National Parks in Germany - NATIONAL NATURAL LANDSCAPES

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WILD AND BEAUTIFUL
National Parks in Germany
2 | N ati o nal E N atu r land s c h aften
Wadden Sea National
Park on the German
North Sea
N ati o nal P a r k s in G e r m an y – W I L D A N D B E A U T I F U L | 3
“Nature Conservation is not a luxury, it is
a future responsibility”
Federal President
Horst Köhler
“In 1836 the Prussian government bought the Drachenfels near Königswinter along
the Rhine for the grand sum of 10,000 Marks. The objective was to save it and the
picturesque castle ruins from being used as a quarry to continue the construction of
the Cologne Dome. At this time 170 years ago, this was not just a part of the cultural
struggle but the first national nature conservation measure in Germany.
Admittedly, the Prussian state was not interested then in saving the habitat of the running toad, owl or the moorland orchid. It was more interested in preserving the attractive and fairy tale-like landscape – it was the great era of Rhine Romanticism. And
yet, the year 1836 marked an important realisation: namely that areas of countryside as
habitats for plants and animals could be just as important as cultural monuments. 70
years later, the state made the conservation of the countryside and the landscape part of
its administrative duties: When the botanist, Hugo Conwentz erected the “State Office
for the Preservation of Natural Monuments” in Danzig – with a workforce of three –,
this really was something new, and not only in Germany.
The progress and the achievements that have been made since can be seen by the
number of jubilees that we can celebrate this year […] today, there are thousands of
nature reserves established in Germany. Also, there are 14 national parks and the same
number of biosphere reserves and over 90 nature parks. In total they make up a quarter of the area of our country. […] For me, one of the central aspects of future-oriented
politics is to preserve these treasure troves, the rich natural heritage in our country, for
our children and grandchildren . […]
It is also important here to remember that conservation of the countryside is growing
in importance as an economic factor. Studies have shown that nature conservation,
especially in areas with weak economic structures, creates income and jobs […] For
this reason I feel it is good that our large protected areas have been unified under the
umbrella “Nationale Naturlandschaften” and that it is advertising strongly for its ideals.
It would please me greatly if this action played a role in motivating more people to
discover the natural beauty of Germany in their holidays or on day trips. If we get to
experience nature at close quarters, we get to appreciate it more and protect it. […]
Nature conservation has been a government task for 100 years, and it must remain
so. And not just as an annoying duty but something which is taken more and more
seriously. Nature conservation is not a luxury, it is a future responsibility!“
Federal President Horst
Köhler in his speech
on the occasion of the
German Environmental
Prize Giving ceremony
on 29th October 2006
in Dresden
Preface
Dr. Eberhard Henne
Chairman EUROPARC Deutschland
The cultural values, the various traditions, the diversity of the food and the uniqueness
of the landscapes are well-known quality features of Germany.
The 14 national parks, on the coasts, and lakes in the North, in the central mountains
through to the Alps in the South are less known natural treasures. And this although
these areas of countryside can well hold their own with the large national parks of this
world such as the Grand Canyon, Krüger or Tongarino as far as beauty and individuality are concerned. This brochure aims to show you the diversity of the German
national parks. Find out about the Wadden Sea National Park where the bottom of the
sea and the horizon appear to touch or experience the neverending forest wilderness
in the Bavarian Forest National Park. National parks represent areas where nature can
flourish using its own dynamic forces to return to a wilderness without any human
intervention. They are areas where open-minded visitors can experience calm in unique
natural surroundings. The demand for holidays in the German countryside is steadily
on the increase and the national parks are particularly popular – they are a rare good
that play their role in the economies of the rural regions.
National parks are a fascinating experience for our senses. They offer the opportunity
for wellness holidays in undiluted natural surroundings as well as ranger tours with
one-off observations of rare plants and animals. Similar to museums and castles, there
are rules that apply in national parks. The visitors are carefully guided out of respect for
the capacity of nature. We would therefore ask you to observe these rules to ensure that
these fragile areas remain protected.
Allowing the German national parks to return to the wild demands courage and
farsightedness. The idea of wilderness often brings to mind fears of the unknown and
unfamiliar. For this reason we need advocates for our national parks. It is a cultural
accomplishment of our generation to develop more tolerance for nature. National parks
are a gift from our generation to our children and grandchildren. Together with the
national parks I would like to invite you to enter Germany’s wilderness.
Yours
Dr. Eberhard Henne
National Parks in Germany
In 1872, when the Yellowstone region in
the USA was declared a protected landscape in the form of a national park, a new
idea was born. This idea has been adopted
worldwide, and today there are more
than 3800 national parks in over 120
countries. In Europe, the first national
parks were established in 1909 in Sweden
and 1914 in Switzerland. In Germany it
took another 60 years before the first park
was created – the Bavarian Forest.
This delay may have been due to the fact
that Germans, though proud of their
cultural heritage – churches and castles,
poetry and music – had much less experience with their natural heritage. Only
gradually did we come to realize that we
too are bound within nature and its laws.
This growing realization has influenced
an increasing acceptance of the value of
nature and its need to be protected.
National parks are examples of intact
nature. They allow nature to develop
over large areas according to its own laws
without the interference or regulation of
humans. In accordance with the motto
“Let Nature be Nature”, the parks are
given a generous amount of space and
time to develop independent of planned
goals. Only in this way can we protect
small remaining pockets of nature for
ourselves and future generations – an
important ethical duty. In most of the 14
German national parks there is presently
a transition period due to the former land
use in these areas. The “profit” they produce cannot only be measured in Euro, in
relation to the “loss” of giving up the use of
the natural resources like wood and water.
National parks give us something quite
different, over and above cash value.
portant function, as part of a “Noah’s Arc”,
in the protection of biological diversity.
Biological Diversity
National parks are particularly important
in helping us to understand the laws of
nature. They provide a platform for scientific observation and research of natural
processes with their living communities
within their habitats. This knowledge can
contribute to the sustainable use of natural resources outside of the national parks,
Natural processes operating in a large
area make available a variety of habitats
for plants and animals. These are retreats
for many plant and animal species which
otherwise would not have much chance of
surviving. Here national parks fulfil an im-
Experience Nature
For most people, the chance to experience
uncontrolled, wild nature with all one’s
senses is almost impossible. National
parks present us with insights into the
continuous cycles of birth, living and
dying. As “sanctuaries” for the soul they
can be a place of quiet recovery, relaxation
and inspiration. Through listening to nature, the visitors can even learn something
about themselves.
Learning from Nature
The alpine salamander has specialised in living in alpine habitats
The violet blooms of the Sea Aster announces
save costs and help to avoid mistakes. At
the same time, national parks offer ideal
conditions for holistic environmental education, where both knowledge and affinity
can be conveyed. Those who know and
love nature will respect and protect it.
They are best visited on foot, by bicycle, or
even by boat. There are many opportunities awaiting you to discover the national
parks with all your senses.
Regional Benefits
National parks are never closed. It is
possible to enjoy the “festival of nature” in
every season. The colourful autumn with
the sky as a canvas for the spectacular
flight of birds in migration; the snow
cloud covered forests in winter; the
emerging stream of colour in the spring,
and the saturated green of summer, with
the warm breeze and voices of the animals
are ever present for the visitor to enjoy.
The national parks are interconnected
with their surrounding regions in a number of ways. In many cases they have great
influence on the appearance of the region.
As a symbol for natural and cultural
tourism, they present their own unique
programme of opportunities to experience
nature. National parks should and can
support a sustainable regional economy
and therefore secure jobs.
The 365-Day Programme
Visitors are welcome
the end of the summer
These benefits show clearly that the
German national parks are far more than
fenced off reserves for nature protection.
They present a special opportunity for
both humans and nature and for preserving the past and ensuring the future.
With this perspective in mind, the national park administrations see themselves as
service agencies whose duty it is to serve
humans and nature on an equal basis. The
German national parks, each with their
individual character, strive to fulfil the
responsibility set out in 1872 as the goal
of Yellowstone National Park: For the
benefit and enjoyment of the people and
future generations.
For the benefit and enjoyment of the
people and future generations.
Experience nature
From the Wadden Sea to the Baltic Sea
coast, from the northern German lowlands and the central mountain ranges
to the Alps, every national park is worth
discovering.
Visit the parks. Escape from hectic everyday life and let your soul be free. Stand
back as a quiet observer and admirer.
Nature is something extraordinary – in
the national parks you can experience this
first hand.
Experiencing and Enjoying
National Park partners
The national park regions have a lot to offer. Some national parks have put together
special offers. These partners feel very connected to their region and the landscapes
of the national parks and want to help
to preserve the unique and fascinating
countryside in their home region. Most
national park partner companies – be
it restaurants, shipping companies or
accommodation enterprises – orient their
efforts on the criteria of the environmental organisation Viabono. This is the
right platform for them and they are also
directly active for the national park if you
select a national park partner. This ensures
that you get more quality, more relaxation
and more experience. And this combined with the good feeling that you are
travelling better in the hands of a national
park partner because they work in a more
environmentally-friendly manner.
Variety and Unique Opportunities
The national park administrations as
well as other groups in the region offer
guests a large selection of diverse and age
of the beech wood to be viewed. The Harz
National park now has a “Dandelion”
discovery path which offers adventure for
the whole family. And the new national
park centre “Wilderness House” in the
Bavarian Wood National Park opens up
a whole new range of prospects for kids
and adults. Just ask the park administration, the tourist associations or look in the
Internet for more information.
Find out more from the park administrations or the tourist offices. One thing you
have to bring with you is time. Time to
gain distance from everyday life and time
to travel to the places which will reveal the
magnificence of nature.
Your arrival made easy
The best way to get to the parks is by
train, so that you can begin to relax and
prepare yourself mentally for the national
park. Should you come by car, we recommend you take advantage of the park-andride locations. From there you can switch
Rangers or Volunteers-in-Parks like to welcome and inform you
appropriate activities: nature trails for the
outdoor enthusiasts, adventure playgrounds for children and seasonal festivals
for the whole family. The visitor centres
present a variety of interesting information about the national parks and their
regions. On request, a qualified enthusiastic staff member is ready to help you,
for example on an excursion, observation
of wild animals or organizing adventure
tours. Apart from these possibilities you
can choose other highlights of the region
to explore; such as outdoor museums,
stores with regional products or cultural
events.
