Great Arber

The Grosser Arber reaches 1,456 metres, the highest point of the Bavarian Forest and of the whole Bohemian Forest range on the German side. Two lakes lie in cirques below it: the Grosser Arbersee, which carries floating islands of peat and vegetation that drift with the wind, and the Kleiner Arbersee, which has more of them. Both are remnants of glaciation and are surrounded by spruce and bog. The summit is bare and rocky with weather radar domes on top, reached by cable car and a short walk, and in winter the mountain runs a ski area. Snow cover here is among the longest lasting in the region.

What you actually see

• The floating islands - drifting peat islands on the Arbersee lakes.
• The bare summit - a rocky top at 1,456 metres with radar domes.
• The cirque lakes - two glacial basins in spruce forest below.
• The winter snow - long-lasting cover with a ski area on the flank.

When to go

May to October for walking and the lakes; December to March for skiing. The summit is exposed and cold in any season with fast weather changes.

Honest expectations

The summit carries radar installations and is not wild. The cable car closes in high wind. The lakes are busy on summer weekends with limited parking.

Nearby

The Bavarian Forest national park lies north; the Czech border runs along the ridge.