Nature trails in Hellenthal

Follow in the footsteps of the robber barons to discover old castle complexes, the hilltop castle Reifferscheid with a magnificent castle courtyard and unique views.

Hiking along the Westwall - a military defense system along the western border of the former "German Reich" with a length of then 630 kilometers.

The tour follows a three-kilometer loop through the “Ländchen” area. In the summer, the colorful, flowering mountain meadows in the heathland exude the sweet scent of hay.

Enjoy unique views of the Rur, Ober, and Urft reservoirs on the Wilderness Trail. Relax as you walk through romantic stream valleys and impressive beech forests, and enjoy "pure natural idyll".

Whether as a spring, stream, or river – flowing waters are the lifelines of our landscape. They fulfill the most important functions in the network of nature and provide the habitat for special plants and animals.

Whether as a spring, stream, or river - flowing waters are the lifeblood of our landscape. They fulfill the most important functions in the network of nature and create space for special plants and animals.

The Eifel clubs Hellenthal, Blumenthal, and Reifferscheid have joined together in connection with the action "Hiking World of the Future - EifelLoops and EifelTraces," which was initiated by the Euskirchen district, and have designed the 14 km long EifelTrace "In the Footsteps of the Robber Knights." The report created in connection with the project then concluded that this "trace" was rated as a premium hiking trail. Reason enough to recommend the "Robber Knights Trail" to our guests and members as a hiking tip. The hike for this circular trail, marked in both directions, can be started in Reifferscheid, Hellenthal, or Blumenthal. The EifelTrace, which is described in Outdooractive, starts in Reifferscheid at the car park in front of the elementary school. Whether you visit the castle complex before or after the hike is up to you. Visiting after the hike is recommended. This hike starts at the elementary school but leads you along a narrow path around the castle and past the "Gröttchen" through the village. We recommend this route because the more difficult part of the hike is then at the beginning of the walk. The bridge opposite the car park was destroyed by flooding. A detour is signposted here. Through the operation of the Bungard company, the path ascends steeply past the Way of the Cross and the Westwall bunkers up to the height of Wollenberg. In the areas of the bunkers, the former Liebfrauenhof monastery established a Way of the Cross, which accompanies us to almost the height. One bunker has a special feature: it is the second side entrance, which has so far only been observed in bunkers with a 27-man crew but never in a bunker with only a 14-man crew. With the other two bunkers of the same standard construction type, three different versions of the arrangement of side entrances have been preserved here in a very small area, which is unique in the North Rhine-Westphalia region. Only about 40 m to the north or north-northwest lie two other bunkers. The interior rooms of the bunkers are blown up. The support beams are removed in these sections. The side entrances are still completely preserved. From the viewpoint, which offers a nice resting place, follow the markings to the castle ruins "Altenberg." The place name "Altenberg" west of Wollenberg already points to a former castle complex. On a narrow mountain ridge between two streams lie the remains of a so-called sector fortification: on three sides, the steep slopes of the mountain spur offer natural protection; in the northeast, the access via the ridge is cut off by a deep ditch. This may be a predecessor castle to Reifferscheid Castle. What can be seen is an artificial terrain intervention with a neck ditch, a rampart, and a flat plateau, which is still clearly visible and about 70 m long to the south and west. The enclosed, slightly sloping plateau inside seems to have been artificially carved out of the mountain top. It then goes steeply downhill towards Kammerwald and almost as steeply back up to the height of Wollenberg. From there to the Dommersbach construction area and behind the properties to the L17, which we cross, and through the Fuchsloch and the still recognizable mill race and the outcrops of the geological-mining history hiking trail towards Blumenthal. Along the section called "Fuchsloch," layers of so-called "burnt shale" appear at several places, which formed in the Devon period about 400 million years ago. This refers to low-quality coal seams that were never of significant economic importance and were only used locally. Several tunnels up to 50 m long followed the burnt shale seams into the mountain in the 18th and 19th centuries. The special feature: the "burnt shale" is a coal that is more than 100 million years older than the hard coal that was mined, for example, in the Ruhr area. Before reaching the town, we pass an old mill where the mill wheel is still visible. Further towards Blumenthal, crossing the federal road and passing the church dedicated to St. Brigida and the memorial for the synagogue destroyed on the night of November 10, 1938. The synagogue