This summer, we spent some time with family in Germany, in the Allgäu region in the south, a beautiful rural area that is perfect for family holidays. The gentle slopes are perfect for hiking or cycling, preparing you for a visit to the dramatic landscapes of the Alps.

I won’t bore you with too much detail but instead show you some pictures of the beautiful scenery we encountered, be it by car, bike, on foot and thanks to a gondola.

The view from Kisslegg in the Western Allgäu across to the Alps

We stayed at my cousin’s who has recently moved to Kisslegg in the Western Allgäu, half an hour north of the Lake Constance and two hours West of Munich, to give you a rough idea. I had never been here before, despite the fact that it is a very popular holiday destination for families, hikers and skiers alike. The area lends itself for active holidays, and thanks to my cousin’s excellent planning we got the most out of it!

Travelling south, the landscape becomes more and more dramatic, especially once you get closer to the Alps: we saw the Säntis (at 8,000 ft a rather high elevation, even for Switzerland):

We decided to stay on the German side for this time and went up the Hochgrat instead, which at 6,000 ft is slightly less dramatic in that there is no snow on the summit in summer :-). Nevertheless we enjoyed a walk with stunning views over the Allgäu and Lake Constance (the light blue strip at the horizon) in the north,

and the German, Austrian and Swiss Alps in the south:

And just before you start wondering about our incredible fitness and determination levels (especially with a 2-yearl-old in tow): there are gondolas!

The Allgäu region is famous for its dairy products, especially cheeses. The landscape is littered with farmhouses like those we encountered on our cycling tour around Kisslegg. They often rent out apartments for the many visitors, which are now one of the main source of income for the region.

Some of the farms are selling their own produce, such as a variety of cheeses, as well as fresh milk. One of our favourites was this ‘milk service station’, where you can fill your own bottles using a dispenser:

It was refreshing to see that Germans are rather less obsessed with Health and Safety than Britain, judging by this notice:

It translates as ‘We are required by law to inform you that “unpasteurised milk has to be boiled before consumption”. P.s. We don’t do it!’

The cheese is used for a local speciality called ‘Kässpätzle’, which I’ll be making for you in a few days. But now it’s getting ready for school – I hope you had a good holiday, too!