Rinntal near Alfeld

	Rinntal near Alfeld IUCN Category IV - Habitat / Species Management Area
	Dry valley with field terraces near Alfeld
location	Alfeld , Middle Franconia , Bavaria , Germany
surface	33.82 ha
Identifier	NSG500.063
WDPA ID	318994
Natura 2000 ID	DE6534371
Geographical location	49 ° 26 ' N , 11 ° 33' E Coordinates: 49 ° 26 '2 " N , 11 ° 32' 40" E
Setup date	September 8, 2000

The Rinntal near Alfeld is a nature reserve north of Alfeld in the Middle Franconian district of Nürnberger Land in Bavaria .

location

The Rinntal near Alfeld borders directly on the northern outskirts of Alfeld. In the east it is bounded by the state road St 2236 and in the north by the connecting road to Pollanden .

description

The Rinntal is a designated, 33.8 hectare nature reserve and has the cadastral number NSG500.063. The nature reserve is part of the Natura 2000 network and designated as part of the protected area DE6534371, brook valleys of the Hersbrucker Alb .

It is a typical Jura dry valley of the Alb plateau . The area includes the valley floor in east-west direction and the slopes of a side valley of the Albach. In the valley floor there is a dry creek channel that only carries water in heavy rain. The slopes were traditionally used as hutanger in the past and have been grazed with sheep again for several years . The valley floor is characterized by cultivated meadows and the flatter valley slopes are divided by former arable terraces. The associated tendrils are overgrown with patchy field hedges and rich in limestone fragments.

and display information about the image

180 degree panoramic view, nature reserve view from the south, March 2013

Flora and fauna

The Rinntal in summer with all its blossoms.

Today, juniper heaths and limestone grasslands with isolated small dolomite rocks in between characterize the landscape of the valley framed by pines . The valley is a valuable habitat for numerous butterflies .

Surroundings

The immediate area around Alfeld offers an extensive network of hiking trails and numerous karst caves .

Access

The nature reserve is freely accessible all year round. A circular hiking trail with informative boards leads along a designated nature adventure trail from Alfeld through the Rinntal. A visit is particularly worthwhile in early summer when the limestone grass is in bloom.