Fasting Hikes in Bavaria: Routes in the Leitzach Valley

Key points at a glance

• Moderate movement during the fasting metabolism boosts fat burning and demonstrably protects muscle from breakdown.
• Three routes from the Tannerhof door offer the right level for every fasting day – from the valley path to the mountain hike.
• On a fasting hike, a deliberately slower walking pace, regular breaks and a high fluid intake matter a great deal.
• The guided Wandern & Fasten week at the Tannerhof offers a safe setting in a small group of no more than 10 people.

Why fasting and hiking belong together

Giving up solid food awakens forces in the body that have slumbered in us for millennia. To fast is to set out on a journey of reduction. A letting go. A feeling. A breathing out. This conscious choice need not end in an armchair. Quite the opposite: pairing restraint with moderate movement outdoors supports the body ideally through this phase of adjustment. Our medically supervised Body Detox Heilfasten at Naturhotel Tannerhof has shown for decades that the fasting metabolism gains depth through alpine activity.

Together with the German Medical Society for Fasting and Nutrition (ÄGHE), in which our physician Burgi von Mengershausen is actively involved, the Tannerhof medical team points to the physiological mechanisms of active fasting. Contrary to old prejudices, moderate movement does not break muscle down but protects it from breakdown, while oxygen uptake and circulation are stabilised at the same time. Observations by the ÄGHE show that combining therapeutic fasting with movement can noticeably ease chronic complaints such as high blood pressure, joint pain or exhaustion. Emotional well-being also rises markedly through hormonal balancing.

• Preserving muscle mass: moderate exertion signals to the body that the protein stores are needed, which minimises muscle breakdown.
• Improved fat burning: the metabolism quickly switches to using ketone bodies and draws on fat reserves as its primary energy source.
• A lift in mood: the active circulation and movement in fresh air release endorphins and serotonin, which encourage the fasting highs.

Three hours of moderate hiking a day is, in medical experience, ideal for challenging the body without overtaxing it. Crossing the Leitzach Valley on foot lets you experience nature more intensely while supporting the inner cleansing process in a natural way. You will find more on this fine balance in our thoughts on exercise during fasting.

Three routes from the door in the Leitzach Valley

Moderate movement during the fasting metabolism calls for a fine sense of your own rhythm. With our Wandern & Fasten offer, the nature experience begins without any logistical effort, right at the Tannerhof room door. The surrounding mountains of the Leitzach Valley offer the right path for every phase of the fasting week, so the effort adapts smoothly to the gentle rise and fall of your physical energy.

The flat Geitau loop is ideal for the sensitive first days of the metabolic switch. It leads through the valley meadows without any notable climbs, gently supports circulation and does not overtax the system while the liver settles into the fasting state. Anyone already resting firmly in their rhythm can choose the classic Seeberg loop, a moderately demanding mountain-forest path whose steady lead calms the breath and clears the mind.

Once a noticeable lightness sets in from the fourth fasting day, the half-day tour towards the striking Wendelstein beckons. On these scenic paths the lungs may work deeply, while movement in the cool mountain air maximises fat burning. Each of these routes can be walked wonderfully on your own or as part of our programme, letting you experience the alpine landscape in complete clarity.

Mindfulness, pace and circulation in the fasting metabolism

Anyone climbing the quiet paths of the Leitzach Valley without solid food comes to know their own body in a new, undistorted way. At Naturhotel Tannerhof we see walking as the natural partner of the fasting metabolism, yet this combination calls for a conscious break from athletic ambition. Without the quick energy from carbohydrates, the body shifts gears. It burns fat, supports circulation and releases a deep clarity – provided we give it the time it needs. This gentle exertion shows how effective the role of exercise during fasting can be when you do not force your own rhythm but let it flow.

• A slowed walking pace and deliberate rest breaks: the body works economically, but more slowly. Small pauses at the wayside let the breath flow calmly and guard against sudden fatigue.
• A continuous fluid intake: at least 2.5 litres of fresh spring water or mild herbal tea a day are needed to flush out metabolic waste gently and keep the blood fluid.
• Fine attention to bodily signals: a light tingling or a brief dip in blood pressure are not obstacles but signposts, asking for a moment of pause or a sip of water.

This honest regard for the essentials also shapes the experience away from the trails. To protect the clarity gained while walking from the flood of everyday stimuli, we deliberately do without unnecessary distraction at the Tannerhof. In our rooms, cabins and Hüttentürme there is intentionally no Wi-Fi and, as standard, no television. It is a quiet invitation to turn inward, an undisturbed digital detox retreat that lets the mind breathe while the feet follow the valley paths.

Guided with the Tannerhof team or on your own

Everyone fasts differently, and so movement, too, may find its own place. If you choose the classic, medically supervised Body Detox Heilfasten, you shape your days in your very own rhythm. For that, our reception hands you carefully chosen route maps, matched precisely to the fine nuances of the fasting metabolism. You walk alone, in quiet dialogue with the mountain forests of the Leitzach Valley, listening deep within yourself.

• Individual walking within Body Detox Heilfasten, with tailored route tips for each single fasting day.
• The steady community of the Wandern & Fasten week for a shared, guided nature experience.
• Medical safety through close support from the Tannerhof physicians on both paths.

For those who seek the strength of the group and wish to entrust themselves fully to the rhythm of the house, we have created a special form. Our dedicated Wandern & Fasten week begins and ends on a Sunday and runs for eight days (seven nights). In a small, familiar community of no more than ten participants, we set off together each morning. Guided by Vroni Waller and Jonas von Mengershausen, you hike selected paths around Bayrischzell. These tours are moderate in demand but intense in experience, so the body is moved gently and never overtaxed.