In recent years the national parks have
become even more attractive. For example there is now a barrier-free tree-top
walkway in the Hainich National Park
that allows the normally inaccessible tops
Black terns
to public transportation. All the parks are
making a great effort to encourage the use
of train, bus and boat services already offered in the region so that your enjoyment
begins with your arrival.
Have we aroused your interest in Nature?
Then come to Germany – and begin with
a visit to a national park!
National parks offer nature experience of a
special kind
1 0 | N ati o nal E N atu r land s c h aften
Where the Sea Floor Meets the Horizon
Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park
The tidal flats can be wild, sometimes even
violent, when the storms stir up the sea
and the waves hit hard against the dyke.
The ten “Halligen”, the small islands, which
are only protected by a low dyke, report
being flooded 10 to 30 times a year. Then
you can only see the houses, built on manmade hills, projecting up out of the water.
But even when the weather is calm one
can see spectacular sites at the SchleswigHolstein Wadden Sea National Park:
you can walk on the sea floor twice a day,
when the tide is low. Instead of a diving
suit, you will need rubber boots or, better
still, you can walk barefoot through the
tidal flats, where shell fish and snails hide.
These sea animals are food for many types
Thousands of European wigeons winter in the national park. They are always hungry and very easily scared
of birds. Because they are so easy to catch
here and because they are so numerous,
the Danish, German and Dutch Wadden
sea coasts are the richest bird areas in
Europe. Ten million birds use the area
year round on their migration between
their breeding grounds, which lie in the
Siberian and Canadian Arctic, and their
wintering grounds in western Africa and
N ati o nal P a r k s in G e r m an y – W I L D A N D B E A U T I F U L | 1 1
Walk on the ocean‘s floor
The Multimar Wattforum National Park Centre
in Tönning
western Europe. Salt marshes establish
themselves in the transition zone between
land and sea. 250 animal species live in
this special ecosystem which do not exist
anywhere else on earth.
The national park also offers a glimpse
of larger wild animals. On excursion it is
easy to catch sight of a seal, of which
around 10.000 live in the national park.
A Day in the National Park
A Week in the National Park
If the weather is good we recommend
a visit to Westerhever. From the parking lot you can walk to the dyke. From
here you can see the famous panorama
of the lighthouse, the salt marshes and,
when the tide is low, you can walk to the
sandbank stretching out before you. In
the spring and early summer sea gulls and
waders breed here. In the late summer
and autumn many thousands of migrating
arctic birds rest on the sandbanks and in
the salt marshes. In the winter you can
observe large flocks of geese. If the weather is bad, you can drive to the small port
town of Tönning and visit the Multimar
Wattforum. At this Wadden Sea exhibition you are invited into the fascinating
world of science. With Aquariums and
discovery exhibits, this is also an exciting
experience for children.
Monday: Arrive at the Eiderstedt Peninsula. In the evening take a walk on the
dyke and eat a fish roll at the harbour.
Tuesday: Rain. A chance to visit the
Multimar Wattforum in Tönning. In
the afternoon, visit one of the local art
galleries.
Wednesday: Take a guided walk on the
tidal flats with a ranger from the national
park service.
Thursday: Take a boat trip from Husum
on a “Seetier-Fangfahrt”, where live animals are caught for you to look at and
then set free again. Exciting stories of the
sea are told by a biologist during the trip.
Friday: Day trip to the “Hallig” Gröde.
See many seals on the way. On the
island the violet sea asters are blooming.
Saturday: The sun is shining! A day on
the beach at St. Peter-Ording. Watch
the littletern. Eat delicious shrimp in the
evening.
Several thousand porpoises live on the coast. A
whale reservation has been established for them in
front of Sylt and Amrum
D ate s and F a c t s
Location: The North Sea coast of
Schleswig-Holstein, from the Danish
border to the mouth of the Elbe River.
Area: 4410 square kilometres
Elevation: -15 to +8 meters
(Warft on Hallig Süderoog)
Established: 1985
Type of Landscape: Tidal flats, islands,
dunes, sandbars, channels, salt marshes, and sea.
B o o k s and Map s
Paths Across the Tidal Flats,
ISBN 3-8042-0700-6
Moments in the Wadden Sea,
ISBN 3-8042-0845-2
National Park maps: North Friesland,
ISBN 3-8042-1083-X,
Eiderstedt/Dithmarschen,
ISBN 3-8042-1097-X
N ati o nal P a r k
I nf o r m ati o n
National Park Administration
Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea
Schlossgarten 1, D-25832 Tönning
Tel. +49 (0) ) 48 61/ 6 16-0, Fax -69
[email protected]
www.wattenmeer-nationalpark.de
National Park Service gGmbH
Tel. +49 (0) 4861/ 96200
[email protected]
Multimar Wattforum
Tel. +49 (0) 48 61/ 96 20-0, Fax -10
www.multimar-wattforum.de
A c c o m m o dati o n
North Sea Tourism Service GmbH
Tel. +49 (0) 48 41/89 75-0,
Fax +49 (0) 48 41/48 43
www.nordseetourismus.de
T r a v el t o t h e P a r k
By Train: Train line Hamburg-Westerland with stops in Heide, Husum, Niebüll; in Heide there is a connection to
Büsum, in Husum a connection to St.
Peter-Ording, in Niebüll a connection
to Dagebüll. By Car: From Hamburg on
the A 23 towards Heide, then the B 203
to Büsum, B202 to St. Peter-Ording or
B 5 to Tönning, Husum, Niebüll. It is
possible to transport your car on the
train from Niebüll to Westerland.
Ferries to the islands and “Halligen“
from Dagebüll and Schlüttsiel.
Where the Sea Floor
Meets the Horizon
Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park
You may wonder, but the explanation is
easy: the city on the Elbe river has had an
outpost in the mouth of the river since
1299 – the island of Neuwerk. In 1990
the national park was founded including
the island itself, the surrounding tidal flats
and the two dune islands of Scharhörn and
Nigehörn. A small but fine national park.
The island of Neuwerk has about 40 inhabitants. There is a school which at present
has 7 pupils, a little shop, 10 guest houses,
11 horse drawn wagons, and one information centre. Each day during the summer,
around 1.000 visitors come to the island
on day trips. They walk or ride a horse
drawn carriage along the 10 kilometre
track from Cuxhaven – when the tide is
high, they take a small boat back to the
mainland. On Neuwerk they have beautiful salt marshes, where you can observe
thousands of sea birds.
Magnificent – the
blooming salt marshes to
the east of the Neuwerk
Island
Six kilometres seawards from Neuwerk
lies the dune island of Scharhörn, where
the bird warden lives in the summer.
Besides the hundreds of sea gulls nesting
here and on the uninhabited island of Nigehörn there are highly endangered bird
species such as sandwich tern, little tern
and plover. On the Elbe large ships pass
by the breeding colonies. They are part
of the landscape here in the Hamburg
Wadden Sea area. On ninety percent of
the national park area nature can develop
without human use or interference – just
pure nature. No other national park has
set aside such a high percentage of its area
for the general goal of national parks,
“Let Nature be Nature”.
Sunset on the path to the bird
island of Scharhörn
On a one day visit to Neuwerk, you can
choose between a walk over the tidal
flats, a one to two hour wagon ride, or
just a boat tour. One has a wonderful
panoramic view of the Hamburg Wadden
Sea National Park from the Neuwerk
lighthouse tower. In this ancient tower,
which is over 700 years old, you will feel
Monday: Arrive by boat on Neuwerk.
Check into a comfortable bed & breakfast
and take a first walk around the island
on top of the dyke ring.
Tuesday: Rain. Sleep in and read a novel
about Störtebeker. In the afternoon visit
the information centre at the light house.
Wednesday: The sun is shining. In the
morning climb up the light house and
enjoy the view. In the afternoon, take a
guided tour to the salt marshes with an
employee of the national park administration. Catch sight of an oystercatcher
with freshly hatched young.
Thursday: Take a guided tour over the
tidal flats with a guide from the Jordsand
Association to the bird island of Schar
hörn. If you are lucky you may be able to
see little terns.
Friday: Guided tour to the Kleiner
Vogelsand, the high tidal flats north off
Neuwerk. After a storm one can find
amber here.
Saturday: After a relaxing morning bath
and breakfast, you find your way back to
the boat “Flipper” to return to Cuxhaven
at high tide.
Fragrant suithing atmosphere for body and soul –
a hike on the ocean floor towards the horizon
the breath of the historic Hanseatic era.
Claus Störtebeker once sat here imprisoned in the dungeon.
Right beside the tower is the National
Park Information Centre with an exhibition on the Hamburg Wadden Sea and the
island of Neuwerk. On a marked path
through the salt marshes on the eastern
side of the island one can observe the
breeding and resting birds up close.
Pure dynamism – the tides
have uncovered shells on the
mud flats and set the table for
thousands of sea birds.
Location: At the mouth of the Elbe
river, approximately 10 kilometres
from Cuxhaven
Elevation: -18 to+6 metres
(Neuwerk’s dyke)
Establisned: 1990
Type of Landscape: Tidal flats with
channels, sandbanks influenced by
fresh water of the river Elbe, salt marshes and dune islands, tide ways, sand
banks and sea.
B o o k s and Map s
Nationalpark-Atlas Hamburgisches
Wattenmeer published by the Hamburg Environmental Office
N ati o nal P a r k
I nf o r m ati o n
Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park
Administration c/o Behörde für Umwelt und Gesundheit (Department of
the Environment and Health)
Billstraße 84, D-20539 Hamburg
Tel. +49 (0) 40/4 28 45-0; Fax -25 79
National Park Station Neuwerk
Tel. +49 (0) 47 21/ 6 92 71
[email protected]
Nationalpark-Haus Neuwerk
Tel. +49 (0) 47 21/395349 ·
[email protected]
„Turm,“ Tel. +49 (0) 47 21/2 90 78
„Haus Seeblick,“ Tel. +49 (0) 47 21/2 03 60
„Das alte Fischerhaus,“
Tel. +49 (0) 47 21/2 90 43 or 2 90 44
„Nige Hus,“ Tel. +49 (0) 47 21/2 85 61
„Hus Achtern Diek,“
Tel. +49 (0) 47 21/2 90 76
T r a v el t o t h e pa r k
By train or car to Cuxhaven. There are
three ways to reach Neuwerk: by foot
from Sahlenburg (bus from Cuxhaven
train station to neighbourhood of Sahlenburg) With the horse drawn wagon from
Sahlenburg or Duhnen (bus connection
from the train station) By boat „MS Flipper“ from Cuxhaven, Reederei Cassen Eils,
Tel. +49 (0) 47 21/3 22 11
Where the Sea Floor
Meets the Horizon
Wadden Sea National
Park of Lower Saxony
A walk across the mud flats is one
of the most impressive attractions
in the Wadden Sea National Park
Shells and plants on the beach catch the
sand, the birth of the dunes
From a bird’s perspective, the Wadden
sea is like an organism. The channels
meander through the expansive tidal flats.
Depending on the tides and the sun, on
the wind and the weather, they either
shine like silver or look like grey lead.
The seven East Friesian islands create the
border between the Wadden Sea and the
North Sea.
The chain of islands is characteristic
of the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea. The
islands stand like a barrier some 15 kilometres before the coast and protect the
tidal flats behind from the forces of the
North Sea. On the mainland, the deep
Dollart and Jade bays were formed at the
mouth of the Ems and Jade rivers by tidal
waves during the middle ages.
The islands are an attraction for the
vacationer. This is not only because of the
white sandy beaches and the wonderful
surf. High dunes, inland lakes with bul-
rushes and colourful blossoms of the salt
marshes in the summer create a diverse
landscape.
On the eastern side of the islands, as
well as in the mud-flats, visitors witness
the basic idea of the national parks “Let
Nature be Nature“: Sandbanks and channels, areas of shell fish, dunes and lagoons
are ever changing, disappearing and being
recreated.
In every season, one can enjoy burning
sunsets and soft plays of colour. Nature
sets the stage for the mountainous clouds
of a thunderstorm or the morning sun in
the mist on a crisp winter day. A grand
stage for the wonders of nature.
If the weather is good, we recommend
a day tour from Neßmersiel to the island
of Baltrum. On a guided group tour, one
walks some 7 Kilometres at low tide over
the tidal flats to the smallest of the seven
East Friesian islands. Here one has about
4 hours to look around, then you take a
ship back to the mainland at high tide.
In bad weather, it is worth a trip to the
National Park Centre in Norddeich.
From there it is only a few steps to the
seal breeding and research station, where
young seals are cared for in the summer
months.
Location: North Sea coast of Lower
Saxony from the mouth of the Elbe
through Cuxhaven to the Dutch border.
Elevation: -15 to over+20 meters (East
Friesian Islands’ sand dunes)
Established: 1986
Type of Landscape: Tidal flats, salt sand
banks, tideways and sea islands with
sand dunes and beaches, marshes,
cliffs, moors, heather.
B o o k s and Map s
Brochure “Our National Park” and the
regional guide (free of charge from the
national park offices, buildings and
centres)
The tidal flats at low tide seem almost unending
Monday: Arrive with bicycles at the
Bremerhaven train station. Take the ferry
to Nordenham and ride along the dyke
westward. There are comfortable bed &
breakfasts in Langwarden (Fedderwardersiel)*.
Tuesday: Ride south along the east shore
of Jade Bay to Sehestedter Moor, which
lies seawards of the dyke. Stay over in
Varel (Dangast)*.
Wednesday: Bicycle tour along Jade Bay.
It begins to rain in the afternoon. A good
excuse to visit the Wadden Sea House in
Wilhelmshaven.
Thursday: The day’s goal is to reach
Harlesiel (Carolinensiel)*. On arrival it is
worth a swim in the North Sea.
Friday: The bikes stay parked. Day trip to
Wangerooge by ship. Take a memorable
ride on the island train through the blooming salt marshes, passing by countless
birds. While hiking through the fragrant
N ati o nal P a r k
I nf o r m ati o n
Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National
Park Administration
Virchowstr. 1, D-26382 Wilhelmshaven
Tel. +49(0) 44 21/9 11-0, Fax -280
[email protected]
www.nationalpark-wattenmeer-cuxhaven.de
National Park Centre Cuxhaven
Tel. +49(0) 47 21/2 86 81,
www.nationalpark-wattenmeer-cuxhaven.de
National Park Centre Wilhelmshaven
Tel. +49(0) 44 21/9 10 70
www.wattenmeerhaus.de
The North Sea Marketing Agency
GmbH, Tel. +49(0)4421/978923,
www.die-nordsee.de
Children can experience nature at close quarters
sand dune landscape, don’t forget that you
have to return (Wangerooge)*.
Saturday: Farewell to the Sea: the last
stretch of cycling takes you to Jever, where
the train is waiting. *Location of the national park information buildings
Train stations to the island ferries:
Sande/Harlesiel (to Wangerooge),
Esens (to Spiekeroog and Langeoog),
Norddeich/Mole (to Norderney, Juist),
Neßmersiel through Norddeich (to
Baltrum), Emden Außenhafen (to Borkum). Other important train stations
near the park: Wilhelmshaven, Varel,
Nordenham, Cuxhaven. By car: highway A 27 to Bremerhaven/Cuxhaven,
A 28 through Oldenburg to Wilhelmshaven/Sande/Varel, A 29 through
Oldenburg to Emden/Norddeich, A 31
through Rheine to Emden/Norddeich.
Chalk Cliffs at the Sea
Jasmund National Park
The Rügen Chalk Cliffs – the landmark of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Green beech forest, white chalk cliffs and
blue sea – the Jasmund peninsula on the
island of Rügen is one of the most famous
German landscapes. Caspar David Friedrich’s paintings of the chalk cliffs, an icon
of the German romantic period, still
dominate our image of Rügen’s coast.
The radiant white cliffs are made of
70 million year old chalk. To create the
chalk, nature layered the skeletons of
countless one-celled creatures that once
lay on the cretaceous sea bed. The highest
and most prominent point on the chalk
coast is the Königsstuhl, towering some
118 meters above the beach. At the base
of the cliffs where the surf of the Baltic
Sea laps the pebbles on the shore, once
stood the contenders to the Island throne
in the 12th century. Armed with only a
knife in their hand, they would climb to
the top of the cliff. Whoever reached the
top first was crowned King.
The high coast line between Sassnitz and
Lohme offers many surprising sights.
Beginning at the Königsstuhl is a path
leading through a shaded forest with awe
inspiring areas with old trees and deep
cutting stream valleys leading to the quiet
lake Hertha, about which many tales have
been told. Although commercial use of
the forest was ended only a few years ago,
the area already gives the impression that
here nature has been left untouched.
Jasmund is Germany’s smallest national
park. The chalk cliffs were not the only
reason for forming the park, but also the
amazing diversity of habitats in such a
small area. The common beech forest of
Stubnitz comprises more than 100 moors,
lakes, springs and creeks. Even the shallow waters off the coast of the chalk cliffs
are a part of the national park.
One unforgettable experience is a walk
along the chalk cliffs, preferably in the
morning at sunrise (east coast), e.g. from
Sassnitz on the pebble beach below the
steep white cliffs (8km) to Königsstuhl.
There are steps to take you up from the
beach. At the top, visit the Königsstuhl
national park centre, which presents very
special insights into the national park, a
great experience for young and old. Then
take the bus back to Sassnitz. It is well
worth paying a quick visit to the mystical
Hertha Lake beforehand. Good walkers
can take the cliff path back to Sassnitz
through the shadowy beech woods enjoying the new views of the cliff coat and
Baltic Sea along the way.
Beech Forest
„Kreidefelsen am Meer“
Caspar David Friedrich, around 1818
Opened 2004: The Königsstuhl National Park Centre
Saturday: Check into an old bed &
breakfast in Sassnitz built in the old Bath
Architecture with a view of the Prorer
Wiek. Fresh fish for dinner.
Sunday: Journey with a national park
ranger to the chalk coast: belemnite and
orchids. Lunch by the Wissower Klinken,
then carry on to the Königstuhl and along
the beach to Lohme.
Monday: Hike with a ranger from the
Hagen carpark to the “Königsstuhl” Visit
to the Königsstuhl National Park Centre
with surprising and unusual insights
into the countryside. It will rouse your
interest to find out more.
Tuesday: Travel with the steamer along
the chalk cliffs to Königsstuhl and back
with information about Jasmund and
Rügen. Then a hearty fish dinner in ond
of the harbour restaurants in Sassnitz and
a walk through the old part of the town.
Wednesday: The highlight: A hike at
sunrise from Sassnitz below the chalk
cliffs to Königsstuhl and return via the
cliff path.
Thursday: Cycle over the Jasmund peninsula: Visit to the chalk museum Gummanz with the “small Königsstuhl”, view
from Tempelberg Bobbin across a large
part of Rügen.
Friday: In the morning you’ll have one
last visit “on your own“ to the chalk coast
to watch the magnificent sunrise .
Location: Jasmund peninsula on the
Baltic Sea island of Rügen
Elevation: -10 to +161 meters (Piekberg)
Established: 1990
Types of Landscape: Chalk cliffs, pebble beaches and the shallow waters
of the Baltic Sea near the coast, beech
forest, lakes, moors, creeks
B o o k s and Map s
Rolf Reinicke: The Jasmund National
Park, published by Konrad Reich
Cycling and hiking map 1:50 000
ISBN 3-932115-26-0, Studio publishing
house
N ati o nal P a r k
I nf o r m ati o n
National Park Office Vorpommern
Im Forst 5
D-18375 Born
Tel. +49 (0) 38234/502-0, Fax -24
[email protected]
www.nationalpark-jasmund.de
National Park Office in Jasmund
Stubbenkammer 2a
18546 Sassnitz
Tel. +49 (0)38392/35011, Fax -35054
National Park Center KONIGSSTUHL
gGmbH
Tel. +49 (0)38392/6617-0, Fax -40
[email protected]
www.koenigsstuhl.com
A c c o m m o dati o n and
L o c al T r a v el A gen c ie s
Tourism Centre Rügen GmbH,
Tel. +49 (0) 38 38/8 07 70, [email protected], www.ruegen.de
By train: Through Stralsund and
Bergen to the train station in Sassnitz,
take the No. 14, 20,23 buses to Stubbenkammer. By car: Highway 20 to
the Stralsund exit, B96 Stralsund via
Bergen to Sassnitz. Shuttle bus from
the carpark in Hagen to Königsstuhl
Bodden – Lagoons of the Baltic Sea
“Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft“ National Park
The flight of the cranes
Land and sea are still swimming in the
twilight, but a weak light to the east
signals the coming morning. A second ago
it was still quiet, but now you can hear
the cry of a thousand voices coming from
the distance. The calls are getting louder.
