Markelfinger Winkel und westlicher Gnadensee

The Markelfinger Winkel and western Gnadensee form a 257.4-hectare nature reserve on the shores of Lake Constance. It stretches between the Mettnau peninsula and the Markelfingen district of Radolfzell, and also includes a stretch of shoreline along the boundary between Allensbach and Reichenau. The reserve lies within the Hegau natural region, where the lake meets riverside meadows and reed beds. The area protects internationally important wetland habitats such as Streuwiesen meadows, reed zones and strandrasen grasslands. It supports many endangered plants and animals, including rare breeding birds that nest close to the water’s edge. The reserve also serves as a moulting and resting site for waterfowl from across the region and beyond, recognised for its unspoilt water ecology and distinctive Bodensee landscape. Visitors walk along quiet paths beside the western Gnadensee, where views open over the lake and the Mettnau peninsula. The shoreline alternates between open reed beds and sheltered meadows alive with wildflowers. Rare species such as bitterns and great reed warblers can be seen, while dragonflies dart above the water. The reserve’s two parts link the older protected areas of Markelfingen and the Mettnau peninsula into one continuous wetland landscape.