A small, jewel-clear glacial lake at the foot of the Schwangau castles, ringed by wooded slopes and easily walked around in an hour. It is the lake Ludwig II would have looked out on from his Hohenschwangau windows as a boy, and remains one of the prettiest short walks in the area.
The shore path is flat, well-signed, and connects directly to the castle ticket centre at Hohenschwangau village. There is a small swimming area at the eastern end (the water is icy cold even in August) and a rowing boat hire jetty. The lake is at its best in early morning, before the castle crowds spill down to it, or on a winter day when it freezes solid enough to skate on.