A black chain is moving towards us along
the now reddish sky: cranes.
sea, where one can still make out a swarm
of birds through the binoculars. A little
later the grey-lag geese and white-fronted
geese also head out, calling equally as
loud. The show lasts an hour, with ten
thousand birds taking off in different directions. An ordinary hour on an ordinary
October morning near Zingst.
They fly over us trumpeting, from their
sleeping places to their breakfast on the
mainland. They lift themselves, one flock
after the other, from the sandbanks in the
Around 40.000 cranes, who in the fall
migrate from Scandinavia to Spain, rest a
number of weeks in the lagoon area of
Vorpommern – the largest crane resting
area in middle Europe. The shy cranes
find the necessary protection here in the
Baltic Sea in the shallow bays, called the
boddens, which are more or less cut off
from the sea by a long narrow chain of
islands.
In the whole national park, on the DarssZingst peninsula, the island of Hiddensee
and at the edge of the park, the water and
wind are constantly changing the coast
line. These dynamic forces result in an
opportunity to see earth history in fast
motion and creates unique habitats. Nature is free to unfold itself here, economic
uses are being reduced, although some
traditional trades survive. There are many
opportunities and programmes for the
tourists in the national park region, and
tradition plays a large part in the cultural
programmes and sites.
As a visitor, you can explore large areas
of the national park either in guided tours
or on your own. Just as on a very ordinary
morning near Zingst.
Traditional Zeesen boats
You can learn a lot on guided tours
9.00: Breakfast in the bed & breakfast
behind the sand dunes. Plan the day and
choose the routes from your new hiking
map.
10:30: From Prerow with the Darss train
to the last station west of Prerow.
11:00: Hike with the national park ranger, spot a white-tailed eagle on the sand
bank up ahead!
13:30: Break and a snack, visit the “Natureum”, a museum, and the light house
at Darsser Ort, go for a swim on the west
beach.
15:00: Walk back through the Darsser
forest with clear air and shade, but countless mosquitoes. In Wieck visit the Darss
Arc – the national park’s central information building.
17:30: Back to the bed & breakfast, eat
dinner on the veranda.
Saturday: Bed and breakfast in an ideal
location near the so-called bodden. Check
out the area. Eat fresh Baltic Sea cod in
the evening.
Sunday: Sleep in. After breakfast rent
some bicycles, ride to the beach and swim
in the Baltic Sea.
Monday: Off to the tourist information
to get some brochures, visit the Darss Ark
in Wieck then go for another swim.
Tuesday: Long bicycle tour on good paths
to the Sundischen Wiese. In Zingst, book
a national park tour for Thursday. Eat
fresh fish in the evening.
Wednesday: Rain, visit the Amber Museum in Ribnitz-Damgarten, then visit the
Bird park in Marlow. On the way back
visit a gallery in Ahrenshoop.
Thursday: Guided tour in the national
park, ride in a horse and wagon and
observe animals. An organ concert in the
evening.
Friday: Day trip to Hiddensee by tour
boat – a uniquely beautiful landscape.
Candle light dinner in the evening.
An alder wood on the Neudarss
Location: Darss-Zingst peninsula,
Baltic Sea island of Hiddensee and the
west coast of Rügen island.
Elevation: -10 to+72 meter
(Dornbusch on Hiddensee)
Established: 1990
Type of Landscape: Steep and flat
coasts, beaches, wind flats, sand
dunes, moorland, arid grassland, reeds,
salt marshes, pine and beech forests,
alder swamps.
B o o k s and Map s
Leaflets and brochures available in all
National Park Information Centres and
can be ordered from the National Park
Administration; Tourist information
with a list of available accommodation
is available from the Tourist Centres.
N ati o nal P a r k
I nf o r m ati o n
Vorpommern National Park Office
Im Forst 5, D-18375 Born
Tel. +49 (0) 3 82 34/5 02-0, Fax -2 24
[email protected]
www.nationalpark-vorpommerscheboddenlandschaft.de
National Park House Hiddensee,
Tel. +49 (0) 3 83 00/6 80- 41, Fax -43
[email protected]
Fischland-Darss-Zingst
Tourism Association e.V.
Tel. +49 (0) 3 83 24/6 40-0, Fax -34
[email protected]
www.fischland-darss-zingst.de
Rügen Tourism Association e.V.
Tel. +49 (0) 38 38/8 07 70, Fax 25 44 40
[email protected], www.ruegen.de
To get to the Darss/Zingst peninsula,
take the train to the Ribnitz-Damgarten train station, then bus A 210; to
get to West Rügen and Hiddensee ride
to the Bergen/Rügen train station,
the bus A 402 or A 410, ferries to
Hiddensee leave from Schaprode. By
Car: Highway A 19 to the ”Rostock-Ost“
exit, then B 105 to Altheide (Darss),
Löbnitz (Zingst) or Stalsund; B 96 to
Samtens or Gingst (west Rügen) or to
Schaprode (Hiddensee).
Mühlen Lake near Speck - one of the many in the Müritz National Park
Land of the Thousand Lakes
Müritz National Park
Where the white-tailed eagle flies circles
in the endless sky, the osprey plunges into
the lake from dizzying heights and the
trumpeting of cranes is heard every spring
and fall, here is a landscape where one is
reminded of fairy tales and old stories.
With its vast woods, shining lakes and
mysterious moors, the park has something primeval about it, something wild.
The lakes are what make Müritz National
Park something special! One is drawn
in by the glittering play of the waves and
the peaceful atmosphere of the water. The
Müritz is famous for its crystal clear wa-
ter. There are over 100 lakes larger than
one hectar in Müritz National Park.
Nature is on show the whole year. The
year begins with the high mating-call of
the white-tailed eagle and the muffled call
of the bittern. The magnificent mating
season of the moor frogs is short. It is
accompanied by the trumpeting call of the
cranes, whose colourful concert is taken
over by the songs of the rest of the world
of birds in the early summer. The heaviness
of high summer is followed by the red
The kingfisher – abundant in the national park
deer in heat, the drawn out departure of
the cranes and lastly comes the song of
the northern whooper-swans in November.
A network of 650 km of hiking and cycling paths takes the visitor through all
the landscapes of the national park.
What one really needs for a visit to a
national park is time – time to discover
the peace at those locations which are
truly distant from hectic civilization.
Always in the middle of nature
A Summer Day in the National Park
10:00: Departure with the national park
bus from Waren (Müritz), at Steinmole.
10:40: Arrival in Speck.
11:00: Guided tour by a ranger around
Speck.
12:40: Ride the national park bus on to
Boek.
13:00: Arrival in Boek – eat lunch. Visit
the National Park Information Point and
the National Park Shop.
14:00 or 16:00: Ride the national park
bus on to Bolter Canal, at Schiffsanleger
15:00 or 16:30: Depart by ship across
Lake Müritz to Waren.
16:30 or 18:00: Arrive in Waren
Monday: Discover the area with the
“Nationalparkticket” – a bus ride from
Waren, then a guided tour and finally
a boat ride back.
Tuesday: With rented bicycles, ride the
national park bus to Schwarzenhof. Visit
an exhibition, then cycle through the
moors. Climb up the Käflingsberg tower.
Wednesday: Cycle through the forests,
meadows and lake landscape south of
Waren (Müritz). Lunch break in Müritzhof.
Thursday: To Ankershagen to visit the
Museum about the explorer Heinrich
Schliemann, who discovered Troy.
Then a hike to the “Havelquellseen“,
source of the Havel river.
Friday: Rent a canoe in Dalmsdorf or
Granzin and go for a tour on the Havel
River.
Saturday: Insider tip: Educational selfguided walk, through the beech forests
and moors in Zinow. Halfway, a visit to a
small exhibition in Serrahn is a welcome
break.
Sunday: Exhibition in Neustrelitz at the
Tiergarten. In the afternoon, hike from
Goldenbaum to Steinmühle through a
glacier valley dating from the ice ages.
A male moor frog in its “wedding clothes”
Location: Lake covered lowland plain
of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, between Berlin and Rostock
Elevation: 62 meters (Müritz) to 143
meters (Hirschberg)
Established: 1990
Type of Landscape: Lakes, reeds,
moors, forests, meadows
B o o k s and Map s
Cycling and hiking map Müritz National Park, ISBN 3-932115-00-7
Hiking in the Müritz national Park
On the road with the family
Bird watching Ospreys in the Müritz
national Park (can be ordered from the
National Park Service)
N ati o nal P a r k
I nf o r m ati o n
Müritz National Park Office
Schloßplatz 3, D-17237 Hohenzieritz
Tel. +49 (0) 3 98 24/2 52-0, Fax -50
www.nationalpark-mueritz.de
[email protected]
National Park Service
Tel. +49 (0) 39 91/66 88 49, Fax 66 68
94, www.nationalpark-service.de
Mecklenburgische Seenplatte Tourism
Association
Tel. +49 (0) 3 99 31/538-0, Fax -29,
www.mecklenburgische-seenplatte.de
[email protected]
By train: Waren (Müritz) train station
and Neustrelitz on the Berlin-Rostock
line, then with the Müritz National
Park Bus or regular bus services. By
car: Highway A 24 and A 19 from Berlin
towards Rostock to the Röbel/Müritz or
Waren (Müritz) exit.
