There are only a few kilometres between a family-friendly river tour and challenging whitewater passages - according to the motto: the right stage for every paddler.
The Amper meanders 185 kilometres through Upper Bavaria. The course of the river leads from the northern end of Lake Ammer to its mouth in the Isar through fascinating landscapes, partly unspoilt nature and beautiful villages. With the outflow from the Ammersee, there is always enough water even in summer to ensure both leisurely and wild SUP tours.
We want to explore the Amper in two stages. It offers excellent conditions for river hiking: Campsites right by the water, overnight accommodation in the villages and sections that can be combined and paddled in different lengths. All-round SUPs are suitable for the entire Amper. Wider touring SUPs are also a good choice, especially for the more relaxed sections. To minimise the risk of ground or rock contact, the Amper should only be paddled with short river fins. For your own safety, it is advisable to wear a life jacket and helmet on the wilder sections.
1st part: Ammersee - Fürstenfeldbruck, about 21 km
Cosy, suitable for families and a tour for paddlers who want to gain their first experience of running water - this could be the title of the first section. And how could it be otherwise? We want to explore the Amper directly from its outflow from the Ammersee. However, our starting point is in Eching am Ammersee, right next to the beach house there. There are good parking facilities just a few metres from the lake. If the weather is excellent, you should start early - the car parks near the lake are quickly snapped up.
We pump up our boards and get ready to go. Before we really hit the river, we enjoy a few more paddle strokes on the lake. The imposing Alpine chain rises up on the horizon to the south - a marvellous sight. From Eching, we paddle northwards along the shore. We paddle past the small islands off the shore on the right, as the shallows and reed beds are off-limits.
After around two kilometres, we reach Stegen am Ammersee. We turn left - and at a sufficient distance - past the busy Dampfersteg. An artificial sill marks the Amper outflow from the Ammersee. We have to descend briefly into the shallow water and lift the board over the sill. Yay, we're on the Amper! It is possible to paddle almost the entire course of the river from here to the mouth of the Isar, but this is not permitted all year round. During the bird breeding season from 1 March to 15 July, navigation from Stegen to Grafrath and Schöngeising to Fürstenfeldbruck - i.e. almost the entire length of our first section - is prohibited.
The Amper leads through the silted-up "old" Ammersee
We paddle even less romantically under the motorway bridge, but directly behind it an untouched, fascinating landscape opens up with the "Ampermoos". Most of the course of the Amper as far as Fürstenfeldbruck is a nature reserve. As far as Grafrath, the Amper flows through the silted-up area of the former Ammersee - a vast landscape of meadows and fields. Particularly impressive are the many dead tree trunks, some of which rise up in bizarre shapes directly on the banks. Were they gnawed by beavers? Or are they remnants of the ash and elm dieback? We can't explain it and paddle on without an answer. Small ditches continue to criss-cross the fields, with reeds growing on both banks.
After nine kilometres of paddling, we see the pilgrimage church of St. Rasso and shortly afterwards reach the first riverbed ramp in Grafrath. It is just as possible to portage on the left side of the river as it is to paddle when the water level is high enough. We navigate the ramp and then take a short break at the "Dampfschiff" restaurant, which is located on the left side of the river within sight of the riverbed ramp. After a good refreshment, it's back on the SUPs, under the covered wooden bridge and then through the centre of the village - including a view of the gardens. Behind Grafrath, the Amper breaks through the terminal moraine landscape of the Isar-Loisach glacier from the Würm glacial period - today an extensive forest landscape.
The next village, Schöngeising, comes into view after 14 kilometres of paddling. We keep left before the weir and enter the canal. 500 metres further on, we have to land on the right and portage around the hydroelectric power station. When it was commissioned in 1892, it was one of the most modern power stations in Bavaria - and is now the second oldest run-of-river power station in Bavaria.
The Amper forks behind Schöngeising
The Amper then forks after Schöngeising. We split up to explore both courses of the river. Shortly after the small island, the river joins again and shortly afterwards there is another small riverbed ramp, which can be bypassed on the left, but we paddle down standing up without any problems. Directly behind this, we paddle into the nature reserve "Amperauen mit Leitenwäldern", through which the river winds for the next few kilometres until shortly before Fürstenfeldbruck. At kilometre 20, we cross the railway bridge and enter a small lake. On the right-hand side, we can make out Fürstenfeld Abbey, which is a few hundred metres from the shore.
The current in the lake is easing noticeably, but we are not far from our destination for the day. We have to cross under the road bridge at the end of the lake on our knees - the metre or so between the waterline and the bridge is definitely not enough to stand on. We reach our destination after around 21 kilometres before the next pedestrian bridge on the left-hand side: we land on the small pontoon, lift our boards out of the water and high-five ourselves after a varied and more than worthwhile tour. The exit is conveniently located directly at the motorhome car park and the car park of the "AmperOase" outdoor and indoor swimming pool - the possible starting point for the second part.
