Weiherhammer: Discover water, local history and nature

Beckenweiher and the educational trail

The Beckenweiher originally provided the power for the former ironworks built beside it, now BHS Corrugated. Here, the connection between the landscape and industrial history can be traced. The educational trail at the Beckenweiher and along the Branderkanal explores the history of the ironworks as well as other topics: alongside local history, it covers nature-related subjects such as the Haidenaab and beavers, as well as natural history topics including geology and the water balance. For families who enjoy exploring a range of topics along the way, this mix offers plenty to talk about and observe. You can choose the trail based on the topics that interest you and your fellow travellers most.

The Catholic parish church of the Holy Family is also part of the town’s history: Bishop Buchberger consecrated it in 1933. Together with the history of the former ironworks, this offers a different perspective on Weiherhammer than the nature themes by the water. If you would like to plan a varied stay, you can combine this local history with the topics covered on the educational trail.

Nature nearby and regional excursions

East of Weiherhammer lies the Weiherhammer bird sanctuary. It is an important habitat for waterbirds and a significant resting place during bird migration; its black-headed gull colony is one of the largest in northern Bavaria. This adds a special focus on waterbirds and migration seasons to the topics covered on the educational trail. If nature observation is important to your trip, you can consider this alongside local history and the trail’s themes when planning your stay.

The Neustadt An Der Waldnaab wider destination includes the district of Neustadt an der Waldnaab in the Upper Palatinate Forest. Activities listed there include hiking, cycling, museum visits and swimming in numerous bathing waters. When planning a holiday apartment stay, you could first consider whether Weiherhammer appeals mainly for its local attractions or as a base for excursions to a range of regional destinations. The different activities offer a framework for shaping your days around your interests.

For a longer route, there is the Bockl: this 52-kilometre trail follows a historic railway line from Neustadt an der Waldnaab to Eslarn and can be travelled on foot, by bike or on inline skates. It is mostly paved and traffic-free, with gradients exceeding three percent only rarely. The starting point in Neustadt an der Waldnaab is directly accessible by train. Trains run hourly to the terminus of the Nuremberg–Neustadt an der Waldnaab line, where you can transfer to a bike. Check the timetable before travelling. Its length and range of ways to use it make the Bockl a different kind of excursion from exploring the themes around the Beckenweiher.

For a museum visit in the wider destination, Vulkanerlebnis Parkstein offers another topic to explore. A volcanic eruption is staged there every hour and can be experienced on three levels. As timings may change, check them before your visit. The museum and the Bockl route offer different excursion ideas: one focuses on volcanism, the other on a longer route along a historic railway line.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Etzenricht, Trabitz, Flossenbürg, Neustadt An Der Waldnaab, Eschenbach In Der Oberpfalz, Georgenberg, Schirmitz and Grafenwöhr.

Back to the wider travel overview: Neustadt An Der Waldnaab.