Düsseldorfer Weg Etappe 5 Unterbach - Forst Benrath

From Unterbach, the Düsseldorfer Weg leads into the Eller Forest, the oldest nature reserve on Düsseldorf grounds. As early as 1935, parts of the Eller Forest were placed under protection. With a bit of luck you will see the gray heron, marsh tit, wren, goshawk or any of the 41 registered breeding bird species. The flora is also mixed. One finds e.g. the iris and the very rare water feather, which is on the red list of endangered plant species.

Then the Düsseldorfer Weg reaches the Unterbacher See, an 84ha large quarry pond on the city limits from Düsseldorf to Erkrath and Hilden. The Unterbacher See was created in 1926-73 by gravel and is now fed by groundwater as a typical quarry pond. In the Unterbacher See there are islands with bird retreats. Bathing beaches beckon on the north and south banks, including a section for nudism. On the north bank there is a small sailing boat harbor with boat rental and a viewing terrace.

The Düsseldorfer Weg leads on to the other side of the A 46 motorway to the Elbsee (89ha). Unlike the Unterbacher See, the Elbsee is not open to tourists. Large parts of the lake shore are inaccessible and thus enable flora and fauna to be rich in species.

We continue along the Menzelsee to the Dreiecksweiher nature reserve. From specially created viewpoints, visitors can observe great crested grebes, coots, gray geese and an impressive colony of gray herons with up to twenty breeding pairs.

The Düsseldorfer Weg steers past a beautiful and popular forest playground through the Hasseler Forest and reaches the Hoxbach, which rises in Haan and after 11km flows into the Eselsbach in Eller. Here the hiking route passes the Am Schönenkamp road and is then in the Benrath forest. The route leads through this forest south-west to the A 59 motorway.