Bell: Forest Trails and Village History

In Bell, an extensive hiking area and distinctive landmarks of village history come together. The open high forest of beech and oak adds a natural touch; tuff-stone architecture, a chapel and the baking craft tell other sides of the village’s story. This lets you shape your stay around different interests, without any single theme defining Bell on its own.

Forest Trails and Paths around Bell

The hiking area covers around 150 hectares and consists mainly of open high forest. Its flora and fauna are considered exceptionally diverse. The network of hiking trails includes benches, barbecue areas and shelters for hikers—practical places to stop if you would like to plan opportunities to rest during a hike.

Two routes can be compared by length and starting point: the 14.2-kilometre Waldseepfad Rieden has its quickest access point from Bell at the Gänsehals hikers’ car park. For the 12.9-kilometre Vierberge Tour, the quickest access point from Bell is at the village square. The Vierberge Tour is therefore 1.3 kilometres shorter, and the starting points are also different. Check the route and starting point again before planning your hike.

Nearby, note the older Gänsehalsturm and the shelter attached to it: both have been privately owned since 1960 and are not open to the public. This restriction applies to the older tower and its shelter.

Churches, Village Square and Baking Tradition

The Catholic parish church of St Florinus is an impressive tuff-stone building. Construction began in 1913; the church was completed and consecrated on 10 July 1916. The late-Romanesque St Nicholas Chapel has a much older history: the former Alte Kirche Bell was first mentioned in a document in 1249.

The village square, built in 2010 on Hummesgasse, features a historic forge and a fountain complex with Bell’s landmark, “einer Jäß”. The baking tradition is also evident in several specific details. The demonstration baking oven in the area of Hauptstraße, Wehrer Straße and Gänsehalsstraße can be visited; some of the tools used by oven builders are also on display beside it. The craft tradition continues to this day: three companies carry it on using a different method, the steam steel baking oven. The original Bell stone baking oven at the village square is also still in use today.

Another distinctive place is the Hasenbrunnen, also known colloquially as Hassebuhr. It lies in the south of Bell at the end of Brunnenstraße and is the source of the Bellerbach stream. A visit here connects village history with a local landscape landmark.

Summer Tradition and Finding Accommodation

The parish fair is traditionally celebrated on the third Sunday in July. Over the decades, it has become established as a summer village fair in Bell and the region. If you would like to plan your trip around it, check the specific date and programme for the year in question.

If you are planning around different interests, you can weigh up these priorities together in advance. For hiking, route length and starting points are two practical ways to compare options.

Culture in the Wider Destination of Mayen-Koblenz

The wider destination of Mayen-Koblenz also offers distinct historical and cultural attractions. Genoveva Castle in Mayen, one of the city’s landmarks, was built in 1280 by Heinrich von Finstingen, Archbishop of Trier. In the wider destination of Mayen-Koblenz, Sayn Abbey was founded around 1200, and its abbey church was consecrated in 1202. The abbey’s exterior paintings, dating from around 1255, are considered the best-preserved examples from the High Middle Ages in Germany.

Industrial history takes centre stage at Sayn Foundry: it is an anchor point on the European Route of Industrial Heritage and the only monument in Rhineland-Palatinate to receive this distinction. Following restoration, modern exhibitions and multimedia presentations invite visitors to explore; Sayn Foundry also offers guided tours and creative workshops. The New Museum at Sayn Castle has a children’s area where visitors can try on historical costumes. Scientific topics are explored at the Lava-Dome, the German Volcano Museum in Mendig, and the Geyser Museum: across five exhibition areas, it explains how the world’s highest cold-water geyser works.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Rieden.

Go to the overview of the wider destination: Mendig.