Eifel

The German part of the Eifel lies in the high low mountain ranges of the federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia. It continues in Belgium and Luxembourg with the name Ardennes. This mountain range crosses the border and is part of the Rhenish Slate Mountains. The inhabitants of the Eifel are known as Eifler or Eifeler.

The Eifel is located between Aachen in the north, Koblenz in the east and Trier in the south. On the eastern and southern side it is bordered by the Rhine and Moselle valleys and on the western side it is on the Belgian and Luxembourg border lines. The area is the area where the sources of the Kyll, Ahr, Erft and Urft rivers are located.

In 2004, part of the Northern Eifel was designated as a national park. From north to south there are four nature parks in the Eifel. High Fens-Eifel, Rhineland, Southern Eifel and Vulkaneifel. Only the first park extends south into the northern foothills of the Eifel.

Hiking in the Eifel

As a holiday region, the Eifel is a paradise for hikers. The region in the low mountain range is criss-crossed by a dense network of well-marked hiking trails, where you can experience the scenic charms up close. After the hike you can put your feet up and enjoy the comfort in wellness hotels and holiday apartments in the Eifel. Hikers and trekking fans who are well trained will find exciting long-distance hiking trails and day tours for their hiking holiday in this Eifel region. Above all, you have to hike the Eifelsteig and other premium hiking trails and talk about your adventures for a long time.

You don't have to choose a special season to go hiking in the Eifel! The color of spring in the Eifel is yellow, with its daffodil flowers in April and the broom blossom. In summer, the forests offer hikers rivers, shade, lakes and maars in which they can refresh themselves. Even in autumn the forests are colorful and in winter the snowy landscapes.

The 10 best hiking trails in the Eifel

1-    Pyrmonter Felsensteig

The route starts at the Pyrmonter Mühle parking lot, near the rushing waterfalls. We follow the county road briefly until we cross it and join the quiet forest path. A soft grass path lined with magnificent gorse and hedges leads us to a forest path that winds through wide fields. From afar, the high cross appears on the Sammetzkopf, which is surrounded by yellow rapeseed fields in spring. Here you have a fantastic panoramic view of the region. The next dirt road takes us to the nature reserve on Juckelberg, a true natural treasure, full of gnarled forests and magnificent flowering gorse hedges.

We can take a short break at the Hauerhütte until we reach the Elzbach on the up and down path. The path now follows through the beautiful alder forest, where every bend in the river passes along the magnificent cliffs of the Devil's Chamber. From the Elztal, our path is not long to the medieval Pyrmont Castle. We continue on the wonderful path to the "Kingdom of the Rocks" with caves and the steep cliffs. Finally, the descent follows to the Elz valley, with its unique views of the castle. Finally we hike along a valley path back to the Pyrmont mill and the circular path ends.

2-   Around Esch, Klausen and Sehlem

Our route, which connects around Esch, Sehlem and Klausen, starts at the parking lot of the community center in Esch.First we walk along Brunnenstrasse and Kapellenstrasse, along the tithe barn and leave the Eifel community in the direction of Klausen. After we have crossed under the motorway bridge, we turn right onto the tarred farm road and hike for 100m. continue and turn left. On the path ahead we walk approx.3km., via the town of Krames and over the parts of the Way of St. James until we arrive in Klausen.

Klausen is a place that is considered the most famous pilgrimage site in Rhineland-Palatinate. The spiritual place of power has a history that goes back over 500 years, starting with little ones. The well-known pilgrimage church “Maria Heimsuchung” was inaugurated in 1502. At the western end of the northern aisle you reach the Chapel of Grace, whose history dates back to the 15th century.century goes back and was restored in 1902.

We leave Klausen via Triererstraße in the direction of the town of Pohlbach. We walk past the Pohlbacher mill for approx.4km. and reach Sehlem. The gravestone of Georg von Esch (1532 to 1560) can be found in the parish church, which is consecrated to Saint George. We continue through the town along Kirchstrasse until we arrive at the Klausener Strasse intersection. We turn left at the intersection, walk past the "Kutschertränke", under the bridge downhill to the junction towards "Sportplatz". From here we reach Esch again, which leads us along the tarred farm road to the starting point.

3-   Bergheidenweg

This circular route is 10km. long and offers a flair between juniper heath and pine groves. Very beautiful paths lead through mixed forests, along the Nette and Selbach, accompanied by beautiful views of the Eifel. If you want to really enjoy the juniper heaths, you can use the connection to the Wacholderweg dream trail.