Sunrise in the Oder Valley
Land in the River
Lower Oder Valley National Park
One has a magnificent view from the
highly situated Chapel in Zaton Dolny(Niedersaathen) on the Polish bank of the
Oder river: A lush green landscape with
blue water woven throughout. A marvellous sight. The water meadows of the
lower Oder valley stretch 3 to 5 kilometres wide and 60 kilometres long along the
German-Polish border. The waters swell
enormously in the winter and particularly
in the spring after the snow melts. Then it
floods the meadows and low-lying woods.
A trail network consisting of 200 kilometres of paths allow for extensive bicycle
tours in the Oder Valley and to the
adjoining slopes with their mixed hard
wood forest and dry grassland meadows.
Nature enthusiasts have excellent viewing
opportunities: With binoculars, one can
observe white-tailed eagles, cranes and
black storks – all at once. In the spring
lapwing, curlew and ruff rest and breed in
the wet meadows. It is here that you will
find the largest congregation of corncrake
and aquatic warbler in Germany. In the
summer, swamp and water plants bloom
in the ox-bow lakes. Later in the year, the
marsh is covered in thick fog. Large flocks
of birds fly through the valley. There are
now more than 100,000 ducks, geese
and swans as well as up to 15,000 cranes
resting here. On cold winter days the frost
covered willows stand encircled by the
river – and from the bank of the Oder one
can watch the silent flow of ice.
Begin with a visit to the National Park
House in Criewen. Here you will find an
interactive exhibition for the whole family.
A highlight of the exhibition is a 12 meter
long Aquarium with over 25 types of fish
from the Oder. The exhibition shows the
10.000 year old history of the region’s
landscape and the biodiversity of the
flood plain forests.
Monday: Visit the National Park House
in Criewen, to walk the self-guided tour.
Black stork
The national park experience, carriage ride
Guided canoe tours
Tuesday: Cycling tour through the Polish
landscape reserve Zehden (Cedynski Park
Krajobrazowy).
Wednesday: Visit the Tobacco Museum
and tobacco barns in Vierraden. Then to
Gartz to see St. Steven’s Church and
explore the city. Drive to Mescherin and
enjoy the expansive view from Mescheriner Seeberg.
Thursday: Visit the Ehm-Welk museum
in Angermünde and the Information
Centre in the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve.
Friday: Mornings,the Kerkow Estate and
its farmer’s market. After a snack, cycle
to the medieval castle in Stolpe and then
onto Schwedt.
Saturday: Boat tour on the Oder starting
in Schwedt, Gartz or Mescherin. In the
evening, enjoy the local Uckermark
cuisine.
Sunday: A guided morning tour with a
ranger entitled “Awakening of the Wilderness”.
Spectacular – the spring flooding
Location: Oder river valley between
Szczecin (Stettin) and Cedynia
(Zehden) on the Polish border in
Brandenburg.
Elevation: 0 to 50 meters (Mescheriner
Seeberg)
Established: 1995
Type of Landscape: Floodplain
landscape with moist meadows, sedge
swamps, reeds, oxbow lakes and remains of flood plain forests, deciduous
forests and steppe meadows.
B o o k s and Map s
National Park Lower Oder Valley, German National Parks, Volume 8, Vebu
publishers, Berlin
Hiking map Uckermark Schorfheide,
Ampel publishing house Berlin
Top Map 1:50 000 National Park Lower
Oder Valley, Land Surveying Office
N ati o nal P a r k
I nf o r m ati o n
Lower Oder Valley National Park
Park 2, D-16303 Schwedt/Oder
Tel. +49 (0) 33 32/2 67 72- 00, Fax -20
www.unteres-odertal.de
Criewen National Park House
Tel. +49 (0) 33 32/2 67 72-44
„Am Unteren Odertal“ Tourism
Association e.V.
Berliner Strasse 47, D-16303 Schwedt/
Oder Tel. +49 (0) 33 32/2 55 90, Fax
25 59 59
A n r ei s e
By Train: From Berlin to Schwedt via
Angermünde (RE 3). Continue by local
bus to Criewen. By car: From Berlin
take highway A 11 towards Stettin to
Exit Joachimsthal, then highways B 198
and B 2 to Schwedt/Oder.
The landscape in the northern area of the central mountains in Germany is the results
of millions of years of evolution. As far as the eye can see, the Brocken soars above a
region that is marked by its rough climate and varied geological structure.
Mountain Wilderness – Full of Tales
Harz National Park
Ilse Valley
The climatic and geological circumstances
make the Harz a special area with regard
to the flora and fauna. As the only central
mountain region in Germany that is flanked
by woods and which has 6 plateaus close
to each other, it has become a habitat for
numerous and often rare animal and plant
species. Wild cats roam through the forests
and a recent addition is the lynx. The
black stork, the mountain cock and the
pygmy owl live here; there are insecteating plants in the moors such as the
round-leaved sundew and a very rare
species in Germany lives on the Brocken,
namely the Brocken anemone.
On the Dandelion Discovery Path at Drei-AnnenHohne.
At the beginning of 2006, the two
previously separate Harz national parks
merged to form the Harz National Park
which now comprises the impressive
parts of the central mountains in Lower
Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. This project
is one of a kind in Germany. The national park protects a landscape that has
remained amazingly untouched because
the climate prevents intensive farming or
use for digging peat. The spruce was once
the dominating tree due to its former use
by the mines; also natural processes and
careful cultivation of the forest have made
it possible for quaint woods to spread
over large areas. Be it in the valley woods,
in the mountain pine woods in the higher
regions, in the beech woods at the edge
of the Harz district, on the rugged cliffs
and the original moors, the mystic Harz is
open to everyone to enjoy.
Following Goethe’s foot steps on
Germany’s Magic Mountain: The path
from Torfhaus to the Brocken takes about
3 hours. Check out the route, which
takes you along the Harz moor, in the
National Park Office Altenau-Torfhaus
first. The Brocken building at the top of
the Brocken houses a large and modern
national park exhibition. The neighbouring Brocken garden has over 1600
mountain plants from across the world.
The blooming season is between May and
October and there are daily guided tours
during this time.
D AT e s A N D FA C T S
Location: central part of the Central
mountain area Harz located in the
states of Lower Saxony and SaxonyAnhalt
Area: 247 Square kilometres
Elevation: 230 to 1,142 metres (Brocken)
Established: 1990 (S-A) / 1994
Fusion 2006
Type of Landscape: Mountain spruce,
deciduous and beech woods, sub-alpine
dwarf heather, moors, flowing water
and rock pools
B o o k s and Map s
Brochures, e.g. „National Park Harz –
Two federal states, one reservation “
or the annual nature experience
program, are available either in the
national park offices, from the national
park administration or as a download
from the Internet. You will find a large
selection of books and maps in the
Monday: Experience the Dandelion Discovery Path with the donkeys Lotte and
Bubi in the national park
Tuesday: “With the ranger in the Ilse
Valley following Goethe’s and Heine’s
foot steps”: National park rangers will
accompany you from the national park
into the Ilse Valley.
Wednesday: „Seven Moor Tour”: A hike
with the national park rangers through
the higher areas.
Thursday: Mornings to the lynx enclosure on the Raben cliff. Evenings, “On the
track of the bat”
Friday: From the station in Bad Harzburg
with the natural gas bus to the national
park forest restaurant Molkenhaus. Walk
to the wild animal observation station.
Saturday: Cliff walk “Nature pure” to the
Leisten cliffs on the Hohnekamm.
Sunday: (in October) Art exhibition
“Nature – Man” in St. Andreasberg.
N ati o nal pa r k
national park buildings.
I nf o r m ati o n
National Park Administration Harz
Lindenallee 35, 38855 Werningerode
Tel. 03943 5502-0, Fax -37
[email protected]
www.nationalpark-harz.de
Brockenhaus, Tel. 039455 5000-5, Fax -6,
National Park Office Altenau-Torfhaus,
Tel. 05320 263, Fax 266,
National Park Office Sankt Andreasberg,
Tel. 05582 9230-74, Fax -71
Haus der Natur, Bad Harzburg,
Tel. 05322 7843-37, Fax -39
Just ask in the national park about
“National park-friendly accommodation“ or contact the Harz tourist information, Tel. 05321 3404-0, Fax –66,
[email protected], www.harzinfo.de
By train: From the north to Bad Harzburg or Wernigerode; from the south
to Herzberg or Bad Lauterberg. Further
journeys by bus (infos at: www.fahrtzielnatur.de) or the steam-powered narrow
gauge train (www.hsb-wr.de). By car: Via
the major routes B 6 (Goslar – Bad Harzburg - Wernigerode), B 81 (Halberstadt –
Wernigerode), B 27 / B 243 (Osterode –
Herzberg – Bad Lauterberg – Braunlage)
or B 4 / B 242 (Braunlage).
Lynx
Hikes and bicycle tours through the first national park in North Rhine-Westphalia can be combined nicely with a boat tour on the Rur- or Ober Lake
Woods, Water, Wilderness
Eifel National Park
In the middle of countryside consisting of
woods and water, the Eifel National Park
reveals the full diversity and beauty of
unspoiled nature. Free from any human
intervention, the woods can develop in a
wild and natural manner. A natural theatre for young and old 365 days a year:
Every year, millions of wild daffodils turn
the valley meadows in the south of the
national park into a sea of yellow. In the
summer aromatic wild herbs grow on
the meadows. When the first cold nights
come in September, things get loud in the
national park and the impressive call of
the red deer can be heard on autumnal
walks. The wild cats on the other hand
creep silently through the twilight. Their
tracks in the snow indicate their presence.
Wide panorama views across the three
reservoirs in the national park region
turn any discovery tour into a unique
experience. The former exercise ground
Vogelsang was made part of the national
park in 2006 and can be toured. For 60
years, the 33 square kilometre region was
a military zone. The former NS-“Ordensburg” Vogelsang lies between the woods
and the open plain areas. Built in 1934, it
was a training centre for young national
socialists. After the end of the war, the
buildings were used as barracks for the
army training grounds.
It is best to start your trip to the national park in one of the national park gate
houses. These information buildings on
the edge of the park house exciting exhibitions about various topics connected to
the flora and fauna in the national park.
Then enter the virgin forests of tomorrow.
Hiking maps and information about the
marked circular routes are available in the
national park gate-houses. Anyone who
wants to discover the national park in the
company of an expert has a wide range
of possibilities to choose from. Barrierfree routes enable people with or without
disabilities to experience at close quarters
the woods, water and wilderness. The free
national park events calendar contains
over 600 events per year.
