Discover Auw bei Prüm: Reservoir, fishing and history

Auw bei Prüm offers a variety of reasons to explore the area: a memorial connected to an event in 1627 and activities at the Auw Reservoir. Rest areas and benches along the accessible hiking trail invite you to linger. Fishing is permitted at the lake with a fishing license; the fishing pier brings together the themes of fishing and accessibility. This allows you to decide whether outdoor exercise, fishing or local history should be the focus of your trip.

A historic place of remembrance

The memorial on the former court hill commemorates Auw’s pastor Michael Campensis. In April 1627, he was convicted of witchcraft on Radsberg and executed by burning. The site and the precisely recorded date give this act of remembrance a specific historical context. At the same time, the memorial illustrates how closely the history of a place can be connected to the fate of individual people.

Those interested in local history will find a different way to discover Auw here than at the reservoir: the focus is not on an activity, but on remembering Campensis and his execution. The memorial can therefore be included in your travel plans as a distinct point of interest.

Hiking trail, rest areas and fishing at the Auw Reservoir

Rest areas and benches along the accessible Auw Reservoir hiking trail invite you to take a break and linger. This gives you the opportunity to pause during your hike rather than viewing the trail merely as a route between two points. If you would like to spend time outdoors together, you can include these places to rest in your plans without assuming a specific walking time or level of difficulty.

Fishing is permitted at the Auw Reservoir with a fishing license. The accessible fishing pier is located directly on the hiking trail; it is barrier-free and also suitable for wheelchair users. Both its location on the trail and its stated accessibility are important points to consider when planning your visit. If you would like to fish, check the current local fishing regulations in advance.

More to explore in the wider destination of Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm

The wider destination of Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm also offers a variety of cultural interests. The Mühlenberger Stollen Bleialf visitor mine combines a mining trail with numerous information panels about the area’s mining history. During the one-hour tours of the mine, visitors learn about ore mining in Bleialf, from geology to applied technology. The trail panels and the tour offer different perspectives: outside, the history of mining in the area; inside the mine, its geological and technical context. Check the current tour dates before your trip.

The Devonium in Waxweiler uses a playful approach to explain complex concepts in palaeontology and the science of fossil life. The Westwall Museum focuses on a different subject: it is housed across three accessible floors of a bunker and presents a military history exhibition in underground passageways and rooms. This gives you clearly distinct interests to choose from—fossil life, mining history or military history—without conflating these attractions with the experiences in Auw.

The water castle of Rittersdorf, around 700 years old, has remained almost unchanged since it was built and offers an impressive picture of late-medieval and early modern Renaissance residential culture. The castle also has a privately run restaurant serving fine regional cuisine. If you would like to dine there, check before your trip whether the restaurant is open. The castle therefore combines a historic building with a dining option; these experiences differ from remembering Campensis and enjoying activities at the reservoir.

Discover more destinations: Seffern, Schloßheck, Sinspelt, Niederpierscheid, Sankt Thomas, Kyllburg, Echtershausen, Winterspelt.

Back to the wider travel guide: Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm.