Rohr: Hiking in the Rohrer Schachen and the floodplain landscape

Rohr is a village in the canton of Aargau and, since its merger with Aarau, has been part of the cantonal capital as a district. The built-up areas of Rohr, Aarau and Buchs have grown together to form a continuous urban agglomeration. For travellers, the paths through the Rohrer Schachen, the floodplain landscape and the Reformed Parish Church of Rohr are the main features of the area. This offers different ways to shape a stay, combining outdoor activities and nature observation with architectural and art history. Rohr was first mentioned in official records in 1027 under the name “Rore”. The place name derives from the Old High German “ze Rore” and means “by the reeds”.

Hiking and observing nature

The hike “From the gravel bank to the pond landscape” starts at the “Aarau Rohr, Salamatt” stop and ends at “Aarau Rohr, Unterdorf”. The route is 6 km long, takes 1½ hours and has no change in elevation. This makes it possible to estimate the time required in advance; the figures describe this hike, not the walking time for other routes. Along the way, the route passes a beaver dam in the Giessen. With a little luck, you can spot further signs of beavers along the Giessen.

The hike also passes a natural-looking pond landscape. It can be surveyed easily from a viewpoint; animals are best observed at close range on the eastern edge of the area. At Aarschächli, there is a viewpoint overlooking the forest lake. Binoculars are recommended for birdwatching there. The different vantage points also make the tour interesting for travellers who want to set aside time for observing the landscape as well as getting some exercise.

Floodplain landscape in the Rohrer Schachen

Aarschächli includes an artificial oxbow lake created as part of the floodplain restoration project. Today, it is home to ducks and other aquatic life. The groundwater-fed Aarschächli Rohr oxbow lake has both a shallow-water zone and a steep bank. These different types of shoreline meet within this habitat.

In the Rohrer Schachen, a new side channel and a softwood floodplain forest cover 7 ha. Where groundwater reaches the surface, Giessen streams form. They are a hallmark of the area and provide a habitat for aquatic plants such as water celery and watercress, as well as for sticklebacks, beavers and kingfishers. The names of these plants and animals offer concrete clues about what to look out for during a visit to the floodplain landscape. Together with the forest lake and ponds, they show how the natural environment here is shaped by different bodies of water and shorelines.

Church and art in Rohr

The Reformed Parish Church of Rohr has a Y-shaped floor plan—an unusual solution for this type of building. A tapestry by Regula Eichenberger, dating from 1965, hangs on the altar wall. In 1987, the colourless windows on the south side were replaced with stained-glass windows by Karl-Heinz Bürger. The floor plan, tapestry and windows each tell their own story about the church’s design.

The church is generally open during the day, approximately from 07:00 to 19:00, for quiet reflection or personal prayer, provided no service or event is taking place. If you would like to see the interior, plan your visit around this restriction. When choosing a hotel in Rohr, consider whether you would like to focus your stay mainly on the hike and the floodplain landscape, or also set aside time for the church and its art.

Discover more destinations: Muhen, Oberentfelden, Suhr, Aarau, Gränichen, Küttigen

Go to the main travel overview: Aarau.