Isar of Munich

I've been wanting to write about the Isar for some time now. The Isar flows through the city of Munich. At 295 km in length, it is the fourth largest river in Bavaria, after the Danube, Inn and Main, and Germany's third most important tributary of the Danube. I bet you're wondering where I got all that. For more information on the Isar, follow this link.

I live about 3 km away from the Isar and often go there when the weather permits. If fact, many people go there when the weather permits, which is why it's often crowded. I usually get there by bicycle although if I do take the train, it's only two stops away. There is a lake located along the Isar with a steady stream running beside it. To get there, I have to cycle through a beautiful field of corn (I think it's corn), which is shown in the picture above. The stream is popular among kayakers and the lake, among joggers. While I don't explicitly fall into either of these categories, I still like this spot. It's quiet, accessible and good for photography.

There are various spots along the Isar that people hang out at but the most popular has to be area around the zoo. This is probably because it is the most accessible spot, both by public or private transportation. The Flauchersteg, which is a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists, is located in the area. It is an extremely popular location for grilling. There are proper trash cans for ashes and so, making it easy to clean up at the end. If you want to get a good spot, make sure you're there early (try the night before!).

Last summer, my department had a grill party at the Flauchersteg. It was pretty cool. Expect similar activities from other departments during weekdays.

As you walk along the Isar on a nice warm day, you will notice many beer crates in the water. You can see this in the picture on the left. Why? Well, the water in the river is pretty cold and it helps to chill the beer. Talk about going green. And no, they are not free for you to take.

Now you know that grilling is a popular activity along the Isar. Other popular activites include sunbathing, boating, jogging and cycling. People don't swim much in the Isar because the current can be very strong and it may get dangerous. There have been several incidences of people drowning or getting stranded while swimming in the Isar. Be careful if you decide walk the wire anyway.

The Isar cycling path or better known as Isarradweg is an extremely popular route among cyclists. I often use it to get to the English Garden from my place. Be careful though as some cyclist fail to realize that it's a two-way path - they seem to think that the direction they are headed is always the right direction. *sigh* Nonetheless, I would still recommend cycling along the Isarradweg if you have the chance. It's fun and there's much to see along the way.

That's it for this post on the Isar of Munich.

joel@jjsolomon.com