National Park, Forest and Rock
Since 2004, Erkensruhr has been surrounded by Eifel National Park. The Creation Trail leads through dark spruce forest, old mixed beech forest and past rocky outcrops covered with lichens and moss. Spruce forest, mixed beech forest and rocky outcrops therefore shape the specific landscape along this trail.
The Creation Trail Connects Nature and Meditation
The Creation Trail comprises ten stations with short biblical and literary texts for meditation. In addition to the landscape, these texts contribute their own spiritual and literary content to the trail. At the end is the walkable stone labyrinth “Path to the Centre”. From there, the view extends far across Eifel National Park. Meditation and the labyrinth give the Creation Trail its own thematic and spatial dimension alongside the forest and rock.
Several Trails, Different Starting Points
Themed Tour 3 begins in Hirschrott at the end of Erkensruhr or Hirschrott roads. From the “Finkenauel” hikers’ car park in Erkensruhr, it is approximately 1.5 kilometres along the road to the starting point of Themed Tour 3. The approximate distance is to be understood as the distance along the road. Anyone using Finkenauel as a starting point can include this additional road section to the start of the tour in Hirschrott in their own planning.
Village Walk and Valley Trail
Village Walk 65 in Erkensruhr is approximately 6.7 kilometres long and takes about 2.5 hours. For this circular walk, the approximate figures form a combined distance and time frame that can be taken into account when planning the day. Trail 75 “Püngelbach” leads from Einruhr through the Erkensruhr valley to the forest chapel in Hirschrott.
Slate Tunnels as Part of the Landscape
Several disused slate tunnels lie along Themed Tour 3 and have become a habitat for bats. On this section of the tour, both the disused slate tunnels and the bat habitat there are therefore part of the landscape.
Historical Connection to the Village
Erkensruhr emerged in the first decades of the 19th century as the youngest village settlement in the Monschau region. For those interested in culture, this historical connection complements the biblical and literary texts of the Creation Trail.
Et Backes and Stone-Oven Bread
At Et Backes, fresh stone-oven bread is available on the first Saturday of every month. Anyone incorporating this baking day into their own stay plans can plan around a fixed monthly date in Erkensruhr.
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