The Dreiborner highland around the former NS-“Ordensburg” Vogelsang was a military training ground for 60
years. As part of the national park, the former training
grounds can now be discovered using any of the 50 kilometres of paths that criss-cross the area. Tours through the
national park with qualified guides are available.
Saturday: Visit the national park gatehouse in Simmerath-Rurberg. Then enjoy
the countryside full of woods and water
on a boat trip on the Rursee or Obersee.
Sunday: Take part in a guided tour
through the former NS-“Ordensburg”
Vogelsang. Then participate in the free
ranger tour “Vogelsang-Wollseifen route”.
Monday: Visit the national park gatehouse in Schleiden-Gemünd. Cycle along
the Urfst Lake to the historical Urfst
dam. There is a guesthouse after about
11 km.
Location: About an hour’s drive from
Elevation: 200-600 m
Established: 2004
Cologne, Bonn and Aachen on the
German-Belgian border.
Forest: 76 %
Water: 2 %
Greenland, bushes: 17 %
Rocks, moors, other: 5 %
B o o k s and Map s
Hiking map National Park Eifel (Publ.:
State Surveying Office NRW)
Hiking guide „Topic tours in the
National Park
Eifel“ (J.P. Bachem-Verlag),
„Flora and fauna in the national park
Eifel – A guide through the woods,
Water and Wilderness“ (J.P. BachemVerlag)
Guided tours help to discover the national park
Tuesday: Visit the national park gatehouse and the Eifel water information
centre in Heimbach. Then go walking to
the Mariawald Abbey. Tip: Try the pea
soup and cheese cake.
Wednesday: Take a trip into the past in
the Rhine open-air museum in Kommern. Find out how people lived in the
past, their traditions and old crafts.
Thursday: Find out about the countryside
and history of the Eifel in the natural
experience village in Nettersheim. The
nature centre has exhibitions and experience paths about natural history and the
ecological diversity of the region.
Friday: Take a walk along one of the marked routes in the Eifel National Park and
see the wild animals in the enclosures.
N ati o nal pa r k
I nf o r m ati o n
Landesbetrieb Wald und Holz NRW
National park forestry office Eifel
Urftseestr. 34, 53937 SchleidenGemünd, Tel. 02444 9510-0, Fax -85
[email protected], www.nationalpark-eifel.de
There are plenty of restaurants that
cater for national park visitors. The
hotels, holiday apartment owners
and camping sites can qualify as
national park hosts by participating
in training courses that last several
days. The enterprises comply with the
environmental criteria as defined by
Viabono and/or the brand Eifel. www.
nationalpark-gastgeber.eu
By train: To the train station at Kall
(DB-route Cologne-Trier) or with the
Rurtal train from Düren to Heimbach.
Continue via the national park shuttle
and other bus lines.
By car: You can reach the national park
region from Cologne via highway A1
(Euskirchen-Wißkirchen exit), from
Aachen on the major road B258, from
Düren via the B56, B265 and from
Koblenz via the A61. There is a guide
system in operation in the region to
the national park gates.
In the Kingdom of Quaint
Beeches
Kellerwald-Edersee
National Park
Over 50 hills and mountains mark the
expansive quiet character of the Kellerwald-Edersee National Park. From
a bird-eye view, the onlooker sees what
appears to be a sea of beech trees. On an
area covering approx. 5,700 ha, protection
is given to this, one of the last large and
natural common beech woods left in central Europe. Beneath the enormous roof
of the towering tree tops, time appears to
stand still. Around 40% of the beech trees
are already over 120 years old. There are
even giant beech trees on a 1,000 hectare
area that are older than 160 years – this is
unique in Germany.
Primeval remains of natural woods, dry
oak forests, block and canyon woods, over
400 pure springs and mountain streams
are further treasures of the national park.
Attractive valleys and meadows structure
the woods that have not been soiled by
roads or settlements. To the north the
blue belt of the Edersee meanders along
the mountain range of the national park.
Its waters glitter through the deciduous
woods suddenly opening up new perspectives within the fjord-like scenery.
Kellerwald
Lots of rare and threatened species have
found refuge in the expansive old woods
and in some of the remains of the primeval forest: beetles include the Sinodendron
cylindricum and Osmoderma eremita.
Mushrooms such as the bur-reed, tiered
tooth and slimy beech cap grow all over
the wood with their bizarre shapes. On
rugged rocks, the magnificent cheddar
pink carnation grows in soft cushions.
Numerous large birds including the black
stork, eagle owl and six types of woodpecker and 15 types of bat are at home here.
Even the red deer has found sanctuary.
Monday: Visit the Kellerwald Uhr:
exciting insights into the million year old
history of the woods and countryside.
Tuesday: Edersee-cycle path: Tour for
the whole family, romantic views of the
Edersee and natural woods with their
quaint appeal.
B o o k s and Map s
Hiking and cycling map Edersee,
Scale 1:25.000, KKV, available in
the regional information points
Hiking map Kellerwald-Edersee National Park, Scale 1:25.000, Förderverein
Nationalpark (Publ.)
The climb through the Edersee virgin
forest– hiking guide, Edersee Touristik
GmbH (publ.), 2005, cognitio Verlag
To start off a wonderful day trip, meet at
the valley station of the EON waterworks
cable car in Edertal-Hemfurth. The train
will take you up to the Peterskopf, which
is about 540 m high; from here you can
enjoy wonderful views across the green
landscape of the national park and its
beautiful surroundings. On the primeval
forest climb you will enter a sea of beech
trees.
A narrow path will take you slightly
downhill through the numerous old
beech woods past the Sauermilchplatz
and Förstergrab. The walk continues
round the Daudenberg that is noted for
its numerous different forest communities
and block screes. Finally you will reach
Bringhausen and can enjoy a boat trip on
the Edersee which will bring you back to
the starting point.
Thanks to the wooded mountains, the
landscape appears fjord-like.
Location: Nordhessen, south of Edersee
Elevation 200 m to 626 m above sea
level
Established: 2004
Type of Landscape: Acidic soil beech
wood, broad-leaf woods, block and
mountainside woods, oak dry wood
Wednesday: Heath Experience Path
Altenlotheim: neglected grasslands and a
heath biotope on the stubbed spine of the
mountain. Heather festival with culinary
delicacies.
Thursday: Primeval forest walk Edersee:
On the certified walk you will discover
old trees and a world full of mythical
creatures
Friday: Culture: The Cistercian monastery Haina, the landscape park “Stamfortsche Gärten” and the Tischbein walking
path form are the centre of the cultural
and historical focus of the national park
region.
Saturday: Boat trip: On the Edersee from
the Sperrmauer to Herzhausen and back
again.
Sunday: Walking: Starting at Edertal-Hemfurth with the cable car to the
reservoir with its wonderful view and
then on to Edertal- Kleinern. The circular
route comes back to Hemfurth via the
Kleinern‘sche Tor.
Nationalpark Kellerwald-Edersee –
In the realm of the beech tree Picture
volume, 128 pages, English / German
ISBN: 978-3-932583-18-6, 16,90 € €
N ati o nal pa r k
I nf o r m ati o n
National park office Kellerwald Edersee
Laustrasse 8, 34537 Bad Wildungen
Tel: 05621 75249-0, Fax: 05621 7524919, [email protected], www.buchenmeer.de
Touristik Service
Waldeck Ederbergland GmbH
Tel: 05631 954-359
www.kurhessisches-bergland.de
Edersee Touristik GmbH
Tel: 05623 99980, www.edersee.com
J o u r ne y t o t h e pa r k
By train: To Bad Wildungen,
then with the bus in the direction of
Edertal-Hemfurth or Frankenau. There
will be a new stop on the rail route
Frankenberg – Korbach from 2008 onwards at the National Park Information
Centre. By car: From the north-west
(A44), Diemelstadt exit; From the north
(A7), from Kassel onto the A49 toward
Marburg, Fritzlar exit; Approaching
from the north, east and south, on the
A7: Homberg/Efze exit; From Marburg:
On the B3 heading north, then B62 and
B252 toward Frankenberg and then
follow the signs!
Primeval Forest in Central Germany
Hainich National Park
Without the influence of man, Germany
would be almost entirely covered with
forest; forest which you can experience
today in Hainich National Park. Here
you will find the largest continuous
deciduous forest in Germany. It is not the
“typical German” oak, but the beech that
dominates here.
The magnificent beech forest in the geographical centre of Germany creates the
effect of a green cathedral: with pillars
made of smooth, straight beech trunks
and a roof made of high friendly-green
crowns of leaves. The seeming chaos is –
wilderness.
In the spring, before the soft veil of
May-green beech leaves opens, the spring
snowflake, the bear’s garlic and the wood
anemone sprout and cover the forest
floor. Dead wood rests untouched and
gives an impression of primeval forest.
Small ponds and pools mostly created by
erosion of the limestone, are interesting
habitats today. In the spring, the yellowbellied toad and other types of frogs sit
here and turn the ponds into the orche-
Impenetrable and mysterious – a view of the heart of the Hainich National Park
stra pit of their forest concert.
The wildcats and the badgers hunt stealthily while the deer and red deer graze and
the black woodpecker, chaffinch and pied
flycatcher are active between the high beech trees. A gradually sloped path carries
you above the tops of the trees and allows
a walk among the tree tops. This view of
the greenery shows that each layer of this
roof of leaves is a habitat in itself.
A 44m high tower allows visitors a round
view of Hainich. Back on the ground
again, you might, with a bit of luck,
discover one of 22 orchids in the shade of
the mighty trees. There is a vast open area
showing how a forest develops. Up until
1990, tanks were driven here and almost
no vegetation grew. Since then the wood
and nature have reclaimed this area.
Walking across the tops of the trees – a unique
Monday: Pick up some information about
the national park in Kammerforst. Then
walk from the Zollgarten carpark
along the Betteleichen path (12 km).
Tuesday: Carpark “Kindel” walk along the
“Nightingale trail” 3 km. Visit the Luther
and Bach city of Eisenach and the famous
Wartburg Palace.
