64 miles ridden – 934m climbed – temperature 13C

I woke up to the sound of rain – not what I wanted but I picked out the best options for staying warm and dry and went for breakfast before we gathered for the traditional first day photo:

The route out of Munich was fairly unremarkable following mainly dedicated cycle paths until we reached the area around Lake Starnberger. Despite the drizzle and misty conditions the countryside was attractive and we passed some stunning shore-front mansions. The route took us on quieter roads through some lovely little hamlets which definitely had a Bavarian feel and style.

As usual on Peak Tours trips, a wonderful lunch was laid on for us in Penzberg but even if the Lasagne was exceptional and the Tiramisu even better, getting back on the bike for another 30 miles with full bellies was tough especially as most of today’s climbing was from around 47 miles.

We climbed up and over the foothills of the German Alps but were rewarded with stunning views of the lakeside village of Walchensee from where we headed through meadows towards or destination of Mittenwald.

Mittenwald is a pretty little town with a distinctive style:

Today was surprisingly hard, not just because it was the first day but I guess the climbing, the weather, and the extra layers of clothing all added up. It has to be said however that the lack of hot water when we arrived at the hotel didn’t help – the Wiener Schnitzel for dinner most certainly did!

Tomorrow we leave Germany crossing into Austria and very briefly after lunch Switzerland.