Hiking on the Arber, in the Upper Palatinate Lake District or in the Bavarian Forest National Park and seven other great nature experiences in the region of Eastern Bavaria
10 Nature highlights in Eastern Bavaria
1
Lamer Winkel
The towns of Arrach, Lam and Lohberg nestle in a horseshoe-shaped chain of mountains, surrounded by the largest number of mountains over a thousand metres in the Bavarian Forest. Walking trails go across the wide valley and through the Arrach moor.
bayerischer-wald.org (only in German)
Arber
At 1,456 m, the Große Arber is the highest mountain in the Bavarian forest. In good weather you can see to the Kleine Arber and, if you’re lucky, as far as the Alps. A cable car goes up to the summit.
arber.de (only in German)
3
Growing Rocks of Usterling
A natural monument unique in southern Germany stands in the district of Dingolfing-Landau: a stream rich in limestone that flows downhill from a spring has, over the centuries, created a bizarre set of rocks around 50 metres long and up to three metres high.
landau-isar.de
Upper Palatinate Lake District
Two decades ago, brown coal was mined here, now it is a destination for watersports fans, offering bathing, sailing, windsurfing and waterskiing. The lakes of Steinberger See, Murner See, Brückelsee, Hammersee and Eixendorfer See attract water sports enthusiasts and sun worshippers, campers and anglers in equal measure. New: the largest accessible wooden experience sphere in the world, 40 metres high!
oberpfaelzer-seenland.de (only in German)
5
The Große Pfahl near Viechtach
The Große Pfahl National Park runs for 150 kilometres along an ancient fault line in the bedrock of the Bavarian Forest. Its geographical significance and unique situation provoke worldwide interest. With its unusual vein of white quartz it makes an impressive statement on the surface of the earth.
naturpark-bayer-wald.de
Bavarian Forest National Park
Lynxes, bears, wolves and many other natural treasures are found here as well as information and visitor centres, plus 320 kilometres of well-signposted walking trails and 170 kilometres of cross country ski trails.
Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald
7
Saußbachklamm Gorge
South of Waldkirchen lies the wildly romantic Saußbachklamm Gorge with its deep ravine. Vast blocks of granite stand defiantly in the rushing water, with a simple footpath going alongside.
urlaub-in-waldkirchen.de
Parkstein Basalt Cone
The basalt hill in Parkstein is the weathered vent of a 24 million year-old volcano in the Upper Palatinate Forest. Alexander von Humboldt described it as the “most beautiful basalt cone in Europe”. The Parkstein hill towers over the town of the same name and the Weidener Becken” valley.
vulkanerlebnis-parkstein.de
Weltenburger Enge and Danube Gorge
The nature reserve between Kelheim and Weltenburg Abbey is one of the most striking landscapes in Bavaria. Here for around five kilometres, the Danube winds its way through limestone rocks rising up to heights of 70 metres. It is the only nature reserve in Bavaria to have been awarded the European Diploma.
donaudurchbruch.org (only in German)
10
Bavarian Danube Valley
A mecca for those with sport boats and for anglers, this place is close to nature and boasts Germany’s longest river island near Windorf. It scores highly on a culinary level too, with Danube fish prepared in typical regional style.
donautal-klosterwinkel.de (only in German)
