Activities

You can see the fish from the water’s edge. Birds are whisteling. A pack of deer is disappearing silently in the bushes. The Ostallgäu has many natural lakes, inviting for a walk, for taking a swim or dreaming on the green banks.

Down south from Marktoberdorf lies the lake Forggensee within a good reach for cyclists and in the opposite direction lies the lake Elbsee surrounded by a nearly Nordic scenery. But the real beauties are right at the doorstep: the ponds Kuhstallweiher and Ettwieser Weiher.

Another but nameless pond in the district Gwend is surrounded with reeds and houses, nursery of the swans until they head for the Ettwieser Weiher, the five hectare swans paradise.

Magnificent, walking barefooted across the moistly grass to the pier at this summer morning and then diving into the refreshing waters. Taking a swim far from those bicycle racks, kiosk and the parking lot towards those natural and protected banks, embraced by the high forests in the background full of dancing trees.

The pond Ettwieser Weiher is easily accessible by bike or foot. The manifestation of local recreation. The locals love their “Ette”. The large sunbathing areas, flat banks and displayed nonswimmers area are making the pond especially attractive for the little guests. For the warming-up the kids with the blue lips are romping around the playgrounds.

The BBQ-Site is very popular in the evenings and on the weekends for grilling sausages and steaks. The usage must be requested at the civil service office at the town hall. Drinks can be acquired at the kiosk. Being an EU-certified swimming lake, the site also offers changing rooms and handicapped accessible sanitary installations. And all free of charge.

Pilgrims following the Jakobs-Way are taking a rest at the Ettwieser Weiher right next to the pilgrimage chapel “Kindle”, just like the runners that are passing by on their way to Fechsen, and the climbers after their excursion into the tree tops of the tree crag “Klette am Ette”.

For the ones with good heads for heights, the tree crag offers a whole bunch of stages from easy to hard. Around all those trees right into the tree tops. You start at the bottom and fight your way up to heights of up to 12 meters above the ground. And of course everything with modern security measures and profound instructions.

During wintertime it turns quite at the frozen lake. No bathing. Horses are standing like sculptures at the paddock in the background. Walkers and promenaders with and without their pets meet up here for a chitchat before they take their way back from the Ettwieser Weiher pond to Marktoberdorf – with the last lights of the day, the illuminated St.Martin church shows the way.