Wednesday 30th September – Seebruck, Chiemsee, Germany

The Tourist Information Office supplied lots of free pamphlets and maps including one of cycle routes in the area of Seebruck. I decided against the one around the lake at 53 km and went for a more achievable Archaeological Circular Route at 23 km with an extension to Seeon. Jane stayed at the campsite to use the washing machine and relax before we met at the museum in Seebruck.
There was a separate leaflet that covered the archaeological route and indicated where the sites were. I entered the route into the Komoot app so that it would give me voice prompts for the turns but the route was very clearly signposted. I visited a Celtic earthwork, a Mediaeval refuge, Hallstatt (Bronze Age) burial mound, site of a Bronze age hoard, an ancient field system and a section of recreated Roman road. I took the diversion to Seeon where there is a small, pretty lake with an impressive monastery on a peninsula. In addition, there were the lovely villages that I passed through, my favourite being Truchtlaching with its blue plaques explaining the history of the old buildings. It was a lovely bike ride in great weather and lots of interest on the route.
I met Jane outside the museum in Seebruck just after it reopened at 14:00. Although it was only a minor Roman town, the present inhabitants are very proud of their Roman history. All of the tourist signs are in Latin with German translations below and the museum is largely devoted to the Roman period, although Celtic history is also covered. It is a small museum but very well presented and lots to interest children as well as adults. They also put on many events, even outside of school holidays. Chatting to the curator, it appears that only a couple of mosaic tesserae have been found – there were no high status villas in the town.
Photos: Reconstruction of the gateway for a Celtic earthwork; Hallstatt burial mound (the bicycle is modern!); I came across a closed road and thought that I was facing a long diversion but the cycle track was still open; Some very expensive houses overlooking the lake at Seeon; The Seeon Monastery; A beautifully decorated early Iron Age Hallstatt plate in the Seebruck museum.