The best walks and hikes in Landkreis Dingolfing-Landau

Isar bridge that runs along the path

An interesting habitat due to the damming of the Isar.

The small path in is somewhat hidden! It's worth it! You might encounter some nettles! :-)

On August 3, 1869, the Eastern Railway was granted a concession for the line from Plattling via Pilsting to Mühldorf. On October 15, 1875, the line between Plattling and Mühldorf was opened in its entirety, 80.8 km long. The Bavarian State Railways treated it as part of the Mühldorf-Plattling-Bayerisch Eisenstein line. The more motorization advanced, the more passenger traffic declined. Freight traffic in Trennbach only resumed in 1954, but was discontinued again in 1962. In 1964, the section from Marklkofen to Goben was downgraded to a branch line. With the approval of the Federal Ministry of Transport, passenger train service between Pilsting and Frontenhausen-Marklkofen was discontinued on September 29, 1969, and replaced by rail buses. Since then, tracks have disappeared and bridges have been demolished. Nevertheless, mile markers, broken pieces of track, and the remains of telegraph poles can still be found here. At the same time, freight train service between Griesbach near Dingolfing and Frontenhausen-Marklkofen was discontinued. From December 13, 1969, freight train service was also discontinued between Pilsting and Griesbach. On September 27, 1970, the section from Neumarkt St. Veit to Frontenhausen-Marklkofen was closed to passenger traffic. The line between Pilsting and Frontenhausen was later dismantled. On October 7, 1971, German Army engineers attempted twice to blow up the Isar Bridge near Mamming, but it held firm. Only a 65 kg dynamite charge on October 8, 1971, caused it to collapse, allowing it to be recycled as scrap iron. On January 24, 1974, a specialist company from Augsburg demolished the remaining railway bridges between Frontenhausen and Pilsting. Source: https://www.niederbayern-wiki.de/wiki/Bahnstrecke_Rosenheim-Pilsting

It's a kind of Oscar for conservationists: The renaturation of the canalized Isar River between Dingolfing and Landau won the European Union's "Life Award" environmental prize in May 2024. The joint project of the Landshut Water Management Authority and the Government of Lower Bavaria has transformed the canal-like Isar River into a free-flowing river with a tributary and a new island. For example, the rare bird species Little Ringed Plover has returned to newly created shallow water zones, and fish species such as the nase and barbel, which were almost extinct due to the canalization, can be seen again in the water – thanks to the new gravel banks and current. Source: https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/eu-zeichnet-isar-renaturierung-mit-umwelt-award-aus,UELArZA

The youth campsite is idyllically situated between the Isar River and the adjacent forests. The campsite's tepees feature a well-equipped kitchen, restrooms, and a lounge, as well as a cozy wood-burning stove. An all-weather roof provides shelter from the sun or inclement weather. The campsite is suitable for youth groups of up to 70 people. Source: https://www.jugendzeltplatz-mamming.de/

On the steep slope high above the Isar River stands the village church of St. John, first documented in 1148. Inside, the church, rebuilt around 1500, houses an impressive late Gothic winged altarpiece depicting John the Baptist in his shrine on the left and John the Evangelist on the right as the main figures. The masterful carvings on the wings depict scenes from the lives of the saints. In the lower altarpiece of the left wing, the baptism of Jesus by John is relocated from the Jordan to the Growing Rock, making it the oldest depiction of this natural monument. Saints Peter and James the Elder are inserted on either side of the shrine; the carved decorative top above contains a crucifixion group in the center, and next to it, Saints Simon, Bartholomew, and Sebastian. When the wings are closed, the two shrine guardians, St. Florian and St. George, are visible. Finally, the altar base displays the coats of arms of the founder, Jörg Wieland, and his wife, Susanna Behaim. Another special feature is the sacrament niche in the choir. Until the Gothic period, the Blessed Sacrament was kept in such small houses, only then were tabernacles introduced. The Baroque paintings of Jesus and the Twelve Apostles in the gallery are incomplete: The Savior, Peter, and John were removed during the subsequent installation of the organ. The organ case, dating from 1724, is a beautiful creation of the early Rococo period. The organ was originally built for the Oberaltaich Monastery and came to Usterling in 1857. The small fountain in front of the church is fed by the spring of the Growing Rock. Source: https://www.landau-isar.de/freizeit-tourismus/tourismus-und-kultur/sehenswuerdigkeiten/dorfkirche-usterling

The Goben sub-area encompasses a valuable section of the Isar floodplains north of the Isar, between Goben and Harburg. The area is bordered by the Isar dams to the south and a backwater dike to the north, thus largely cutting it off from the river's dynamics. Nevertheless, large, structurally rich riparian forest areas and oxbow lake complexes with numerous rare and endangered animal and plant species can still be found here. Furthermore, the sub-area is home to an extremely valuable burn area. A burn is a dry, open area in an otherwise moist riparian forest that developed on a gravel deposit. High-quality calcareous dry grassland is found here. Source: https://www.wwa-la.bayern.de/projekte/isar_life/projektgebiet/index.htm