BarbaraJA

We are planning on 7 or 8 days of driving in or near Bavaria during our visit to Germany in May, and I'm hoping someone can tell me if our drive (in a compact car) will be at all mountainous, on cliffs or high precipices, given our route in Bavaria. I posted on this issue last year when our itinerary was quite different and found out that the Rhine River area can affect vertigo, but do you know if driving Munich to Oberammergau to Wieskirche to Mittenwald, then back to Munich will involve driving at great heights?
I'm asking because when we visited Ireland two years ago, my husband could not continue the drive along the Dingle Peninsula - he suffers severe vertigo. Not seeing Dingle was very disappointing to me so I want to be prepared for any difficult drives in Germany. He is set on driving, so trains will not do. Thanks very much for any help.

Zeus

The only place where I could imagine possible dizzying views would be on the road from Oberammergau to Garmisch-Partenkirchen then on to Mittenwald; just past Ettal Abbey. Even that isn't all that high up. We just did most of your proposed trip in December with lots of snow on the road and it was no problem. The Germans use lots of heavy duty guardrail on the winding roads.

I would STRONGLY ADVISE you NOT to continue on from Mittenwald to Innsbruck however. The descent down into the Inn Valley even got my heart racing.

RufusTFirefly

Barbara--no, your route will not be bad at all.

BarbaraJA

Thanks Zeus and RTF! Mittenwald is as far as we would go - not even that far if we run out of time. RTF, you have put my mind at ease. Thanks again.

J_Correa

Zeus - I had to laugh at your remark about Germans and guard rails. We have family friends from Germany who visited several years ago - we are in California. At one point, while driving through the Sierra foothills, one of our friends remarked about the lack of guard rails on our roads. She asked us what we Americans have against them - LOL.

norrisken

Driving in Austria and Italy it seemed there were only small wooden post even on some of the sharpest dropoffs. I thought that was a way to weed out poor drivers.
Ken

tcreath

We drove throughout this region in May and had no problems at all, and I too have a slight fear of heights. I think you'll be fine.

Tracy

BarbaraJA

Thanks to all for your assurances... p.s. judging by the fun one can have with this topic, maybe a travel guide for "acrophobics" would be a good idea! Or maybe Fodor's could include such a discussion in their guides...
Thanks again! BarbaraJA