Herschbroich: Volcanic Cycle Route and Old Castle
Accommodation in Herschbroich
Herschbroich is located in the High Eifel, near the Nürburgring. Several themes come together here to help you plan your trip: the Eifel Volcanic Cycle Route passes through the village, a circular hiking trail returns via Herschbroich, and the Old Castle is associated with the region’s prehistory. This gives you a choice between cycling, hiking and a focus on history, without combining the two routes into a single tour.
Cycling the Eifel Volcanic Cycle Route
A municipal route description dated 24 October 2023 takes the Eifel Volcanic Cycle Route through the Adenau–Herschbroich–Quiddelbach–Nürburg corridor. Within Herschbroich, sections of the route follow the K21. After Herschbroich, the route crosses the L92 and continues towards Quiddelbach along a paved farm track.
The route runs from DĂĽmpelfeld on the Ahr to Bad Bertrich, passing through the NĂĽrburgring and Ulmen. Along the way, it passes through the Hocheifel-NĂĽrburgring and GesundLand Vulkaneifel holiday regions. This places the section near Herschbroich within a larger route network. The surface matters when choosing a bicycle: the Volcanic Cycle Route is not paved throughout and is therefore unsuitable for road bikes. The paved surface on the farm track towards Quiddelbach applies to this section, not the entire route. Route conditions can change; check the current route and surface before setting out.
The Old Castle and regional history
The Old Castle is considered a Celtic site that was probably used as a refuge fort. It is also associated with the prehistoric fortifications in Ahrweiler district. A tourism concept dated 22 September 2025 notes that no visible traces remain at the Old Castle. The presumed former function and the dated note about what is visible describe different aspects: its use as a refuge fort remains explicitly a probability, not a certainty.
The wider context: Ahrweiler
The wider destination of Ahrweiler broadens the picture beyond Herschbroich. Ahrweiler district is considered hilly and forested; its prehistory includes ring ramparts and promontory forts dating from the pre-Roman Iron Age. For historical and local-history enquiries about the region, the Ahrweiler District Archive serves as a local-history information and advisory center. These features relate to different geographical levels: the Old Castle is located in Herschbroich, while the ring ramparts, promontory forts and the archive’s advisory service concern Ahrweiler district.
A circular hike via Herschbroich
A circular hike starting in Adenau passes the NĂĽrburgring sections Kesselchen, Karussell and Schwalbenschwanz, then returns via Herschbroich. Adenau is therefore the stated starting point; Herschbroich lies on the return leg. This makes the hike a separate option alongside the cycling corridor, not simply an extension of it. Check the latest route information before hiking, as these details can also change.
Choose your base according to which of these types of tour is the focus of your stay, and check the latest route information when making specific plans.
Discover more destinations: Antweiler, Wershofen, Reifferscheid, Trierscheid, Niederadenau, Quiddelbach, Eichenbach, Meuspath.
Back to the main travel overview: Adenau.