Our route begins at the parking lot of the winter sports facility near Arft and takes us through the open heath landscape to the Heidbüchel nature reserve. The native pine trees line the paths through the typical sand and heath vegetation. After we arrive at the summit of the Heidbüchel, we are rewarded with the unique view of the climb. We climb downhill through the forest and a path branches off to the neighboring path “Juniper Path”. The path turns left at the edge of the forest in the direction of Nettetal. We cross the Nette behind the small village and then follow the hiking trail along the river into the valley.

We walk over the water again over stepping stones and in the next Selbachtalin we come to the high forest, which has taken on a gorge-like character due to the impressive cliffs. We walk along the babbling stream up through the forest and on dirt paths to the refuge, where we have a breathtaking panorama in front of us. We continue hiking across the open field, slightly uphill. After crossing the L10, we continue to Dr. Heinrich Menke Park. Here we cross the L10 again, walk past the Konrad Adenauer monument, walk around the Raßberg and soon arrive at the starting point of the dream path.

4-  Heidehimmel Volksfeld

The route starts at the parking lot at the “Sauerbrunnen” healing spring in Nettetal. A junction to the starting point, which is located at the “Sauerbrunnen” healing spring, leads us to the rustic wooden steps. We then come to a soft forest path and continue on this path to Volksfeld.

The climb to the impressive Riethel Cross, accompanied by the fabulous panoramic view, is embedded in the spicy juniper heath. On the way we leisurely follow the ridge and pass the new development area on meadow paths that circle the town. After the short forest passage and the open meadows, we come to another wonderful panorama at the crossing of K63. After we leave Volksfeld behind us, we walk along the path to a rest area.

A narrow path soon climbs the hill of the Waberner Heide and with a beautiful view in almost all directions we stop at the Waberner Wacholderhütte. The path changes through the heath into the forest to the Falkleyblick rock spur and offers a unique view of the low-lying Nettetal. With a little luck, we can observe wild Cameroon sheep on the next forest and meadow passages.

The path leads downhill along the edge of the field to the Florianshütte and we go through the forest on wide loops down into the valley. At the end of the tour, we can drink the iron-rich water at the “Sauerbrunnen” healing spring for healthy refreshment before we arrive at the hiking car park via the path.

5-   The Four Mountains Tour

The route starts at the Erlenmühle car park in Mendig. This leads us to the access road to the idyllic Kellbachtal. It starts there after approx.700m. the four mountain tour uphill. Immediately afterwards you can take a detour to the “Rauhbuur” rocky area with its massive tuff stone walls. As soon as we leave the Schweinsgraben car park on the L82, we continue along the rustic forest paths. We continue uphill over the second small bridge in the forest and are impressed by the rocky gorges of the Marxe-Lay.

Shortly afterwards we walk through the beautiful mixed forest. Before you reach the edge of the forest, you shouldn't miss the A oak tree at the sharp bend to the left! We then follow the climb to the first mountain, the Gänsehals, where we get the first views of Lake Laacher and the Neuwieder basin and enjoy a breather. We hike uphill on the next ravine and then continue to the second mountain below the Schmitzkopf with beautiful panoramic views. Once again we walk through the forest on soft paths up to mountain no.3: Sulzbush.

We now go downhill through forests, then across fields and meadows. Here we cross the L82 and walk past the refuge caves, the sand caves. In order to climb to the Hochstein, the fourth mountain, we need some fitness. After we reach the top, we walk through the forest to the Hochstein viewing rocks. After a few meters below we arrive at Genovevahöhle. We now climb downhill through the quiet forest into the Kellbachtal, refresh ourselves at the sour spring of the Erlenbrunnen and go to the starting point.

6-   Waldseepfad Ried

Our route starts on the idyllic shore of the Riedener Waldsee before hiking along the Rehbach to Rieden. At a Sauerbrunnen, after crossing Rieden, we take the rustic path into the forest. The pleasant forest path leads us sometimes under the swaying fronds, sometimes under the rustling canopy of leaves into the majestic beech hall forest.

The part of the extensive pastures gives us a view of the Goose Neck transmission tower. A serpentine path winds really uphill through the dense coniferous forest. We reach the transmission tower via the short field edge passage and the magical forest path in the fir forest, which is always open and rewards us on the ascent with the magnificent 360° panoramic view of the Vulkaneifel and the Neuwied Basin. Here we first walk briefly through the mixed forest, then through the open fields to the Gänsehalshütte with unique views.

Close to the hiking car park, the path takes us parallel to the “Four Mountains Tour”. The two paths separate again at the “Maifeldblick” viewing point. Then we continue, sometimes through the forest, sometimes across the open meadows, along the Udelsheck viewpoint down to the Riedener Waldsee.

