GB ADVENTURE REGION AROUND THE National Park Eifel „Familien- THE LEISURE GUIDE 2020 einkauf? Ist doch kinderleicht.“ Shoppen und genießen im StadtCenter Düren – mit dem Besten aus Mode, Lifestyle und Gastronomie. www.erlebnis-region.de MEC METRO-ECE Centermanagement GmbH & Co. Am KG, Albertussee40549 1, Düsseldorf Telefon 02443–494322 · www.mechernich-eifel.de StadtCenter Düren: Kuhgasse 8, Düren, über 50 Geschäfte, 700 Parkplätze. www.stadtcenter-dueren.de SCD_663.023_AZ_Shopping_Familie_2CL_140x210_PZ.indd 1 11.11.19 18:53 CONTENTS 3 Nationalpark NATIONALPARK EIFEL Eifel WORTH SEEING THE RECREATION GUIDE 2020 FAMILY & ADVENTURE WATER & WELLNESS Dear readers, We are pleased to present you the new edition of our popular leisure guide. You may have noticed LAND & EXPERIENCE that this edition feels different. What is new this year is that this edition was printed on sustainab- le paper for the first time. This paper bears the Nationalpark Eifel, experiencing Blue Angel seal. This seal is awarded to so-called g nature, observing animals, discovering plants, finding rest. non-food products that are environmentally fri- endly in their entirety and also meet high stan- : ) Offers for families, suitable for children, offers fun and entertainment dards of health protection and usability. The Blue for all in the family. Angel guarantees that the products and services meet high standards in terms of environmental, Great panoramic views, impressive N mountains and elevated plains, steep health and usability characteristics. gorges and smooth valleys. Point of interest of historical As usual, you will find all the attractions in and or cultural importance, rarely around the Eifel National Park, sorted by catego- mentioned in history books. ry. There is something for everyone. We wish you Barrier-free a lot of fun reading and experiencing! R Your leisure guide team The location of the individual C5 companies is shown on the map inside. Publisher: Weiss-Verlag GmbH & Co. Nordeifel Tourismus GmbH Editorial staff: M. Nielen KGin co-operation with: Bahnhofstraße 13 · 53925 Kall Advertising: Monschauer Land Touristik e. V. Phone +49 (0)2441/994 570 Katrin Möllers & Daniela Garbotz Seeufer 3 · 52152 Simmerath [email protected] Information and advertisement Phone +49 (0)2473/9377-0 www.nordeifel-tourismus.de booking for the 2021 edition: [email protected] Concept/design: Katrin Möllers www.monschauerland.de [email protected], 52152 Simmerath Phone +49 (0)2472/982 269 oder Rureifel-Tourismus e. V. Publisher: Weiss-Verlag GmbH & Co.KG [email protected] Nationalpark-Tor Hans-Georg-Weiss-Straße 7 Daniela Garbotz An der Laag 4 · 52396 Heimbach 52156 Monschau Phone +49 (0)2472/982 461 Phone +49 (0)2446/805 790 Management director: Printing: Weiss-Druck GmbH & Co.KG [email protected] Martina Schmitz, Alexander Lenders 52156 Monschau www.rureifel-tourismus.de Head of publishing: Andreas Rohfleisch Circulation: 105.000 Exemplare Edited and published text, photos and advertisements may be reproduced or reprinted only with the expressive approval of editor and publisher. Cover © Tourismus NRW e.v. 4 EIFEL NATIONAL PARK Under the motto “let nature be nature areas, it also has enough space to develop something is taking place in the Eifel freely. This is also of advantage for a great National Park, which to this extent is uni- number of animal species and plant varie- que in North-Rhine Westphalia. Here ties. Depending on light, temperature, nature can freely develop on huge areas nutrient and water supply, oak, maple, ash, according to its own laws. Experience this alder or willow mix into the natural forest exciting process of newly developing wil- derness from close up! Watch wild animals, The Eifel National Park roam through natural beech mixed forests Area: 11,000 hectare and enjoy the panorama views of impressi- Founded: 2004 as national park under ve lake areas or the open grassland of the development. From 2034 at the latest on Dreiborn high plain. Explore the region on more than 75 % process protection will your own initiative or let you be guided by be applicable. our competent rangers or forest guides. Animal and plant species: More than 10,000, of which 2,300 are endangered. Virgin forest of the future For example feral cat, middle spotted 1,500 years ago Central Europe mainly was wood pecker, wall lizard, wart biter, St. characterized by beech forests. After Bernard’s lily, German hound’s tongue. hundreds of years of cultivation the beech Path network: 240 km hiking trails, of today only covers 15 percent of the German which 110 km are cycling tracks and 65 wood area. In the Eifel National Park the km bridle paths, 2 cross-country ski runs beech is not only strictly protected in large In the Eifel National Park extended forests and open landscapes are on their way back to wilderness. Experience this exciting process by yourself! Photo: D. Ketz EIFEL