THE WAY TO PREHISTORY LEADS AROUND THE DANUBE

Animal paradise

The flow of the Danube from Vienna to our Devín belongs to the last unregulated sections of this European riverbed. The 36-kilometer section of the free-flowing Danube is part of the Austrian Donau-Auen National Park. In translation, its name would be Danube meadows. The surrounding lowland landscape with typical floodplain forests is an important migratory biocorridor. The meadows, tones, wet meadows and old dark branches of the Danube are as if cut from the legendary film Journey to Prehistory. There is a melodic creak of various species of frogs from the swamps. In the illuminated sparse forests, the red deer grows to massive dimensions, a wild boar can be seen in the undergrowth, and after many decades the water beaver has become domesticated again after countless branches of the Danube. Along the slopes of the forest and in the marshy environment of wet meadows, several species of snakes live and the endangered marsh turtle. During water expeditions in the Donau-Auen National Park, visitors will encounter live specimens of large wandering river grits or at least their traces in the mud. The dark grove, a dark-colored bird the size of a cane, is dependent on an open and partially open landscape with water areas and a forest. It is a typical bird of the floodplain landscape and the Donau-Auen National Park is the area with the highest occurrence of this predator in Austria. In recent years, the sea eagle has even been successfully nested in the Danube floodplains, which has given rise to the hope that the largest species of eagle has settled here permanently. The miniature realm of insects is dominated by an unmissable stag beetle, but also various species of dragonflies, butterflies and prayers. Crayfish also found his home here. On the pebble beaches along the river you can very rarely meet a large exotic spider roof. It is very rare to see its related spotted grouse - the largest spider in Central Europe - on dry grasslands. In the lush aquatic vegetation or under the dead wood, pike lurks on its prey. In the fresh Danube waters, the highly endangered small sturgeon or predator also survives - the only predatory carp fish in Europe.

Wild beauty of floodplain forests

Common trees of often flooded floodplain vegetation are elders, willows and poplars. Together they form the so-called soft floodplain forest. The reed, which grows up to a height of 4 m, also thrives on waterlogged areas. The overall color of the surrounding landscape is completed by various types of grasses, trusses, climbing plants, aquatic flowers and meadow herbs. The lifeblood of this country is the Danube. Numerous water areas are interconnected according to the height of the water level. There are flow side arms and old arms clogged with deposits. Between them are areas overgrown with lush floodplain forest. A special feature are the so-called "Hot habitats", sites similar to steppe habitats that are spread over arid areas. In the middle of the forests, there are also species-rich meadows that people established here centuries ago. In the higher places outside the reach of frequent floods, there is a so-called hard floodplain forest. It consists of oak, maple, ash and linden. The principles of natural forest regeneration apply here, in order to eliminate non-native tree species as much as possible, such as agate and poplar hybrids. The only tolerated "lumberjack" here is the beaver. The side arms, lying on the left bank of the Danube, are mostly clogged water areas through which the Danube water once flowed. By relocating the Danube riverbed and regulating interventions in the 1970s, they separated from the main stream, overgrown with aquatic plants and turned into swamps. These wetlands are habitats with the richest species diversity of plants in Europe.

From the water level

The Danube with its shoulders is best enjoyed during an adventurous rafting - rowing in a canoe or raft boats with dead shoulders or while sailing upstream on the Tschaike. From April to October, visitors can offer unforgettable combined expeditions - from a rafting trip for groups of adults or families, through a canoe trip on the side arms or a group boat trip on the open Danube, to a motor boat trip from Vienna to the quiet corner of the national park. Cruises last from 3 to 6 hours, you must register for them a few days in advance by filling out the electronic form or by phone.

On your own - on foot and by bike

For those who have decided to explore the Donau-Auen area on their own, there is an extensive network of marked trails with detailed descriptions of hiking trails. It is also possible to combine a visit to the park with cycling and use the existing cycling routes from Bratislava directly to the village of Orth an der Donau. This easy route leads through the Berg border crossing, Hainburg, behind Hainburg over the Donau-Brücke bridge over the Danube embankment, along the beautiful natural scenery of the Danube branches and meadows. Another option is to cross the Cyklomost Slobody in Devínská Nová Ves, next to Schloss Hof and Schloss Niederweiden in the direction of the Donau-Brücke bridge and then along the Danube embankment to the village of Orth an der Donau. For longer hikes, you can set up a tent and a fireplace in the only public campsite on the meadow at Au-Terasse near Stopfenreuth. The floodplain terrace is a two-storey terraced platform located close to the Danube. It offers visitors a view of the Danube and the surrounding countryside, and in the immediate vicinity there is a natural beach on the banks of the Danube.

WHERE TO GO OUT

The starting point of most expeditions is the center of the national park - Orth Castle (Schloss Orth). You can get here by car from Bratislava by crossing the bridge over the bridge to the other side of the Danube and then continue in the direction Engelhartstetten - Pframa - Orth an der Donau, or just after the bridge turn left and get to Orth by a parallel route via Stopfenreuth. In the Orth Castle you can see the multimedia exhibition about floodplain forests "DonAUräume", the patriotic museum museumORTH, which deals with the history of the picturesque village of Orth an der Donau, you can visit the observation tower, or book group trips and individual program blocks from the menu national park. Part of the pleasant castle grounds is the Schlossinsel (Castle Island), where during a guided tour or alone you will get acquainted with the typical animals of the floodplain landscape, which you can observe up close. A great experience is the observation of Danube fish in their natural environment, in an underwater natural aquarium. Highly recommended!

The second important starting point for trips and tours is the Lobau Visitor Center - the gateway to the Donau-Auen located at the other end of the national park, in Vienna's 22nd district. An untraditional view of the floodplain landscape will be provided to those interested in the sound exhibition "tonAU" and a film about floodplains in the "AU-cinema". National park guides offer several special thematic programs for groups and school groups. After a previous agreement, they can also organize a program for groups speaking Slovak. On the national park website www.donauauen. and in the Calendar section you will find a rich program for March, April and May. Organized nature trips must be registered in advance directly on the website by filling out the online form or by phone at least 3 days in advance.