Ebersberger Forst Trail – Kirchseeon to Poing

A half-marathon of uninterrupted flow trails make this one-way track one of the best trail-running experiences around Munich. The run is never boring as it meanders up and down lightly technical trails along a ridge line. After an optional climb up to a view tower, the trail gets racy with a constant slight downhill slope through dense forest. Wide, comfortable tracks lead the last klicks across agricultural countryside to the large suburban village of Poing, where the crystal-clear water of the small Bergfeldsee invites for a refreshing swim before taking the train back to town.
Frequent S-Bahn trains (S4 or S6)take you to the small village Kirchseeon to begin the run and from Poing the S-Bahn runs back to town. Several loops are possible alternatives to end the run where you started.

Leaving the rather nondescript, suburban village behind, the route enters dense forest via a narrow, soft trail. There is a magical feel to this old-growth wood, because the trail hugs a hilly ridge thrown up in the otherwise flat land by a glacial moraine. During the last ice age the string of lakes at the bottom of the hill was formed as well. All along the ridge line surprisingly wide views open up into the forest and across Egglburger See on a lightly technical trail that is great fun. Just above the regional center of Ebersberg towers a viewing platform, which is well worth climbing for sweeping views into the Alps.

The trail turns sharply into the heart of Ebersberger Forst, which is criss-crossed by wide, flat, ruler-straight and rather boring forest tracks – except for the one meandering, excellent trail we run on. This is one of my favorite sections, because a barely noticeable downhill slope allows to really build up speed, while requiring full concentration on the twists and turns.
The trail passes the cozy forest restaurant Forsthaus St. Hubertus and crosses to the opposite boundary of the woods with the last bit interspersed by wider tracks.

Beyond the forest wide views sweep across fields and meadows to typical church-tower studded Bavarian villages, reaching all the way to the low Munich skyline in the distance.Over a variation of tracks we enter Poing right at the train station, but continuing on for another mile through a pleasant park takes us to Bergfeldsee for a refreshing swim to round of the experience. There is a small beergarden kiosk to stock up on well-deserved food and drink.