Dead wood – a source for new life
experience in the Hainich National Park
In the morning visit the national park
exhibition in Kammerforst. The 12
kilometre trail called the “Begging Oak”
begins here. Halfway along the trail you
reach one comes to the 1,000 year old
“Begging Oak”, a nature memorial
in the centre of the national park. According to legend, the people once laid down
offerings here in a niche of the tree. Over
time the niche grew to a passage as high
as a human. Alternative shorter trails are
the “Hünenteich” (giant pond), 6 kilometres around, or the 10 kilometre long
“Saugraben” (pig ditch).
Other worthwhile sites in the area are
the “Opfermoor” – a bog with an open-air
museum and the geographical centre of
Germany in the village of Niederdorla.
Wednesday: Visit Erfurt, the capital of
Thuringia, and the residential town of
Gotha with its Friedenstein Palace and
Natural Museum.
Thursday: Behringen: national park exhibition about “Nature and Art”, then a
sculpture trail of 12 km. Carriage tour
(prior registration)
Friday: The interactive trail “Brunstal”
(barrier free and appropriate for the
blind) starts at the “Fuchsfarm” carpark.
Visit Mühlhausen – the city towers and
Volkenroda monastery, with the pavilion
dedicated to Jesus Christ.
Saturday: Canoeing on the river Werra in
Mihla. Then a cycling tour through the
Werra Valley.
Sunday: Hike along the Steinberg path
from Thiemsburg (19 km), then the tree
top walk.
Location: In western part of Thuringia,
in the triangle between the cities
of Eisenach, Mühlhausen and Bad
Langensalza
Elevation: 220 to 500 metres
Established: 1997
Types of Landscapes: Beech mixed
forest with numerous species and
structures providing a high percentage of dead wood; large areas of
reforestation.
B o o k s and Map s
Recreation map Hainich National Park
plus experience path
ISBN 3-932071-05-0
N ati o nal P a r k
I nf o r m ati o nn
Hainich National Park Administration
Bei der Marktkirche 9
D-99947 Bad Langensalza
Tel. + 49(0) 36 03/39 07-28, Fax -20
[email protected]
www.nationalpark-hainich.de
Enquiries can be made at the Tourist
Information Office in Bad Langensalza
Tel. +49(0) 03603 834424
Fax +49(0) 03603 834421
[email protected]
Enquiries to Hainichland,
Tourism Association of the Thuringia
National Park Region
Tel. + 49(0)3603/892658, Fax + 49(0)
36 03/89 26 73, [email protected],
www.hainichland.de
By train: Train stations Eisenach, Bad
Langensalza or Mühlhausen; from
there with the regional bus lines
By car: Highway A 4 exit ”Eisenach Ost“
then along the B 84 to Bad Langensalza or Mihla, or Highway A 4 exit
”Gotha” then along the B 247 to Bad
Langensalza.
View from the Affensteinen towards the Falkenstein
Bizarre Rock Formations – Wild Canyons
Saxonian Switzerland National Park
“Rock cliff formations are stone turned
into music”. One can witness this firsthand in the Elbe sandstone mountains
where cliff rock formations and massive
table mountains alternate with beautiful
plains, dizzying heights and deep gorges.
In the middle of this world of rock, the
Elbe river has cut its way deep through
the sandstone and meanders majestically
around the “Lilienstein”, the king of the
table mountains, with height differences
of up to 450 m within a narrow space.
Then there are forests – on the ridge of
the high rocks are the drolly perched
pines, in the dark gorges tall spruces grow
and on the slopes the mysterious beech
forests. One can hear the hoarse cry of
the peregrine falcon when it hunts over
the rocks in a flash. At the edge of the
wild creeks thegrey wagtail and dipper
stalk. There is hardly any other mountain
environment that brings together the wild
and the beautiful in such a small space
Saxonian rules for over 130 years. As a
visitor one can choose between relaxing
walks or steep mountain paths with
stairs and ladders up to the rock plateaus.
Impressive, ever changing views both near
and distant, are breathtaking at times.
Cosy restaurants invite you for a rest.
We have a wonderful neighbour right on
our border – the Bohemian Switzerland
National Park in the Czech Republic.
You will also find it worth visiting – for
example the Prebisch Gate, the largest
Rock gate formation in central Europe.
Wildly romantic Kirnitzsch stream
as in the Elbe sandstone mountains. A
romantic mountain range characterised
by tourism now for around 200 years and
mountain climbing following very special
The rocks of the Elbe sandstone mountains make a powerful impression. In reality they are fragile, a product of erosion,
and gradually decaying. A reminder to
treat the environment with respect.
In the morning up to the Bastei: Bastei
parking lot – Bastei viewing point – Bastei bridge – walk down to the little spa
town of Rathen – through the “Amselgrund” and the “Schwedenlöcher” then
steep walk back up to the Bastei parking
lot. For this moderately difficult tour one
needs approximately 3 hours.
Location: East of Dresden at the
Czech border, upper course of the Elbe
river in Saxony
Elevation: 110 (Elbe) to 556 meters
(Großer Winterberg)
Established: 1990
Types of Landscapes: Sandstone
mountains, pine forest on high ridges,
canyon formations, beech forests on
basalt hilltops.
B o o k s and Map s
Hiking map: Topographical map Saxonian-Bohemian Switzerland 1: 25 000
with a leaflet from the National Park
Administration, ISBN 3-89679-361-6
Brochure: Elbsandstein mountains –
The Lilienstein – the most impressive table mountain in the Saxonian Switzerland
The Bastei is the most well known and
impressive viewing point of the Elbe
sandstone mountains, 190 meters above
the Elbe river. Even when crowded with
visitors, the view from the Bastei bridge is
breathtaking. The steep path through the
“Schwedenlöcher” gives one a typical
impression of the Saxonian Switzerland
area.
Then visit the National Park Centre in
Bad Schandau. The recently opened visitor centre has large exhibitions, multimedia shows and interactive models. Open
daily, except in January. (please register
groups prior to visits +49(0)3502250240)
Monday: Visit to the National Park Building in Bad Schandau, afternoons, a hike
to the “Lilienstein”.
Tuesday: Visit to the Bastei with the
Schwedenlöcher” and Amsellfallbaude
(National Park Information Source).
Wednesday: Guided hike with a national
park ranger up to in the Hinterhermsdorfer area with a canoe trip on the
Kirnitzsch.
Thursday: Rest, walk through the historical part of the town of Pirna, relax in the
Toscana thermal baths in Bad Schandau
Friday: Trip with the national park ranger
to the Bohemian Switzerland National
Park, hike to the Prebisch gate
Saturday: Hike across the Schramm
stones to Gross Winterberg (historical
mountain restauarnt, National Park
information point) and to Schmilka
A landscape born in the sea, Geological Walks, ISBN 93342-34-6
Brochure: The historical painter’s way,
Following the footsteps of the painters, ISBN 3-929048-25-6
N ati o nal P a r k
I nf o r m ati o n
Saxonian Switzerland National Park
Administration
An der Elbe 4, D-01814 Bad Schandau
Tel. + 49(0) 3 50 22/9 00-60, Fax -66
[email protected]
www.nationalpark-saechsischeschweiz.de
Saxonian Switzerland Tourism Association e.V
Bahnhosfstr. 21, D-01796 Pirna
Tel. + 49(0)3501/470147 Fax -148
[email protected]
www.saechsische-schweiz.de (also
accommodation tourism and cultural
information)
Saxonian Switzerland Tourism Association e.V (see above)
By train: Through Dresden to Bad
Schandau (Inter-City train connection
Berlin – Prague), Sebnitz or Neustadt
or by bus from Dresden.
By car: Highway A 17 Dresden toward
Prague, Pirna exit, continue along
B172 toward Bad Schandau or S 164/S
165 toward Hohenstein.
Neverending Forest Wilderness
Bavarian Forest National Park
The oldest German national park winds
around the Bavarian forest peaks Falkenstein, Rachel and Lusen along the border
with the Czech Republic – the Bavarian
Forest National Park. Together with the
neighbouring Sumava National Park in
the Czech Republic, the parks form the
largest forest protected area in central Europe. Nowhere else between the Atlantic
Ocean and the Ural mountain is nature
allowed to develop into a unique wild
forest according to its own ancient laws
over such a large area.
A network of 300 kilometres of well
A perfect cycle – new life on dead wood
marked hiking trails, 200 kilometres
of cycling trails and 80 kilometres of
cross-country skiing trails make the park
area accessible to visitors in summer and
winter. The visitor can enjoy high elevation moors and water meadows, the legend
surrounded Lake Rachel and refreshing
mountain streams. One will meet the
valley spruce forests, the mixed mountain
forest with spruce, fir and beech and, at a
height of 1,200 metres above sea level, the
mountain spruce forest. They accommodate rare species such as the eagle owl, the
three-toed woodpecker and the whitebacked woodpecker or Europe’s smallest
owl, the pygmy-owl. Even the lynx and
the black stork have returned and the Bohemian gentian blooms on the pastures,
the “Schachten”, in the Bavarian Forest.
The hiker will however find more in the
national park than wild forest. Due to hot
and dry summers in the mid 90s and little
snow in the winter, the 5 millimetre small
bark-beetle has moved in and killed large
areas of old spruce forest. To the observer’s
amazement, a new species-rich forest is
growing up on the decaying wood which
lies on the forest floor.
Monday: Hans-Eisenmann-Haus, plant
and stone garden, then a loop (7 km)
through the animal enclosure.
Tuesday: Hike in the border region in the
east of the park, where you will see some
living history of the forest. Extra trip to
the source of the Moldavia river is a
particularly memorable experience.
Wednesday: Hike up the Lusen. You can
take the “Hochwaldsteig” path and the
Jacob’s ladder to the peak (1,373 m),
which free of trees.
Winter wonderland close to the Lusen peak
If you are coming to the park for the first
time, begin at the Hans-Eisenmann Information Centre in Neuschönau and the
Wilderness House at Ludwigsthal.
Both centres offer free admission, individual consultation, a forest theme 3-dimensional exhibition and a children’s discovery room. The plant and stone garden
oft the Hans-Eisenmann centre exhibits
the entire plant world of the Bavarian
Forest (700 species). There is an animal
enclosure near the information centres
where you can observe the mountain
forest animals, including brown bear, wolf
and lynx, wild horses and aurochs.
