Laacher See

Deep underground, there is a rumbling. A quiet growl can be heard. It grows louder and louder. The earth shakes. Stronger and stronger. It swells up, until suddenly a massive explosion tears a deep crater into the landscape north of present-day Mendig. A huge column of ash darkens the sky. For days, pumice and ash rain down all over Europe, followed by glowing hot lava that pours over the surrounding valleys and villages. Where once pine, birch, and poplar trees grew, nothing remains but a barren lunar landscape.
So or something similar must have been the case when, 12,900 years ago, the last volcanic eruptions in the Eifel left their marks and destroyed all life in the region. The Laacher See volcano spewed gases, pumice, and rock debris high into the air several times, after rising magma had encountered water-bearing layers at a depth of just over three kilometers. Had it remained that way, a maar (volcanic lake) would likely have formed where today the Laacher See invites you to swim, like the approximately 70 that still exist in the Eifel today. But the earth would not rest. The ash columns collapsed, and glowing flows of molten rock, at temperatures of up to 500 degrees Celsius, filled the valleys toward Brohltal and Pellenz.
Later, over the course of millennia, the huge crater finally filled with water, and the Laacher See was formed. With an area of about 3.3 square kilometers and a depth of more than 50 meters, it is the largest lake in Rhineland-Palatinate and a popular destination for bathers, campers, and those seeking relaxation, as well as visitors to the nearby Benedictine Abbey Maria Laach, of which the Laacher See is a part. In the reed-covered and lily-filled shore zones, rare water birds can also be observed every year.
Today, the cooled lava flows, also known as trass, still testify to the time of the eruption. These can be visited in the trass caves in Brohltal and at the ancient Roman mining site Meurin . The central attraction of the volcanic park, which stretches through the entire East Eifel with more than twenty sights, is the German Volcano Museum Lava Dome in Mendig. The eruption of the Laacher See volcano 12,900 years ago was the last in the history of the Eifel volcanoes. Since then, there has been no rumbling beneath the earth's surface. However, rowers and walkers at the eastern shore of the Laacher See repeatedly observe a deceptive bubbling. Regularly, carbon dioxide, known as mud volcanoes, rises to the surface. For the volcanoes have not disappeared. They are merely "asleep."

A day at the Laacher See...
The Laacher See is a popular local recreation area and is used for swimming, sailing, surfing, hiking, and camping. Motorboats are prohibited on the lake. Access to the water is at the northern shore. There is also the "Laacher See" campsite and a mini-golf course located there.
The path along the lakeshore and the other circular trails are frequently used by joggers, hikers, and Nordic walkers. Those who want to enjoy the beauty of the lake landscape in peace have the best chances on weekdays.

Swimming and bathing
Bathing in the Laacher See is only permitted at the designated bathing area of the Laacher See campsite according to the legal regulation. Here, the German Life Saving Society, or DLRG, has the appropriate means to help people in need. Additionally, there is knowledge of potential underwater dangers in the area of the campsite. At other locations of the Laacher See, this is not the case regarding the flora as well as the morphology of the lake underwater.
For further information, you can contact RCN Laacher See.

Travel sustainably! Use public transport! The bus stop "Maria Laach Parking" (Maria Laach, 56653 Glees) is located directly near the abbey church Maria Laach. More information on connections at the stop can be found at https://www.haltestellen-suche.de and at https://www.vrminfo.de.

Consideration and proper behavior in the nature reserve
Natural landscapes like the Laacher See offer a very special experiential value. Whether on foot or by bike - on beautiful days, nature seekers are drawn to wonderful places like the Laacher See. Unfortunately, this often does not come without consequences. Sports and recreational use can impair sensitive habitats and also pose a disturbance factor for many animal species. Therefore, consideration for nature is becoming increasingly important – not least to preserve the experiential value of the landscape for all. To counter unnecessary noise pollution and to protect both hikers and walkers, those seeking recreation are asked to exclusively use the designated parking areas.

Opening times

The Laacher See can be visited year-round.

The swimming area at the Laacher See campsite is open from April 1st - October 2nd. Opening hours may vary depending on the weather.

Price:

There is a rumbling deep in the earth. A low rumble can be heard. It gets louder and louder. The earth shakes. Stronger and stronger. It inflates until suddenly a huge explosion tears a deep crater into the landscape north of today's Mendig. A huge column of ash darkens the sky. For days, it rains pumice and ash all over Europe, followed by red-hot lava that pours over the surrounding valleys and villages. Where pines, birches and poplars once grew, nothing remains but a barren lunar landscape.

It must have been something like this 12,900 years ago when the last volcanic eruptions in the Eifel left their mark and destroyed all life in the region. On several occasions, the Laacher See volcano spewed gases, pumice and rock debris high into the air after rising magma hit water-bearing layers a good three kilometers below the surface. If it had stayed that way, a maar (volcanic lake) of the kind that still exists today in the Eifel (around 70 in the Eifel region) would have formed where Lake Laach now invites you to swim. But the earth did not rest. The columns of ash collapsed and streams of embers at temperatures of up to 500 degrees Celsius filled the valleys towards Brohltal and Pellenz.

Later, over the course of thousands of years, the huge crater finally filled with water and Lake Laach was formed. With a size of around 3.3 square kilometers and a water depth of more than 50 meters, it is the largest lake in Rhineland-Palatinate and a popular excursion destination for swimmers, campers and those seeking relaxation, as well as visitors to the nearby Benedictine abbey of Maria Laach, which owns Lake Laach. Rare water birds can also be observed every year in the reed-covered and water lily-covered shore areas.

The cooled lava flows, also known as trass, still bear witness to the time of the volcanic eruption. trass caves in the Brohl valley and in the old Meurin Roman mine can be visited. The central attraction of the volcano park, which extends through the entire Eastern Eifel with more than twenty sights, is the German Volcano Museum Lava Dome in Mendig. The eruption of the Laacher See volcano 12,900 years ago was the last in the history of the volcanic Eifel. Since then, there have been no more rumblings beneath the earth's surface. On the eastern shore of Lake Laach, however, rowers and walkers often observe a deceptive bubbling. Carbon dioxide, so-called mofettes, regularly rise to the surface here. This is because the volcanoes have not disappeared. They are just "sleeping".

A day at Lake Laach...
Lake Laach is a popular local recreation area and is used for swimming, sailing, surfing, hiking and camping. The lake is off-limits to motorboats. Access to the water is on the northern shore. It is also home to the "Laacher See" campsite and a mini golf course.
The path along the lakeshore and the other circular paths are popular with joggers, hikers and Nordic walkers. Those who want to enjoy the beauty of the lake landscape in peace and quiet have the best opportunities on weekdays.

Swimming and bathing
According to the legal regulations, swimming in Lake Laach is only permitted and possible at the bathing area of the Laacher See campsite . Here, the German Life Saving Association (DLRG) has the appropriate facilities to provide assistance to people in distress. In addition, knowledge of possible dangers under water is available in the area of the campsite. This is not the case in other parts of Lake Laach with regard to the flora and the morphology of the lake under water.
Further information is available from RCN Laacher See.