destroyed in 1938 was built between 1902 and 1904. On that night, altar boys secured a Torah scroll that had been kept for years in the rectory in Hellenthal and is now in the archives of the municipality of Hellenthal. This Torah scroll is also remembered in the decoration of the church in Hellenthal. Again across the railway tracks to the cross over Blumenthal. Here once stood the war memorial for the fallen of both wars, which due to the considerable distance is now located in the town. The path continues steeply towards Kirchenberg. Here is a nicely designed rest area maintained by the Hellenthal hiking club. Now it goes steadily downhill to the little chapel of sin. The chapel was built in the 1930s by bachelors from Kirschseiffen and is now maintained by the Hellenthal hiking club. Over a narrow path and switchbacks, the path leads us towards Hellenthal. Further over the bridges of the Olef and the Preth. You also pass the parish church of St. Anna. It is worth taking a look at the modern decoration of the church, both the apse and the organ. Over the recreational area Olefufer and past the central bus parking lot towards the town hall. At the town hall, you can admire the "Amtsschimmel" that adorns the town hall. Further along the streets Kalberbenden and Hinterseiffen. The EifelTrace "In the Footsteps of the Robber Knights" leads from Hellenthal to Reifferscheid along the same route as the castle route (partner path of the Eifelsteig) and the main hiking trail no. 12 "Rhine-Venn-Weg." Once you have reached the height, you have a beautiful view of the Schleiden Valley and Hellenthal from the two benches. On the opposite side of the valley, you can guess the previous course of the hike. Then descend through Kammerwald to the road and ascend again on the opposite side towards Reifferscheid. At the elementary school and the car park in front of the castle, you have completed the EifelTrace "In the Footsteps of the Robber Knights." After you have rested a little, you can now take a look at the castle complex with the castle settlement: For the walk over the castle grounds, you can orient yourself using the information boards along the path through the castle grounds. Reifferscheid Castle is a typical hill castle built on a rocky spur. Reifferscheid Castle is first mentioned in 1106 when Heinrich, Count of Limburg and Duke of Lorraine, in the conflicts between Emperor Heinrich IV and his son Heinrich V, himself burns his castles Limburg and Reifferscheid. The fire of 1106 suggests the castle was built even earlier. Reifferscheid remained a permanent residence of the lords of Reifferscheid until the 15th century and occasional residence thereafter. Some events from the history of Reifferscheid are worth mentioning: In 1385, Johann von Reifferscheid was accused of grossly violating the peace. The peace league, an alliance of the cities of Cologne and Aachen, the Archbishop of Cologne, the Bishop of Liège, the Duke of Jülich, the Duchess of Brabant, and many counts and nobles, then marched against Reifferscheid to conquer the castle and punish its lords. However, the castle was not taken. Reifferscheid was repeatedly plagued by fires. Until the fire of the castle in 1669, there was a Renaissance castle here. After rebuilding, the successor building was destroyed in 1689 by French troops. Only the castle cellar remains of the subsequent baroque palace after its demolition around 1806. When the French marched in 1794, they confiscated the castle and the other comital properties. The castle ruins as they stand today show fragmented evidence of a typical late Gothic noble castle with bergfried (keep), shield wall, and palace. The significant reinforcement of the walls against modern artillery, probably carried out in the 16th century, is clearly visible. Few traces remain of the rebuilding into a baroque palace after the fire in 1689. A small book has been published about the EifelTraces, in which this trace as well as all other EifelTraces are described. There are also hiking maps from the Eifel Club for all areas where the EifelTraces and EifelLoops are recorded. Through Nordeifel Tourismus GmbH, these hikes can be downloaded at https://www.wanderwelt-nordeifel.de/ along with other interesting hikes. You can find the suggested hike here In the Footsteps of the Robber Knights - reversed • Theme trail » outdooractive.com   Paul-Joachim Schmülling Cultural and media officer of the local group Reifferscheid Email: info@eifelverein-reifferscheid.de

Over a total length of 94 km, the "Path of Remembrance" runs through the German-Belgian border region. The circular route can also be hiked in 4 stages

🌼 A springtime fairy tale in the Eifel and Ardennes Every year, the landscape between Germany and Belgium transforms into a golden sea of blossoms. The wild daffodils bathe the valleys in bright yellow and create an incomparable backdrop. But alongside the natural idyll, old bunkers and historic sites tell a moving story. 🌼

The local walking tour takes you to the significant buildings and the most beautiful viewpoints in the town. For more information, visit the Tourist Information office at Rathausstraße 2, 53950 Hellenthal - Tel. 02482 85 116. eMail: tourismus@hellenthal.de