EZTrip.com International Destination Guide and Hotel Listings

BODENMAIS , terminus of the other branch railway from Zwiesel, is the most popular resort in the Bavarian Forest, and can get quite busy in summer, though nothing like as crowded as its counterparts in the Alps. About 2km southeast of the centre is the Silberberg (955m), a mountain which was mined over the course of six centuries for its iron and silver deposits. It's riddled with horizontal mineshafts, some of which are now used for therapeutic treatments. The 600-metre-long gallery known as the Barbarastollen (guided tours Jan-March Tues-Fri 1-3pm; April-June, Sept & Oct daily 10am-4pm; July & Aug daily 9am-4.45pm; DM8/¬4), which lies about halfway up, has been mothballed in the state it was in when mining ended. A cable car (DM5/¬2.50 single, DM8/¬4 return) runs to the summit, stopping en route at an intermediate station at the Barbarastollen (DM4/¬2 return).

North of Bodenmais is the Grosser Arber (1456m), the highest peak in the region and, together with the nearby Arbersee , the only part prone to be overrun by tourist coaches. There's an exhilarating hiking trail up the mountain from the village, passing through the Risslochschlucht , a gorge with waterfalls, on the way. A cable car (DM9/¬4.50 single, DM14/¬7 return) goes up the other side.

The tourist office is in the Kurverwaltung, Bahnhofstr. 56 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 8am-noon, Sun 10am-noon; tel 0 99 24/77 81 35, fax 77 81 50, www.bodenmais.de ). As well as the usual extensive provision of private rooms and pensions (less than DM60/¬30-DM99/¬49), there are plenty of good-value hotels , such as Gasthof Zur Post , Marktplatz 6 (tel 0 99 24/9 19 35; DM60-79/¬30-39), and Adam-Bräu , Bahnhofstr. 53 (tel 0 99 24/2 78; DM80-99/¬40-49); the latter is part of a large complex which includes a more upmarket sports hotel, the local brewery, a restaurant and café. Progressively more upmarket establishments include Kurparkhotel , Amselweg 1 (tel 0 99 24/9 42 80; DM100-124/¬50-62), Hofbräuhaus , Marktplatz 5 (tel 0 99 24/77 70; DM150-199/¬75-99), Andrea , Hölzlweg 10 (tel 0 99 24/3 86 or 74 80; DM150-199/¬75-99), and Wald- und Sporthotel Riederin , Riederin 1 (tel 0 99 24/77 60; DM200-249/¬100-124); the last two both include evening meals in the price of the room. The youth hostel (tel 0 99 24/2 81; DM23/¬11.50) is on the Kleiner Arber, some 45 minutes' walk from the Grosser Arber summit, and about twice that time from town.