Katzwinkel: Streams, Trails and Eifel History

Katzwinkel reveals its character right in the village center: Burbach, Lanzbach and Ringelbach meet here to form the Gäsbach. There are also trails through the municipal area, notable reminders of local history and excursion destinations in the wider region. When planning a trip, you can distinguish between exploring Katzwinkel itself and taking longer trips in the wider Vulkaneifel destination.

Streams, woods and trails around Katzwinkel

The village lies at an elevation of about 460 to 490 meters above sea level. More than a third of Katzwinkel’s 385-hectare municipal area is wooded. There are around 7.5 kilometers of municipal hiking trails for walks and hikes. The Karl-Kaufmann Trail, Eifel Club Main Hiking Trail No. 2, runs for about 1.5 kilometers through the municipal area. These figures refer to different things: the 7.5 kilometers describe the local trail network, while the 1.5 kilometers give the length of this trail through the municipal area.

Katzwinkel is also connected to a network of cycling routes: the connection runs via the Ahr-Mosel Cycle Route and Cycle Route No. 30. This lets you plan your day around your preferred activity without confusing hiking and cycling routes. Trail and route details provide a practical starting point for planning; check local trail conditions before setting out.

Afelskreuz and local history

Afelskreuz lies about 1.5 kilometers northwest of Katzwinkel and can be reached via Hiking Trail 7. The 3.30-meter-high cross, made from wooden beams, stands in the woods on the ridge between Uess and the Lieserbach. It is located on an old Roman military road associated with a historic pilgrimage route to the tomb of Saint Matthias in Trier. A moderately difficult 9.9-kilometer circular hike passes the cross. If you want to compare the shorter local route information with a mapped circular hike, these are two clearly distinct route distances. Check local trail information before setting out.

Katzwinkel’s buildings also tell stories of different periods. The Catholic branch church of St. Catherine is a three-bay hall church dating from 1810, modified around 1950/60. East of the built-up area, on the road to Uess, stands the Heiligenhäuschen, a round, enclosed masonry structure. Archaeological finds indicate that the Katzwinkel area was inhabited more than 4,000 years ago. Finds near Scheidheck also point to settlement during the Roman period, from 50 BC to AD 500.

Egg singing on Whit Monday

A distinctive local tradition is Eiersingen, or egg singing. On Whit Monday, a chain of blown-out eggs is hung in the village center. The eggs collected during Eiersingen are pierced and blown out; they are then made into scrambled eggs seasoned with herbs, cooked in a pan and eaten on bread. The tradition combines a recurring custom with a specific regional dish.

The Vulkaneifel as the wider setting

The Vulkaneifel is known for its ridges, dense forests, clear streams, fragrant meadows and villages. So far, 77 maars have been identified in the region; 350 volcanic centers have also been counted, around 270 of them dating to the more recent phase. Ulmener Maar marks the most recent volcanic eruption in the Vulkaneifel, which took place about 10,900 years ago.

For hikers, the Vulkaneifel Paths provide another regional framework: in addition to the Eifelsteig, eight other paths are described as well-equipped hiking routes with high quality standards. The paths are marked and signposted and include half-day hikes, day hikes and multi-day hikes. By contrast, Katzwinkel’s municipal trails are for exploring the local area. The Moselle is about 20 kilometers from Katzwinkel and offers vineyards and castles as excursion destinations; most of the Eifel maars are no more than ten kilometers away, although distances vary from one to another.

Choose accommodation based on your planned stay

When looking for accommodation, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your trip: would you mainly like to explore Katzwinkel’s trails, buildings and traditions, or also include destinations across the wider Vulkaneifel region? Use the specific route and distance information to plan your days, then choose accommodation to suit your planned stay. This keeps the distinction between the village itself and the regional options clear.

Discover more destinations: Retterath, Lirstal, Nitz, Mannebach, Bereborn, Sassen, Zermüllen, Berenbach.

Back to the overview of the wider destination: Kelberg.