Munich is about 1 h away from the Alps and within 1-2 h one can reach many venues for cross country skiing, Langlauf in German. The centre for cross country skiing is Seefeld which had previously hosted the competitions of the Olympic Games and the World Championships.
If you plan to take up Nordic skiing, then perhaps avoid Seefeld as many of the tracks (Loipen) are too steep (there is a reason why they do major competitions in Seefeld). However, nearby is Leutasch. It is a high glen and fantastic for gliding miles and miles in-between high mountains.
There are two styles, skating (seen on the left) and classic (demonstrated by Ana on the right).
In contrast to Scotland in winter, there are regular sunny days. Ensure to have some sun glasses.
Next to the Loipen there are coffee places and restaurants and on a sunny day you can sit in a deckchair sipping coffee.
A second highly recommended Loipe is the Karwendelloipe which is classic only. It starts in Eng and follows a glen to the Ahornboden in the middle of the Karwendel mountain range. Here is Ana starting the Loipe...
... and here we are on the way.
The Loipe first runs West to East and then towards the South and uphill to the Ahornboden. Here is Ana steadily climbing out of the glen.
The Ahornboden is a cul de sac surrounded by high mountains. Ahorn means maple. Here, Ana is reaching some of the maple trees.
A fantastic place on a sunny winters day.
A third area is the Jachenau which we can reach in less than 1 h.
So if you are interested and COVID-19 permitting, take a flight to Munich or Innsbruck. Seefeld and Leutasch typically have the best snow conditions and plenty of accommodation. The Karwendelloipe is more difficult to reach so you may need to rent a car. Also the Jachenau-Loipe can be reached by public transport but renting a car might be easier. For skiing on most Loipen, you need to pay but the prices are moderate when compared to Alpine skiing with prices going up to 15 Euros in Seefeld and Leutasch.
