Riedboden is a nature reserve stretching along the Isar River, just south of Mittenwald in Bavaria, close to the Austrian border. It is a place where a wild alpine river still shapes the landscape naturally, creating a haven for rare plants and birds.

The valley here is a textbook example of a braided river landscape - gravel banks, shifting channels and lush riparian vegetation. A geological curiosity of the area are the Buckelwiesen, unusual hummocky meadows scattered across the valley floor. In spring and summer the gravel bars come alive with nesting birds, while autumn brings golden colors and quiet solitude, framed by the peaks of the Karwendel range in the background. The slow, wide flow of the Isar and the surrounding mountains give this spot a distinctly peaceful character.

How to get there

• Mittenwald - walk south along the Isar River, approx. 1-1.5 hours, easy route
• Alternative approach via the path near the Scharnitz border crossing

Practical information

• Protected since 1982 - staying on marked paths is required
• Breeding ground for endangered bird species, including the little ringed plover and common sandpiper

Keep an eye out for the little ringed plover, named Germany's Bird of the Year in 1993 - a small sign of how valuable this stretch of the Isar valley remains.