Himmelgeister Rheinbogen

The Himmelgeister Rheinbogen is a nature reserve stretching across 300 hectares along the Rhine with open meadows, farmland, poplar rows, and wooded sections. The landscape shifts between exposed fields and dense forest patches, marked by hedgerows and rows of traditional willows.

The area was designated as a protected reserve in 1993 by the Düsseldorf district government and was expanded and updated in 1996 and 2016. The protection measures were refined over time to better safeguard the habitats.

The area displays the characteristic landscape of the Lower Rhine with ancient pollarded willows that provide nesting spots for woodpeckers and owls. These traditional tree forms remain an important part of the local identity today.

The reserve can be explored on foot using two marked circular routes, one of which passes through the grounds of Mickeln Castle. Sturdy footwear is advisable since the paths vary in condition depending on the season and weather.

The site is home to 336 plant species, including 19 rare and endangered varieties found nowhere else in the region. Notably, it harbors the river bank wolf spider, an unusual arachnid species that was first documented here in 2012.