✔Distance hike ✔Short stages ✔7 days ✔approx. 60.8 km ✔Blankenheim - Gerolstein
Hiking on the Eifelsteig in shortened stages from Blankenheim to Gerolstein
On the approximately 60 kilometers from Blankenheim to the fountain town of Gerolstein, you can enjoy a week of relaxed hikes that, at 9 to 14 kilometers per day, won't overtax anyone. Your feet will almost always touch ground that was once a warm tropical sea with numerous reefs in the Devonian period. Stromatopores, an already extinct, sponge-like group of animals and corals were their builders. Today, fossil-rich limestones bear witness to this prehistoric era. The Celts and Romans settled here thousands of years later, when the ground had long since been raised to become one of the most picturesque parts of the Eifel.
You start in the half-timbered and castle town of Blankenheim and see a unique feature of the Eifel: the Ahr rises in the middle of the town below a house. Nature and culture are one.
From the banks of the Ahr, you head up to the unique juniper landscape, which stretches from Alendorf to Wiesbaum like a "Tuscany of the Eifel" with its fragrant flora. Sweeping views and a chapel lined with pure gold await you along the way. Hillesheim , the capital of German-language regional crime novels and surrounded by a walkable town wall, will tempt you to take a break at Café Sherlock. And at the end, you will arrive in Gerolstein . The town is not only famous for its mineral water, but also for its spectacular rocky backdrop of vertically rising dolomite rock. The Kasselburg castle with its eagle and wolf park and the remains of a Celtic-Roman sanctuary are also enthroned here. It is dedicated to Caiva, a matriarchal deity.
You will enjoy the hospitality of comfortable accommodation at all stages. Packed lunches, luggage transfer and more sweeten your hiking vacation.
In the cellar of one half-timbered-house from 1726 you can find the spring of the river Ahr.
The imposing castle dominates the image of Blankenheim. Finds indicate that a Roman fort previously stood here.
Remarkable is the oakportal, the mosaic work inside the church and the artistic stonework.
The Dreimühlen waterfall is probably the most interesting waterfall in the Eifel. It was formed from limestone deposits of three spring tributaries of the Ahbach. Due to the constant deposition, the sinter bank is constantly "growing", which is where the name "growing waterfall" comes from.
The European Example town of Hillesheim has a host of attractions to offer: The historical area of the town, the town fortifications from the 13th century, the market places, the leisure area "Bolsdorfer Tälchen", St. Martin's Church.
Café, small dishes and soups
The millstone caves are located northwest of Gerolstein, between the districts Müllenborn and Roth. For those who want to get really deep insights into the interior of the volcano Eifel, a visit to the Mühlstein caves is a must.
The Buchenlochhöhle is located in the nature reserve of the Gerolstein Dolomites. The cave was washed out of the rock millions of years ago by the dissolving power of groundwater and is open all year round.
The Helenenquelle on the Kyll Cycle Path near Gerolstein Town Hall is a popular resting place for cyclists and hikers. The fresh mineral water comes from a depth of approx. 90 m and can be drunk free of charge from April-October from the brass tap. Here it is worth taking a break and the park is ideal for a small picnic in nature.
The rocks “Hustley”, “Munterley”, “Drohende Ley”, “Große Kanzel” and “Auberg” shape the cityscape from afar and form Gerolstein’s landmark. The most famous peak of the Gerolstein Dolomites is the "Munterley" - with an altitude of 482 meters.
The combination of travel services offered to you is a package tour within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2015/2302.
You can therefore make use of all EU rights that apply to package tours. Information on your main rights under Directive (EU) 2015/2302.
Eifel Tourismus GmbH
Kalvarienbergstraße 1
Prüm