Bavarian Forest Field Trip of European Campus Rottal-Inn

Quelle: th-deggendorf, Autor: Karin Haslböck

Foto: Karin Haslböck, th-deggendorf

Excursion participants of the TH Deggendorf - Faculty ECRI

Foto: Karin Haslböck, th-deggendorf

Foto: Karin Haslböck, th-deggendorf

Discover the beautyiful landscape at the Landesgartenschau Freyung

Foto: Karin Haslböck, th-deggendorf

XtraveL | Excursion Bavarian Forest | DIT

Technische Hochschule Deggendorf

XtraveL Insight: Nationalpark Bavarian Forest

Foto: Anna Marquardt, th-deggendorf

Foto: Karin Haslböck, th-deggendorf

Die Tour

Field trip to various points organised for International Tourism Development, M.A. students at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI), this trip was an enriching exploration of sustainable tourism practices.

For those who were unable to join the tour - or who are now visiting the points on their own - the expert interviews and audio transcripts of some presentations can be found in the tour details.

This section briefly describes the route and the points you will visit.

For more information on the points visited, see the waypoints on the route description tab.

The Bavarian Forest Field Trip, initially organized for ECRI's International Tourism Development students, began at ECRI (European Campus Rottal-Inn) in Pfarrkirchen and included a brief stop at Passau train station. If you are interested to implement the excursion yourself, feel free to plan your own journey to the first stop of the excursion, the Landesgartenschau 2023 (State horticultural show) in Freyung.

Students visited the Landesgartenschau 2023 (State Horticultural Show) in Freyung, learning about regional sustainability and tourism.
The State Garden Show, which took place from 25 May to 3 October 2023, offered numerous highlights: 132 days of garden show with 19 themed weekends, Terrace on the Burgberg with regional gardens, intergenerational activity park with climbing cloud, north face and exercise course, granite-themed rock trail, forest gardens with exhibitors on the topics of environmental protection and nature conservation, meadow park with regional pavilion, where all 25 municipalities in the district of Freyung-Grafenau present themselves in turn.

The unique location of the exhibition, which can still be visited, should be emphasised. The Geyersberg, a district of Freyung located around 800 metres above sea level, forms the centre of the Bavarian State Garden Show 2023. On one side, it impresses with its fantastic panoramic view over the rolling hills of the Bavarian Forest mountains. On the other side, you can look towards the Danube and the Alpine foothills. This makes it the highest garden show ever held in Bavaria. Freyung and the entire region are looking forward to the 2023 State Garden Show and all its visitors from near and far. Many people have contributed their creativity to the years-long process from the idea to its realisation in order to present the Bavarian Forest as it is today: down-to-earth, tradition-conscious and at the same time innovative and forward-looking - and above all beautiful.
Next, the group travelled to Naturhotel Euler in Neuschönau, an excellent example of sustainable hospitality. Nestled in the National Park, on the outskirts of Neuschönau, the Naturhotel in the Bavarian Forest is situated in an absolutely peaceful location with its suites that are both close to nature and equipped with modern facilities. In keeping with the motto "joie de vivre made easy", the hotel welcomes every guest in a relaxed, warm and cheerful atmosphere. For Euler`s, being natural is a combination of the philosophy of life and the fact that they bring nature into the hotel by using regional materials. The Naturhotel Euler offered a guided tour through the spectacular architecture of the recently built nature hotel. Participants were also able to explore the spa area and enter some of the stunning chalets, known as Woidhaisl.
The day concluded at Nationalparkzentrum Lusen with a presentation on Digital Visitor Management and a visit to the Baumwipfelpfad (Tree Top Walk). At the Hans Eisenmann Haus, visitors listened to an interesting presentation by a National Park employee on the use of digital data to guide visitors. After that, visiting Germany's oldest primeval forest fas a lot of fun. In the middle of the eternal forest waves of the Bavarian Forest stands an egg! The 44-metre-high observation tower of the treetop walk in the Lusen National Park Centre owes its nickname to its unique architecture.The surprise awaits inside: The tree egg frames a group of ancient fir and beech trees. Gently protected from the wind by the wooden structure, but well supplied with sunlight, they grow in competition with each other.On the way to the viewing platform, the tower offers a new perspective of the group of trees and the surrounding national park at every turn. It is designed in such a way that wheelchair users and families with pushchairs can also navigate it comfortably.Once at the top, you are rewarded with an incredible panorama: over the Rachel and Lusen mountains, the lush green sea of the Bavarian and Bohemian Forest and, on clear days, even as far as the northern main ridge of the Alps. the day ended with coffee and cake in the cosy Café of the Hans Eisenmann Haus.

This engaging field trip provided practical insights into sustainable tourism, enhancing classroom learning with real-world experience. the excursion was an all-round success and the participants had a lot of fun discovering the region's nature and nature-based tourism.

Autorentipp

Don't miss Neuschönau's Naturhotel Euler for a Lunch brake and visite the Baumwipfelpfad at the National Park Centre Lusen.