7-   WacholderwegThe route starts at the Wabelsberger Wacholderhütte, which is located on the upper edge of Langscheid. Now we circle the Wabelsberg through the beautiful heath landscape, with its views of the wooded peaks of the Eastern Eifel. The path now takes us over the plateau past Langenfeld and the Eifeldom church.

The path, occasionally interrupted by forest passages, leads us uphill to Büschberg. The typical juniper heath for the Vordereifel invites us to take a short break at the rest area. Soon the path ahead plunges into the forest, where we come to the junction to the neighboring path “Bergheidenweg”. Now the wide forest path winds down and follows the lively stream into the Nettetal. We now walk briefly uphill again on a grass path with a view of the valley. Here the path turns into a beech forest, leads downhill again towards Nette and we go on the final climb through the forest back to the starting point.

8-   Volcano Path

The route starts at the Hochsimmerhalle in Ettringen. In the first section we walk relaxed through Ettringen and a meadow path leads us up to the summit of the Ettringer Bellberg. The climb is rewarded with a fantastic view of the volcanoes of the East Eifel. We walk downhill along the western edge of the crater to the southern crater opening. Following the southern lava flow, the path reaches the forest of the Kottenheimer Büden.

The "Seven Rooms", located at the foot of the slag wall, are small caves where people hid during the Second World War. We continue up to the southeast crater rim. The magnificent view that opens up here offers us a view of the Bellberg quarry and the volcanoes Bellberg, Hochsimmer, Hochstein and Sulzbusch. On the following passage we go steeply downhill over the paved and natural paths to Kottenheimer Winfeld.

Now we continue towards Ettringen past the “Junker Schilling” rock monument, then the path crosses the stream. We then come to the Hartborn mineral spring and relax and walk back to the starting point.

9-   Pellenzer Seepfad

Our route starts at the parking lot at the Roman tumulus in Nickenich. Now the path first circles an idyllic valley before we see the impressive ash wall (the Black Wall) on the short climb. This was created by the Laacher See volcano almost 13.000 years left behind. After our short climb, it's worth taking a detour to take a break at the Hermann Hut with its great panoramic views. Now we walk slightly downhill on the path, past the edge of the opencast mine on Eppelsberg. Through the mixed forest in front of us, we reach the rest area at Krufter Waldsee. On ascending forest paths we reach the summit. Shortly beforehand, we walk steeply uphill along the rock, along the impressive rock niche to the Teufelskanzel ledge, accompanied by distant views in the direction of Kruft and the Neuwied basin. The comfortable high-altitude path now leads us to the “Am Krufter Ofen” refuge, then we continue on serpentines downhill through the mighty beech forest and hike across the open field to Lake Laacher. Here we have fabulous views of the Maria Laach monastery.

Along the nearby bank we turn right along the path and continue climbing steeply. Then we walk on comfortable forest paths, crossing the L 116 and through the mixed forest to the Celtic tree circle. On the last section of the route we occasionally see magnificent views of the Siebengebirge and Pellenz. We walk along the edge of the forest in an arc along the sports field back to the starting point.

10-Monreal knighthood

Our route starts at the Monreal train station and the path takes us along an access path to the Old Rectory. We continue through the historic town center above the Lower Schossbrücke. We follow the banks of the Elz, going through the quiet residential area and out into nature. Now we continue hiking on the gently ascending path and conquer the side of the slope above the Elz and a breathtaking view of the castles opens up. We continue on the comfortable paths through the Elztal, through the deep ravine uphill and further through the meadows with a magnificent view. After we briefly climb to Juckelsberg, a bench invites us to take a break.

Here the path crosses the L 98 and takes us over the short field passage into the forest before a view of Hochbermel and the dreamy Thürelztal opens up in front of us. Now the serpentine descent takes us over the steep slope covered with stunted oaks down into the open gorse landscape. The path crosses the valley to the underpass of the railway line and the stream. Now we pass the connecting path to the “Hochbermeler dream path” and climb the narrow paths to the rocky ridge. Here the path briefly follows the ridge between Elz and Thürelz and then begins the descent to Augstmühle.

Here the two streams flow together and the Elz is crossed. We now reach the Monreal sports field and begin to climb steeply to reach the Monreal castles at 100m. to reach height. Across the meadow we reach a spectacular view of Monreal and the castles over the forest. Shortly later we turn off to Philippsburg. The last climb takes us to the walls of the Löwenburg and on the narrow path we go down to Monreal, to the starting point.

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