Lakes near Munich

[Ravi Neelakantan]

Dear Usha,

Last month and this one, I visited a few lakes near Munich in Germany. I had lived in that city from 2002 to 2004. The transparency of water, remains the same. Two decades back, digital photography was just emerging but smartphones with good cameras were in the realm of drawing boards, as it were.

While population pressure on these water resources has seldom been burdensome in Germany, the ability of the authorities to control the water quality has been exemplary. Tourist pressure, however, has been intense, as these lakes are just an hour’s ride by local train from Munich.

During Oktoberfest, Munich receives millions of tourists, many among whom visit these lakes to take in nature and its bounty. In 2026, Munich received 7.4 million tourists at the Oktoberfest alone. Even if we assume half of them were locals, it still leaves 3.7 million and if, half of that number visited the environs of Munich over a period of a fortnight, it still makes for a formidable number.

While it is true that monetary and other public resources are available in Germany, the joint contribution of the people and the authorities makes this an example that deserves unqualified admiration.

The management and preservation of these lakes in the state of Bavaria is multi-layered and sustainability is the watchword. You may google “how are lakes managed in Bavaria” and the response is mind boggling, simply for the management structure alone. Among the many lakes in the state of Bavaria, a couple are actually managed by the Bavarian Palace Administration!

I am attaching a photograph each from the visits to the lakes, Amersee, Schliersee and Elbsee.

Let us hope that in this season of triumph of good over evil, lakes nearest from us to the ones in Himalayas will also get a share of the goodness on offer.

Sincerely,

Ravi

  

Amersee (located west of Munich)

 Schliersee (located southeast of Munich)

Elbsee (located well south of Munich, close to the Austrian border)