who take better precautions here have meat loaf rolls, pretzels and cheese cubes for a hearty snack.

Racing down the boat slide

Up to Truchtlaching, the SUP tour on the Alz is perfect for river beginners. From then on, the Alz changes. On the second section, the river becomes a little wilder, more turbulent. It changes its character. From Truchtlaching onwards, the Alz should therefore only be travelled by experienced paddlers. Why? This becomes clear just after Truchtlaching at the waterworks: a highlight of the tour awaits you there - the boat slide, which can also be travelled on a SUP. Before you go down the slope, you might want to remove the fin so that you don't get caught on the bristles attached to the bottom - and then make a rough exit over the nose. Put on your lifejacket, helmet and off you go down the boat slide! We have so much fun that we do the passage several times. If you're less willing to take risks, you can go round the side of the boat slide.

The river is then completely natural. The landscape changes again. It becomes hillier. Larger rocks and tree trunks lie in the water, but can be navigated around at a safe distance; we paddle under the low-hanging branches again and again for fun. Two kilometres and two large river bends after the boat chute, a second waterworks and therefore a second obstacle awaits us at Höllthal. But here too there is only a short transfer point, which is well marked a few hundred metres before the waterworks at the start of the natural rock weir on the right-hand side. Back on the board, a longer section with small waves follows, the boards wobble merrily underfoot as we continue at a brisk pace.

Then the Alz calms down again. But it is the calm before the storm. The calm before the exciting section in the Offlinger Insel area: there, the Alz takes an S-bend with fast currents and eddies on the left branch of the river. If you prefer a calmer experience, choose the right-hand arm of the river (as signposted), provided the water level allows it. A highlight for hikers along the Alz is the crossing with the traditional Alz ferry to the beer garden of the Roiter restaurant. Situated directly on the river, it is also a good stopover for paddlers. The current picks up again at the next bend to the right. Don't drift too far to the left into the branches. You've made it.

Shortly afterwards, we reach the "Laufenau" in Altenmarkt. If you want to cool off before the end of the tour, you can grab the swing rope on the steep bank on the right and swing into the water Tarzan-style. We land at the exit on the left before the Laufenau weir - after 17 kilometres we have reached our destination. It is not possible to continue due to power stations and weirs. The paddler-friendly car park is located on a meadow just a few metres from the bank (at the end of a small cul-de-sac that branches off from Thalhammer Straße directly on the Alz). We let the air out of the boards and load them with the paddles into the car parked here before the start of the tour. After an enjoyable, sunny, eventful and fun-filled tour on the Alz, we head back to Seebruck. One last view over the Bavarian Sea. It was great! Alz - I like you! Goodbye and see you soon.

Info:

Navigating the Alz from Chiemsee to Altenmarkt an der Alz is prohibited from 1 January to 30 June. Takes about three to five hours plus breaks. Best paddling season: early July until well into autumn.