Dhünntal und Linnefetal mit Seitentälern, nature reserve in Germany

The Dhünntal and Linnefetal area is a protected nature reserve with wide, shallow valleys where streams flow through forests and meadows. The landscape features steep forested slopes, damp riparian forests with alder and ash trees, and spring zones where water emerges naturally from the ground.

The reserve lies in the Bergisches Land and forms part of the Dhünn-Eifgenbach corridor linking the Bergische Hochflächen and Bergische Heideterrassen. Its designation as a nature reserve protects a near-natural stream system with alder-ash floodplain forests, wet meadows and old beech and oak stands. A section of the Dhünntal below the Große Dhünntalsperre, from near Kochshof to Altenberg, belongs to the FFH area Dhünn and Eifgenbach (DE-4809-301).

The stream valleys show traces of old mills and farming activities that shaped the landscape for centuries. These remnants remind visitors how water power once drove local life and economy in these valleys.

The area is accessible via simple hiking paths where you can explore the landscape at a leisurely pace and enjoy the quiet surroundings. Stay on marked paths, avoid leaving trash, and respect plants and animals to help keep the environment protected.

The area is home to rare species such as kingfishers, gray herons, and the brook lamprey, an ancient fish recognizable by its circular mouth opening. These special species depend on an undisturbed natural environment and make this region an important refuge.