Short family tour through Aurith and Urad

A short discovery tour on the water - in two countries and by ferry! Where can you find something like this? On the middle Oder in Aurith and Urad, of course. Pack your binoculars, compass and wellies - and off you go!

Start: from the parking lot at the entrance to Aurith
Destination: Pumping station at the backwater canal in Urad
Route: Aurith - Urad - pumping station on the backwater canal
Length: 3 km; duration: approx. 1 hour
Note: suitable for families with small children

From the parking lot at the entrance to Aurith, always head north-east towards the Oder dyke. Keep your eyes open in Aurith so as not to miss the campsites - a snack before boarding will give you strength for whatever may come. At the top of the dyke, I quickly pull out my binoculars: what is the situation on land and on the water? Am I being watched from the tower on the other bank? How can I stalk the jetty as inconspicuously as possible?

When the Oder ferry docks, you have to board very quickly. Up on the boat and off you go! Perhaps a quick prayer to the god of this river, Viadrus, that he will grant you a smooth crossing. The captain will take you to the other bank without argument.

But what's going on? Why is a different language suddenly being spoken? And why is the small village store paying with different coins? And things look completely different here... A beautiful old village on a high bank called Urad.

From the river to the village it's a bit uphill. But now let's hurry up to the 30-metre-high observation tower to get an overview of the situation. A wide and calmly flowing river, Oder with a name, and little "ramps" every few meters along the banks. The captain would explain that they are called groynes and ensure that the river doesn't take too much of the bank with it at high tide.

Time to explore the banks of the Oder. As you walk south-east along the river, you can climb on and between the groynes. If you are very quiet and hide a little, you can observe rare birds or other animals that live by the water.

At some point, the path leads away from the Oder and into the forest, but only deep enough to catch a glimpse of the Oder floodplains. You can pick berries and mushrooms here. Continue along the path towards a pumping station in the meadows on the Oder. When you cross a canal over a small bridge, you're almost there. You are in the middle of the fertile Oder floodplains with their many fields and meadows. Here you can stalk quietly along the paths and watch deer grazing.