Haldenwanger Eck – Germany’s Southernmost point

We visited this point as part of the IBRG AT20 trip. Eck (1883m) is important in 2 respects for border enthusiasts. The first is that it marked by an impressive border marker #147 due to it being the point where Bavaria – Tyrol – Vorarlberg meet. It is therefore a regional, state or Länder tripoint as well as being on the border between Austria and Germany. As such I define it a secondary tripoint to differentiate it from a primary or international tripoint. The second reason for it being important is that is the southernmost point in Germany. Two points of Germany’s compass now visited, the other being the westernmost point at Isenbruch, details here.

After leaving the Schrofenpass and walking west we reached the impressive border marker #147. In 1986, on the initiative of Vorarlberg, a granite column was erected there to replace the old boundary stone. The original boundary stone from 1844, was taken to the Bavarian State Surveying Office.

On the day we visited there were many hikers, surprisingly some simply walked by the monument. We felt it incumbent upon us to inform fellow hikers of the points geographical significance. In so doing we made friends with 2 German hikers which led to good conversations and a shared drink at the end of our walk. Border marker #148 (not visited) marks the point the border changes direction sharply and heads north.