Pfatter: Nature, Circular Route and Local History

Nature watching, exercise and local history give your stay a variety of focuses.

Nature and Birdlife

The Pfatterer Au, north of Pfatter, includes river-valley meadows, oxbow lakes with areas of silting and floodplain forests. It is a breeding, resting and wintering area for numerous endangered bird species and is of national importance. The Eurasian curlew is the flagship species of the protected area; its presence and conservation status may change over time. Breeding, resting and wintering mark different phases of the year, while specific sightings depend on the season and natural conditions.

“Alte Donau” Circular Route

The signposted “Alte Donau” circular hiking trail is about 8 km long; its start and end point is the town hall on Haidauer Straße in Pfatter. Along the section beside the Alte Donau to Seppenhausener Straße, you can observe numerous waterbirds. This section is the specific point of reference for nature watching; sightings depend on the season and natural conditions. The circular route follows an easy path, partly gravel and partly paved; it is not necessarily suitable for pushchairs. Check the trail conditions before setting out.

Local History

The small Schifferkirche on the edge of Pfatter is dedicated to Saint Nicholas. It recalls Pfatter’s former importance as a mooring place for salt ships on the Danube.

More topics in the wider Regensburg destination

The wider Regensburg destination offers further distinct cultural and nature-related themes. Walhalla in Donaustauf is a Neoclassical memorial and hall of fame on the Danube. Since 1842, notable Germans and people associated with German history have been honoured there with marble busts and commemorative plaques; its exterior is Doric and includes 52 columns. From Easter to October, passenger boats operated by Klinger and Wurm & Noé travel on the Danube from the Stone Bridge in Regensburg to the foot of Walhalla. Check operating days before your trip. From the bus stop, an approximately 20-minute walk up 358 steps also leads to Walhalla.

The nine-hectare Nepal-Himalaya Park in Wiesent also brings together Asian culture and nature. A Nepalese temple, a diverse perennial garden and numerous Asian artworks are among its defining features; the park includes a Himalayan garden and a Chinese garden, as well as more than 6,200 different plant species. Wolfsegg Castle is one of the region’s best-preserved castle complexes.

The Baierwein Museum in Bach an der Donau includes a wine trail that is accessible at all times. It provides information about the past and present of Baierwein and introduces White Elbling as a local grape variety. Another type of route in the Regensburg area is the signposted Fruit Experience Trail: it runs for about 34 kilometres from Hemau via Beratzhausen to Kallmünz and has twelve large information boards along the cycling route. Compared with the Pfatter circular hiking route of about 8 km, it is a longer option geared towards cycling.

Discover more destinations: Zeitlarn, Duggendorf, Sinzing, Wenzenbach, Regensburg, Hemau, Donaustauf, Alteglofsheim.

Back to the main travel overview: Regensburg.