Part 2: Fürstenfeldbruck - Günding, about 17 km
We explore the second part of the Amper from Fürstenfeldbruck to Günding just before Dachau a few days later - with a different group. The second stage is - this much in advance - wilder, more adventurous and more spectacular. It is therefore mainly recommended for paddlers with experience in wilder flowing water.
However, both sections can be perfectly combined and paddled on two consecutive days: River hiking at its best! In addition to the river fin under the board, this time we also bring a life jacket and a helmet for the white water passages - safety first is our motto! We start the second section in the centre of Fürstenfeldbruck at the bridge on the B2 federal road. With a bit of luck, you'll find parking spaces in the side streets on the south side of the river.
If you start the second stage further upstream, at the exit of the first stage, you have to paddle around a weir and waterworks after a few hundred metres before paddling past our starting point and under the Amperbrücke bridge after a total of around one kilometre.
The tributaries of the Amper are rarely navigable
After the first kilometre, we reach the "Emmeringer Hölzl" nature and landscape conservation area, which is largely unspoilt. Overgrown and densely overgrown. Hardly a ray of sunlight penetrates. Numerous tributaries branch off to the left, which later reconnect with the main branch of the Amper. However, the tributaries are rarely navigable and the small footbridges are too low. We therefore continue paddling in the main arm, only to encounter the first challenge of our tour after a right-left bend: two riverbed ramps. And these are not the last!
Signs warn of the danger point and also point to the landing on the right bank for portage. However, if the water level is high enough, both riverbed ramps can be used.
The river then meanders through the densely overgrown landscape, offering only a few glimpses of fields and meadows. After around four kilometres, we paddle towards the campsite of the "Freie Sportgemeinschaft Amperland", where the Amper splits again. At low water, the left-hand arm of the river should be paddled in order to avoid the next white water section in the right-hand arm. However, we paddle down the centre of the riverbed ramp and save ourselves the short diversions.
Depending on the water level, the canal or the river is the better choice
Relaxed paddling is the order of the day for the next two kilometres before the "Estinger Wehr" stops our tour for the time being. This is where the river splits again - to the right into a canal and to the left into the original course of the river. When the water level is low (Fürstenfeldbruck gauge less than 80 centimetres or 27 m3/s discharge), the canal is the better alternative, as the Amper then only has a little water left and you may have to paddle through the riverbed. If the gates are open, you can enter the canal directly and paddle on with a good current. Further along the canal, there are two hydroelectric power stations in the way. Both are not navigable and must be bypassed on the left. There is enough water for our tour, so we paddle along the old course of the river. After another 200 metres, the "Amperlust" restaurant offers a good place to stop for refreshments with a beer garden and home-style and Greek cuisine.
We pass a small waterfall and after around eight kilometres we see the railway bridge on the Munich-Augsburg line. A treacherous, rocky gradient awaits us underneath. The fin easily gets stuck on the large stones in the middle of the track. We therefore kneel down on our SUPs so as not to risk a dangerous fall. However, the dangerous spot can also be easily bypassed on both sides of the bank.
"Lände" are the transfer points
The Amper then calms down again, we paddle along at a leisurely pace and talk about the challenges that lie ahead on the second half of the tour. At the "Campingplatz Sägmühle" campsite, after around 12 kilometres, the first of four riverbed ramps awaits us, which we navigate slightly to the right after a brief inspection. As here, the transfer points on the following ramps are also signposted well in advance ("Lände"). Shortly afterwards, we pass under the A8 Munich-Stuttgart motorway before the second, slightly longer bottom ramp presents the next hurdle just over 800 metres further on. We discuss the best way to tackle it and then decide to approach it slightly from the left. Good decision: Everyone masters the ramp standing up and stays on their boards. Shortly afterwards, the third bottom ramp appears, but with our water level conditions, it can also be paddled through the centre without any problems. At kilometre 14 of our tour, adrenaline shoots through our bodies once again at the last bottom ramp - but we also survive this last challenging section dry.
Two and a half kilometres downstream at Günding, the Himmelreich weir marks the end of the second section of this Amper tour. We leave the weir on the right and enter the canal on the left. Shortly before the bridge, we land on the embankment and lift our boards out of the water. An exciting, varied and challenging tour lies behind us. And two stages that couldn't be more different. Two stages that lead through beautiful landscapes. Two stages that leave you wanting more - because the Amper is also a worthwhile SUP area further along the river until it flows into the Isar near Moosburg!
The Amper on the map
This article first appeared in SUP 2020