Info

Schwierigkeit	leicht
Aufstieg	4020 hm
Abstieg	4012 hm
Tiefster Punkt	291 m
Höchster Punkt	839 m
Dauer	7:00 h
Strecke	229,8 km

Karte

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Wegbeschreibung

Start

Pfarrkirchen, European Campus Rottal-Inn

Ziel

Neuschönau Bayerischer Wald

Weg

The journey commenced at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) in Pfarrkirchen. From ECRI, the group travelled east on B388, towards Passau, where a brief stop was made at the train station to pick up additional students.

Continuing on B388, the trip took a northeast direction towards the town of Freyung, home to the 2023 Bavarian State Horticultural Show. Here, the students learned about the region's sustainable practices and their influence on tourism.

After Freyung, the group travelled east on B12, towards Neuschönau. There, a visit to Naturhotel Euler offered an insightful experience into sustainable hospitality.

The day's journey concluded with a short drive north to Nationalparkzentrum Lusen. The visit included a presentation on Digital Visitor Management and a scenic exploration of the Baumwipfelpfad (Tree Top Walk). The return trip to ECRI retraced the same route back.

Anreise

Öffentliche Verkehrsmittel

Starting from the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) in Pfarrkirchen, take the regional train operated by Deutsche Bahn to Passau train station.
From Passau, continue on another regional train, RB 5988, towards Freyung. Here, enrich your knowledge of sustainability in tourism at the 2023 Bavarian State Horticultural Show.
Next, travel on the bus route 112 operated by Regionalbus Ostbayern GmbH to Neuschönau. Explore the Naturhotel Euler and experience its sustainable hospitality firsthand.
Lastly, journey on the NP1 or NP2 bus routes run by Ilztalbahn GmbH to reach the National Park Center Lusen. Take part in a presentation on Digital Visitor Management and marvel at the scenic Tree Top Walk.
For the return journey, begin from Lusen National Park Center, catching the NP1 or NP2 bus services operated by Ilztalbahn GmbH back to Neuschönau.
From Neuschönau, take the 112 bus route managed by Regionalbus Ostbayern GmbH to Freyung. At Freyung, board the regional train RB 5988 back to Passau train station.
Once at Passau, transfer to the regional train destined for Pfarrkirchen to reach the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI).

Please remember to check the Deutsche Bahn website or app, as well as local bus schedules for up-to-date information on routes and timings to ensure a smooth journey.

Anfahrt

The European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) in Pfarrkirchen is very easy to reach by public transportation. The train station Pfarrkirchen is within walking distance. Please remember to check the Deutsche Bahn website or app, as well as local bus schedules for up-to-date information on routes and timings to ensure a smooth journey.

Parken

There are a limited capacity of parking lots at the ECRI for students and staff members

Weitere Informationen

Expert Interviews & Audio Transcrpits

The Bavarian Forest Field Trip was an immersive journey through several key destinations.

The first major stop was the 2023 Bavarian State Horticultural Show in Freyung. Known as the green heart of Bavaria, Freyung showcased its commitment to eco-friendliness and sustainable practices in this show. It gave students a firsthand look at how regional sustainability practices could influence and boost tourism.

As well as giving an exciting presentation on her work in the region, Climate Protection Manager Eva Osterer also answered questions from online students; the audio transcript will be available shortly.
In the expert interview, Günter Reimann, Destination Manager of the Ostbayern Tourist Board, answers questions from students who were unable to take part in the excursion.

Following this, the trip moved to Naturhotel Euler in Neuschönau. This hotel, famous for its sustainable practices, gave the students a chance to understand how businesses can effectively integrate sustainability while delivering quality hospitality services.

Hotel Manager Daniela Mautner gave the students an extensive tour of the hotel and explained the concept behind the family-owned and -operated hotel. In the expert interview, she answers questions collected from students who were unable to attend the trip.

The day concluded at the Nationalparkzentrum Lusen, which is at the centre of the Bavarian Forest National Park. It houses the Hans-Eisenmann Haus and the Baumwipfelpfad, or Tree Top Walk, which gives an unparalleled view of the forest's canopy. A comprehensive presentation on Digital Visitor Management was also given here, introducing the students to the ways digital tools can enhance visitor experiences while supporting environmental conservation.

Julia Zink, a visitor management researcher at the Bavarian Forest National Park, was also available to answer questions in an expert interview after her presentation.
Also a summarised transcript of the presentation is available as audio or text transcript. Please note: this is not the original presentation/recording, but a summary of the transcript of the presentation! This information serves as a short repetition or insight into the topic discussed.
The creation of this audio and text content was supported by AI.

Here you can find a video about the excursion:

Xtravel Excursion Bavarian Forest

Ausrüstung

Comfortable walking shoes: For the Baumwipfelpfad (Tree Top Walk) and other walking tours.
Weather-appropriate clothing: Check the forecast beforehand.
Reusable water bottle: To stay hydrated and support sustainability.
Snacks: For energy during the trip.
Backpack: To carry personal items.
Notebook and pen: For taking notes during presentations.
Camera/Smartphone: For capturing memories and interesting sites.
Student ID: Needed for admission to certain sites.
Personal medications: If necessary.
Sunscreen and hats: For protection from the sun.
Hand sanitizer: For personal hygiene.