Forest bathing in Düsseldorf

Immerse yourself in nature!

Do you sometimes feel the longing to get away from your daily routine? To simply let go, to give your body and soul a little break? You are by no means alone in this desire, But being alone is often a prerequisite for relaxation. This is especially true of forest bathing. Forest bathing? Never heard of it? Behind the new favorite activity of city dwellers seeking peace and quiet is a stress management method that has its roots in Japan. Shinrin-yoku was first propagated by the Japanese National Forestry Agency in 1982 to promote outings for the stress-ridden urban population.

And what distinguishes forest bathing from a normal Sunday stroll? Well, firstly the intensity and secondly the duration. When forest bathing, you immerse yourself in the rustling of the leaves, walk barefoot over carpets of leaves, feel tree bark, consciously and deeply fill your lungs with the fresh, oxygen-rich forest air. And because you'll forget about time in the best-case scenario, a proper, invigorating forest bath can last up to four hours.

But where are the best places to recharge your batteries the Japanese way in and around Düsseldorf? Here are three beautiful forests in the area that you can immerse yourself in.

Eller Forest

Forest bathing in a historic place. In the south-east of the city, nestled between the districts of Eller, Vennhausen and Unterbach, lies Eller Forst, Düsseldorf's oldest nature reserve. Parts of the area were declared an "Eller Forst bird sanctuary" back in 1935. Today, the nature reserve covers 95 hectares, or almost one square kilometer. Almost nowhere else in Düsseldorf is the forest as diverse as here. Dense stands of trees alternate with open wet meadow areas. Particularly beautiful: in the interior of the Eller Forest, special forest forms, the so-called alder swamp forests, have been preserved on the swampy ground. This not only sounds romantic and enchanted, but is also something very special. This is because the groundwater in alder swamp forests is so high that the trees are often surrounded by water or ice for weeks in the winter months. Only the alder can withstand this high water level in the long term. The ditches and ponds of this alder quarry forest are a paradise for amphibians. Newts, common toads and grass frogs find ideal living conditions here. If you're lucky, you might also spot gray herons, marsh tits and wrens during your mindfulness exercises. Or find one of the very rare water feathers, which are on the red list of endangered plant species and are still native here. Once you have recharged all your senses in this wonderful forest, another swim awaits you, depending on your mood and the time of year: right next door is the Unterbacher See, a popular swimming area in summer.

Grafenberg and Aaper Forest

Originally, the two forests Grafenberger Wald and Aaper Wald, which are located in the east of the city, were part of an extensive forest area between the Ruhr and Düssel rivers, here above Düsseldorf mainly covered by beech forests. Even today, you can still find some specimens in the Aaper Forest that are up to 40 meters high and some of which are over 240 years old. What does it feel like to hug one of these giants? You shouldn't miss out on an experience like this while forest bathing in this forest. So go in search of the old giants. Here are a few pointers: The Aaper Forest is bordered by Rath and Oberrath to the west, Knittkuhl lies to the east, while the northern foothills end above Ratingen. In the far south is the racecourse, which is already part of Grafenberg Forest; consequently, the famous Kastanienallee forms the border. Both forests are part of the Mitte forest district, which has been working on consistent afforestation and reforestation over the past 50 years. A total area of 100 hectares where you can immerse yourself in a sea of trees. Need a little more insider knowledge? Where you can enjoy the peace and quiet today was once a military area with a large infantry firing range in centuries gone by. Fortunately, that is now history.

Rotthäuser Bachtal

The Rotthäuser Bachtal and the surrounding forests are a popular recreational area in Düsseldorf. So on a sunny weekend, the forest paths in the area can get a little busier. This is of course due to the fact that the valley is particularly attractive with its wetlands, the stream that gave it its name, its springs, the numerous fish ponds and extensive reed beds. The same applies to the valuable alder, ash and softwood floodplain forests and the local hornbeam forests. These are wooded areas dominated by copper beech, which are often joined by oak and sycamore. These forests are named after and are typically dominated by the white hairgrass, a sour grass with whitish inflorescences. It not only sounds pretty, but is also beautiful to look at. In order not to be disturbed while meditating in this wonderful piece of nature, we recommend: Come during the week for luxury forest bathing. Then you have a good chance of being alone under the trees. Or rather: without human company. You might come across such rare species as the reed warbler, reed bunting and kingfisher, a dragonfly of the genus blue-green mosaic dragonfly and a variety of beetles. In clearings or sunlit gaps in the trees, it is not uncommon to come across the forest butterfly, a butterfly with contrasting eyespots.

This article is funded by REACT-EU.

Cover picture: Düsseldorf Tourismus