NATIONAL PARK 5 over the entire National Park. It mainly lives hidden deep inside the woods. The National Park and its environment accommodate a substantial reed deer popu- lation. With some luck and patience they can be watched here in the wild. Dark Sky Park Eifel National Park In many places it is hardly possible to expe- rience stars and their constellations. In the Eifel National Park, however, the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye. Since 2014 the National Park has been recognized as inter- national Dark Sky Park. The astronomical observatory regularly offers programmes for experiencing the starry sky at night (see page 19). The National Park can be experienced on 240 Experiencing the kilometres hiking paths. Photo: D.Ketz National Park communities. Where old trees slowly die on your own initiative off, the next unguided forest generation emerges. Visitors can experience the National Park by means of a network of hiking, cycling, In areas where currently no local deciduous bridling and cross-country ski tracks. trees are growing, the National Park admi- Arrow-shaped signs show the way to the nistration supports the development of next destination. For individual planning natural forests. Also the bark beetle acce- the hiking map of the National Park or the lerates the development processes towards interactive route planner on the website of a local beech mixed forest. Bark beetles the National Park can be used. Here you weaken spruce trees and can even make them die and thus provide room for local tree varieties. From the middle of the 19th century spruces were introduced into the Eifel. Feral cat, black stork and co. More than 2,200 endangered animal spe- cies and plant varieties are living in the Eifel National Park. The beaver builds its lodges in the waters of the National Park region and kites draw their circles. In the low mountain streams brown trout, lam- preys and minnows are found. The black The meadows of the Dreiborn high plain offer many stork especially likes flat tams to look for butterfly species, e.g. the dovetail, an important food. Also the feral cat is widely spread all nutritional basis. Photo: A.Pardey 6 EIFEL NATIONAL PARK find ideas for hiking and cycling tours of Vogelsang, Dreiborn high plain different difficulty levels and an overview and Wollseifen of all National Park facilities and hosts. USurrounded by the Eifel National Park there is the former NS-"order castle" Wilderness trail Vogelsang. Erected in 1934, it was intended In four-days stages the wilderness trail to serve as training centre for junior Natio- leads through the entire National Park nal Socialist Party members. After the end Eifel. On hiking paths between 18 and 25 of the war, Belgian military took over the kilometres the total variety of habitats in site and created the 3,300 hectare military the National Park can be discovered. Page training area around Vogelsang. 104. For 60 years the Dreiborn high plain was not accessible to the public to a great extent, due to the military exercises that Creation path took place in the area. Today the area, as a At ten stations the 2.5 kilometre creation part of the National Park, can again be path „searching for the traces of life“ experienced by visitors on a marked path allows a spiritual and meditative access to network. nature. An accessible labyrinth invites to The former village of Wollseifen lies in the walk “the way to the centre”. The entry middle of the Dreiborn high plain. When point to the creation path is located in the military training area was established, Simmerath-Erkensruhr/ Hirschrott. 120 families had to leave their homes Parking space is found on the car park Fin- within a few weeks. In the old school, an kenauel in 1.5 km distance. exhibition commemorates the fateful histo- ry of the people. Every first and third Sun- day of the month, from April to October, Bird watch station carriages commute between Vogelsang and Between Gemünd and the Urft dam wall an Wollseifen. A ramp also makes it possible observation post invites to enjoy the far for people in wheelchairs to travel with and free of charge view over the water accompanying persons. reservoir and its world of birds through telescopes. With some luck you can not only watch grey herons, great crested gre- Guided hiking tours bes and dugs, but also cormorants. Ranger tours Several times a week rangers of the Natio- nal Park offer guided tours – free of char- ge. Previous announcement is not necessa- ry. With their experiences and stories, they make the hikes a unique experience. Very familiar with the secrets of nature, the ran- gers lead tours of varied lengths and diffi- culty levels through the National Park. An overview is found on pages 10-11. Guided tours for groups Whether with friends, clubs, business, children or senior groups – the voluntary forest guides take good care of all groups.