Whoever still has time and interest can
then ride the Igelbus (national park bus)
to the “Seelensteig”, a contemplative walk
that will relax your soul.
The courtyard at the “Hans-Eisenmann-House”
visitor center
The new visitor center “Wilderness House”
Thursday: After yesterday’s hard work,
head over to visit the 2nd animal enclosure with its breathtaking stone age cavern
and the forest wilderness discovery path
“Watzlikhain” near Zwieslerwaldhaus.
Friday: Starting at the Racheldiensthütte,
climb up the national park’s highest peak,
the “Große Rachel” (1,453 m). Stop for a
snack at the Waldschmidthaus.
Saturday: Today it’s the children’s turn.
Spend the day learning about nature
hands-on at the “Waldspielgelände”
(forest playground) with its unique
nature discovery path.
Location: Between Bayerisch Eisenstein
and Mauth at the Czech border.
Elevation: 600 to 1,453 metres
(Großer Rachel)
Established: 1970
Types of Landscape: Valley spruce
forest, mixed mountain forest with fir,
mountain spruce forest
B o o k s and Map s
Hiking map Bavarian Forest “Zwischen
Rachel und Lusen“ (Hiking path in the
Bavarian Forest: Between the Rachel
and Lusen Parks) ISBN 3-86116-059-5
and “Zwieseler Winkel”
ISBN 3-86116-120-6
Bavarian Forest – where wildness waits
ISBN 3-924044-57-0
Never-ending forest wilderness
ISBN 3-935719-37-X
N ati o nal P a r k
I nf o r m ati o n
Bavarian Forest National Park
Administration
Freyunger Str. 2, D-94481 Grafenau
Tel. + 49(0) 85 52/96 00-0,
Fax + 49 (0) 85 52/9600-100,
[email protected],
www.nationalpark-bayerischer-wald.de
Hans-Eisenmann-Haus Information
Centre, Tel. + 49(0) 85 58/96 15-0,
Fax + 49(0) 85 58/26 18
Wilderness House, Tel. + 49(0) 9922/
50020, Fax + 49(0) 9922/5002167
Association of National Park Communities, Tel. + 49(0) 85 58/9 10 21
Advertising Association Zwieseler
Winkel, Tel. + 49(0)9922/4347
Grafenau Tourism Association
Tel. + 49(0) 85 58/973807
Tourist Information Ferienland in the
National Park Bavarian Forest
Tel. + 49(0) 85 51/5 7114
By Train: From Plattling (ICE station)
to Zwiesel, Bayerisch Eisenstein,
Grafenau, Frauenau or Spiegelau. On
from there by bus with the ”BayerwaldTicket“. By car: Falkenstein-Rachel area:
A 92 from Munich and A 3 from Regensburg or Passau: Exit Deggendorf, then
along the B 11 to Regen, Zwiesel and
Bayerisch Eisenstein. For the Rachel-Lusen area: A 3, exit at Hengersberg and
along the B 533 to Grafenau and on to
Neuschönau or Spiegelau.
View of the Königssee with the St. Bartholomä peninsula and the east face of the Watzmann mountain
Vertical Wilderness
Berchtesgaden National Park
The striking peaks of the Watzmann and
Jenner, the emerald green Königssee and
the peninsular of St.Bartholomä are the
landmarks of the Berchtesgaden National
Park, the only mountain-based national
park in Germany. Established in 1978,
this 210qm park lies in the southeast of
Bavaria on the border to Austria.
The steep rock walls, extensive woodlands,
alms and valleys are the distinguishing
features of this precious mountainous
landscape.
Gentian, edelweiss, alp roses and Swiss
stone pine all flourish here. With a bit of
luck you will also be able to see animals
such as wood-chucks looking for food,
chamois balancing precariously on the
rock faces or golden eagles circling high
above.
The main objective in the national park is
to leave nature to itself. This is why there
is absolutely no human intervention at all
in the core zone of the protected area. This
zone can only be accessed by visitors along
In summer: Take part in the guided tour
“Dem Murmeltier auf der Spur” (in search
of the wood-chuck). You will be able to
observe the wood-chuck with binoculars
up on a sunny alpine pasture. A snack at a
mountain hut rounds off the day
In winter: Visit the National Park Station
in Hintersee. From there to the “Rotwildfütterung” (red deer feeding area) either
on foot or with a horse drawn sleigh.
the mountain paths. In total, there are
240 km of hiking and mountain climbing
paths which make for ideal holidaying.
Whether you take a guided tour in the
summer or a romantic horse-drawn sleigh
trip in the winter, the Berchtesgaden
National Park offers a varied program for
the visitors who want to experience nature
at close quarters.
Sunday: Hike through the narrow Wimbach gorge up to the Wimbach valley
with its powerful stream filled with rock
debris.
Monday: Ride the Jenner Mountain
cableway train. From the peak of the
Jenner, one has a fantastic view of the
Königssee.
Tuesday: With the “Wanderbus” up to
the Hirschbichlpass. Relaxing climb up to
the Bindalm. Visit National Park Information Station at Hintersee.
Wednesday: Visit the Documentation
Station on the history of the Third Reich
on Obersalzberg. Ride the bus to Kehlsteinhaus.
Thursday: Boat ride on the Königssee.
Side-trip to the National Park Information Station and hike to the Ice Chapel at
the foot of the east face of the Watzmann.
Friday: Rain. Visit the National Park
House in Berchtesgaden and day trip to
the festival city of Salzburg.
Saturday: Extend your stay and start a
few day hiking trip through the “Steinernes Meer” (Wimbachgrieshütte, Kärlingerhaus, Gotzenalm, Königssee).
Location: South-east Bavaria at the
Austrian border
Elevation: 603 to 2,713 metres (Watzmann)
Established: 1978
Type of Landscape: deciduous and
coniferous forests, pine bushes, alpine
meadows and pastures, alpine dwarf
heath, fields of rock, moor, streams
and lakes.
B o o k s and Map s
The brochures
“Berchtesgaden National Park – A National Park for Everyone“ and “Königsee
and its Surroundings“ are available
from the park, also the topographical
map “Berchtesgaden National Park“
(1:25.000)
N ati o nal P a r k
I nf o r m ati o n
Berchtesgaden National Park
Administration
Doktorberg 6, D-83471 Berchtesgaden
Tel. + 49(0) 86 52/96 86-0, Fax -40
[email protected],
www.nationalpark-berchtesgaden.de
Tourism Region Berchtesgaden-Königsee, Tel. + 49(0) 86 52/9 67-150, Fax
-400, www.berchtesgadener-land.com
By train: Last station on the MunichBerchtesgaden line. From there with
the regional buses.
By car: Highway A 8 Munich-Salzburg,
exit at Bad Reichenhall, B 20 to
Berchtesgaden.
For nature and people
The national park
directors with their staff
are looking forward to
welcoming you!
EUROPARC Deutschland coordinates
the conservation and management of
the most precious and often threatened
landscapes in Germany. Our members
are responsible for all national parks,
UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and important nature parks.
Since 2005, the national parks, nature
parks and biosphere reserves in Germany
have been communicating under the
umbrella “Nationale Naturlandschaften”.
This is the source for everything: wild
countryside, spectacular animals and
plants and fascinating scenery. You can
obtain information directly from each of
the regions. Visit the information centres
and information points and go on your
own discovery journeys. You will love it!
For more information about our work,
please visit our website www.europarcdeutschland.de. Details, schedules and
bookings are available at www.nationalenaturlandschaften.de. We wish you an
exciting and informative stay. Let us take
joint responsibility for the Germany’s
national parks. We look forward to your
support either in the shape of a donation
or your membership.
Publisher:
EUROPARC Deutschland e.V.
Friedrichstr. 60
D-10117 Berlin
Tel.: +49 (0) 30 - 288 788 20
Fax: +49 (0) 30 - 288 788 216
www.europarc-deutschland.de
Text and Editing:
Ulrich Messner, Mueritz National Park, Axel Tscherniak
and Michael Fuchs, EUROPARC Deutschland, and
National Park Administrations
Corporate Design: MetaDesign AG, Berlin
Layout: Florian Caspers
Design National Park Map: Bernd Fraedrich
Translation: Kern AG, Berlin
Printing:
Brandenburgische Universitätsdruckerei, PotsdamGolm, printed with Eco-Skala, paper: Envirotop, 100%
recycling paper
Photos:
Müritz Nationalpark, Dahlmann U1 Titel; Archiv
EUROPARC Deutschland/Bruno Dittrich Seite 2, 8/9, 39;
Günther Blutke S. 23; Manfred Delpho S. 28/29; Michael
Fuchs S. 4; Florian Graner S. 11; Ralf Hausmann S. 19;
C. Heer S. 27; Klaus Janke S. 12/13; Klaus Klemmer
S. 21; N. Kolster S. 27; Ulrich Meßner S. 20; Nationalpark Berchtesgaden S. 36/37; Nationalpark Harz S. 25;
Nationalpark Kellerwald-Edersee S. 29; Rainer Pöhlmann
S. 34/35; Frank Richter S. 32/33; Kerstin Schäfer S. 21;
Hilmar Schmidt S. 23; Hartmut Sporns S. 19; Thomas
Stephan S. 30/31; Martin Stock S. 10/11; Wilfried
Störmer S. 24/25; Lutz Storm S. 19; H. Strunz S. 35; Axel
Tscherniak S. 38; Dr. Michael Weigelt S. 16/17; Roland
Weiß S. 18; S. Wilden S. 26; Hans-Jörg Wilke S. 22/23
Time of going to press: 12/2006
Number of copies: 25.000
More information:
The German National Tourist Office
Beethovenstrasse 69
60325 Frankfurt am Main
www.deutschland-tourismus.de
Federal Agency for Nature Conservation
Konstantinstrasse 110
53179 Bonn
www.bfn.de
Federal Environment Ministry
Post Box 12 06 29
53048 Bonn
www.bmu.de
Funding for the publication of this brochure was
made possible by the Federal Agency for Nature
Conservation.

National Parks in Germany - NATIONAL NATURAL LANDSCAPES

Transcription

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