Discover Aiterhofen: the Aitrach, nature and history

Aiterhofen combines the Aitrach circular trail and its river landscape with a historical highlight: in 1846, Anna Fraundorfer founded the St. Joseph Monastery of the Franciscan Sisters here. When planning your visit, you can choose among different interests: time outdoors, exercise and local history.

Circular Trail and Exercise Course

The Aitrach circular trail returns along the opposite side of the river, passing the 355-metre-high Kreuzberg viewpoint, then following the exercise course and a Kneipp facility back to its starting point in Aiterhofen. The route combines a viewpoint with two different stops along the way: exercise at the course and a Kneipp facility.

At Kreuzberg, the public exercise course is next to the Aitrach hiking trail. Its equipment includes a balance trainer, balance beam, shoulder trainer, leg lifter, abdominal and back trainer, massage and stretching station, and arm-pull and push-up station. As the availability of the equipment may change, check which stations are usable before your visit.

In the Aiterhofen municipal Aitrach floodplain, benches invite you to linger, while information boards provide details about the flora and fauna. This lets you explore the natural environment without using the exercise stations.

River Landscapes in the Wider Area

Further afield in the region, the Aitrach floodplain, Mühlgraben and Augraben between Geltolfing and Kienoden (Salching) have been restored. A tributary has turned the Mühlgraben back into a permanent body of water.

The diverse habitats along the Aitrach form a wildlife corridor and provide animals with cover and habitat for rearing young, foraging, overwintering and reproduction. The information boards in the Aitrach floodplain draw attention to the flora and fauna; the habitats also demonstrate the different functions a river environment serves for animals.

History and Other Destinations in Straubing-Bogen

The founding of the St. Joseph Monastery of the Franciscan Sisters by Anna Fraundorfer in 1846 is a specific part of Aiterhofen's history. The wider Straubing-Bogen destination offers further cultural topics. The Bogenberg District Museum explores the history of the Bavarian lozenges—from the Counts of Windberg-Bogen and their use by the Wittelsbachs and in the Bavarian coat of arms to their role as a symbol of Bavaria. The museum also presents Bogenberg as Lower Bavaria’s Holy Mountain and as the site of one of Bavaria’s oldest Marian pilgrimages.

The Bogenberg District Museum offers individually tailored guided tours about Bogenberg for groups of ten or more and school classes. Tours can also be booked outside opening hours with advance notice by phone or in writing. The Holzkirchen Candle Pilgrimage takes place each year at Pentecost at the Bogenberg pilgrimage church.

Different Routes in the Region

Nature experiences in Straubing-Bogen can also be distinguished by specific route features. The Kobelberg nature trail in Wiesenfelden is about 4.5 kilometres long, has nine stations, is suitable for pushchairs and is cleared in winter. The circular trail around the Beckenweiher in Wiesenfelden is 2.3 kilometres long, accessible, and suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs. Five information points with benches and information boards cover wildlife and plant life, conservation status and the history of the Beckenweiher; the route also crosses a 110-metre-long nature observation boardwalk. The route length and features described provide a concrete basis for weighing up different preferences for day trips.

Discover more destinations: Rattiszell, Atting, Rattenberg, Perasdorf, Mitterfels, Steinach, Haibach, Haselbach.

Return to the overview of the wider destination: Straubing-Bogen.