Discover Birgel: Hiking at Hirschbergsattel

Birgel’s Hirschbergsattel nature and adventure hiking area offers three signposted routes measuring 6.0, 9.3 and 11.2 kilometres. Fitness stations and botanical information stations complement the trail network, combining exercise with insights into the world of plants.

Hiking at Hirschbergsattel

The route lengths provide a clear guide to choosing a walk: at 6.0 kilometres, one route is the shortest; at 11.2 kilometres, another is the longest. The third measures 9.3 kilometres. The trails pass through a changing landscape of fields, meadows and forests. Wildflower beds and viewpoints are also part of the scenery. The maximum difference in elevation is 120 metres.

The stations offer different points of interest: fitness stations focus on exercise, while the botanical information stations draw attention to plants. Together with the varied route lengths, they create a diverse hiking area where not every trail has to offer the same experience.

A stop at Bielenhof Alm

Routes 1 and 2 lead to Bielenhof Alm. There, you’ll find a self-service herb garden and a petting zoo with native animals. For families who enjoy including animals in a day of hiking, the petting zoo can be an additional attraction. Visitor facilities may vary by season; check access before your visit.

Cycle routes through Birgel and beyond

Cyclists will also find specific routes in Birgel: the Kyll Valley Cycle Route passes through the village. Birgel also provides access, with gentle gradients, to the Vennbahn, Kalkeifel and Ahr Valley cycle routes. Check current trail conditions and connections before setting off.

The Vulkaneifel as a wider travel destination

The wider Vulkaneifel travel destination is defined by volcanic landscapes in many forms. To date, 77 maars have been identified there, along with 350 eruption centres, around 270 of which date from the more recent phase. The Ulmen Maar marks the most recent volcanic eruption in the Vulkaneifel, which took place around 10,900 years ago.

Individual bodies of water also illustrate the region’s diversity: the Windsborn crater lake near Bettenfeld is the only natural crater lake north of the Alps. The Gemünden Maar covers an area of around seven hectares and is the smallest of the three famous Eifel Eyes.

Hiking and mountain biking

The Vulkaneifel trails lead to scenic highlights on both sides of the Eifelsteig. They are marked and signposted, and include half-day walks, full-day hikes and multi-day treks. One specific stage of the Eifelsteig is Stage 11: it runs from Daun to Manderscheid and is 23.4 kilometres long. The Vulcano Trail, by contrast, is a 26.2-kilometre circular route east of Schalkenmehren; check current trail conditions before setting out.

For mountain biking, the Vulkaneifel Trail Park has a network of around 750 kilometres of trails with more than 17,500 metres of elevation gain. It offers a different way to experience activity in the region from the signposted hiking trails.

Museums, geology and castles

The Eifel Volcano Museum in Daun displays three-dimensional landscape models of cinder cones, maars and mineral springs, as well as exhibits on West Eifel volcanism. The Strohn Volcano House is an interactive museum; its geological themes include a lava fissure wall around 30,000 years old, approximately six metres long and four metres high. The Natural History Museum in Gerolstein, described as the Eifel’s largest and oldest geomuseum, displays stone records of the region’s geological history across three floors.

Buildings and landscapes sit side by side throughout the Vulkaneifel: the ruins of Ulmen Castle rise above the steep shore of the Ulmen Maar, with parts of the upper castle still standing. The narrow Lieser Valley separates the two Manderscheid castles and shapes their interplay of nature and culture. At the Strohn lava bomb, visitors can explore how it formed and experience the effects of volcanism in the Eifel; local access conditions may vary.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Hallschlag, Ormont, Jünkerath, Lissendorf, Feusdorf, Esch, Kerschenbach, Scheid.

Go to the overview of the wider travel area: Obere Kyll.