Oos between springs, Roman history and Rehkreuz

Oos combines nature experiences, cycling and local history into different focal points for your stay. The Quellenweg trail offers a manageable hike through woodland and streams, while the long road cycling tour requires considerably more demanding sporting preparation. Historical connections lead to St. Rochus Chapel, Roman Oos, known as Ausava, and Rehkreuz. This allows you to shape your time in Oos according to your interests, balancing activity, landscapes and history.

Nature route: The Quellenweg is a moderately difficult 6.6 km hike with a duration of two hours.

Route: The trail loops around Oos, follows the Oosbach stream and returns to Müllenborn.

Landscape: The Quellenweg leads through deep Eifel forests, past springs and along the meandering Oosbach stream.

Cycling: The „90 km road cycling tour“ is a difficult road cycling tour covering 90.6 km.

Chapel history: The bell tower of St. Rochus Chapel was formerly the watchtower of a rest station on the former Roman road from Trier to Cologne and is the oldest building in the Vulkaneifel district.

Roman Oos: Roman Oos, Ausava, was a fortified rest station on the major Roman road from Trier to Cologne; on Roman maps, Ausava appears as a fortified main settlement, rest station and trading centre.

Rehkreuz: The year 1692 is engraved on Rehkreuz, and it was renovated in its present form in 1992.

The Quellenweg as a compact nature route

For clear day planning, the Quellenweg offers a well-defined focus. Its classification as a moderately difficult hike and its two-hour duration make it an option for visitors who want to experience nature without planning a full-day outing.

The alternating woodland sections and stretches along the water are particularly characteristic. The Oosbach meanders in curving bends. Together with the springs, this creates a landscape in which not only the distance covered but also the sequence of natural areas shapes the outing.

A different plan for the road cycling tour

The „90 km road cycling tour“ sets a completely different focus. At 90.6 km in length and classified as a difficult road cycling tour, it is not merely an extension of the hiking theme but an independent sporting undertaking. Those who choose this focus are planning a considerably longer and more physically demanding outing than the Quellenweg.

The difference between the two routes is particularly helpful when making a personal choice: the hike represents observing nature within a more compact timeframe, while the road cycling tour represents endurance and a long distance on a racing bike. The two options therefore have different temporal and sporting characteristics.

Oos and the Trier–Cologne Roman road

The history of St. Rochus Chapel is closely connected with Oos's former transport function. The bell tower was formerly the watchtower of the rest station that once stood on the former Roman road from Trier to Cologne. Its status as the oldest building in the Vulkaneifel district gives the chapel special historical significance within the village.

Roman Oos, Ausava, also represents this connection to the long-distance road. Ausava was a fortified rest station on the major Roman road from Trier to Cologne. On Roman maps, the site also appears as a fortified main settlement, rest station and trading centre. Oos can therefore be viewed not only through its present-day landscape but also through its former role as a station on an important transport route.

For your stay, this creates a cultural and historical focus that differs from the nature themes of the Quellenweg. The chapel and Ausava represent different periods: the bell tower points to the former rest station, while Ausava refers to Roman Oos.

Rehkreuz on the hill

Another historical reference point is Rehkreuz. It stands on a hill, belongs to the municipality of Oos and is located not far from the isolated settlement of „Denkelseifen“. The engraved year 1692 points to an older phase of its history. At the same time, Rehkreuz was renovated in its present form in 1992. The two years therefore belong to different periods of its history.

Its location on a hill and its proximity to Denkelseifen give Rehkreuz its own spatial context within the municipality.

St. Rochus Chapel and the St. Rochus fair

In addition to its historical significance, St. Rochus Chapel also has a religious function: services are held there regularly.

In Oos, the traditional St. Rochus fair took place on 16, 17 and 18 August 2024.

Further destinations for comparison are Duppach, Berlingen, Hinterhausen, Neroth, Kalenborn-Scheuern, Gees, Kopp and Salm.

For the overarching travel overview: Gerolstein.