The Solo Scale:

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There are some locations that you venture to which have historical significance and a certain amount of weight to them. The gravitas of these locations is fascinating because you’re standing in a place mired in a fairly bleak history. Sometimes, visiting these places and feeling slight discomfort is part of the experience. For me, there have been a few locations I’ve seen like this. Those include the WWI grave sites in the north of France and during my trip to Germany, Berchtesgaden and the Eagle’s Nest was another.

It’s impossible to ignore the historical significance of this location. There’s even aspects of the visit that are awe-inspiring. These include the views of the Alps as you climb to the base and the architectural marvel of the tunnel to the elevator. It just can’t be ignored what this place was. If you’ve seen the Band of Brothers miniseries, this location may be in your mind from the finale episode. Being in the actual place shows just how close they got to the real thing.

If you’ve purchased tickets and are driving yourself, you should be at the departure point thirty minutes prior to your bus arrival. There’s a gift shop and service centre at the base. With a group tour, they’ll arrange everything for you and you’ll simply arrive. When it’s time to go, you’ll board a bus that goes up mountain roads. You end up at the entrance of a tunnel that leads you to the gold-plated elevator.

If you’ve got a fear of heights, you may want to sit on the inside of the bus or be extra mindful not to look over the edge. You’ll be ascending through winding mountain paths for a while. Once you arrive, you’ll stop and walk through the tunnel. Back in the 40’s, the Jeeps would have continued directly to the elevator). Once you’re in the elevator, an operator will bring you and around fifty others up to the Eagle’s Nest itself.

There is a restaurant at the top (quite the dichotomy given what this location was historically, but that’s a thought you may have to fight your entire trip). If you’ve got the time, you can even dine at the top. The views truly are incredible, especially in the morning as the cloud cover breaks apart. Once you’re at the top, you’ll have time to explore as much as you want. There’s a monument at the top, a bench to overlook the Austrian Alps, and the actual Eagle’s Nest itself. It’s here that you can balance the incredible natural wonders around you with the more sombre reality of where you are.

Fair warning again to those with issues with heights – there’s no real guardrails around most of the areas, so be cautious about staying away from the edge if you can.

You don’t have to be a history buff to appreciate the historical significance of this location and to learn more about the events that shaped it.

To get more information and buy tickets for your visit, visit the website here.