Special moments in nature

The Eifel is rich in quiet moments of nature - and its flora is as diverse as its landscapes. In the damp stream valleys of the north, wild daffodils herald the start of the flowering season in spring. Later, on limestone-rich slopes in the south, rare orchids unfurl their delicate splendor between the end of April and the beginning of October. On nutrient-poor plateaus, the juniper defies the wind in striking form and in full bloom towards the end of August to the beginning of September - a relic of centuries-old pasture culture. In late summer, the heather colors entire areas purple. And where the earth has been shaped by ore mining, the galmei violet, a botanical rarity that is only native to this area, can be seen from May to August. 
Every place tells its own flowering story - sometimes hidden, often surprising, always unique.

You can experience the diversity of plants in very different places in the Eifel. 
You can discover rare orchids and junipers on a guided llama hike in Schönecker Schweiz or on a hike on the EifelSpur near Blankenheim. 
You can find the galmei violet on the Schlangenberg near Stolberg. 
You can admire the daffodils in the Oleftal valley and in the Perlenbach and Fuhrtsbachtal valleys. 
And you can see the heath landscape in summer on a hike on the Traumpfad Wacholderweg trail.
You can encounter the "Eifelgold" (gorse) on the hiking route of the same name in the Irsental valley.

They are rare, sensitive and fascinating: the moors of the Eifel are among the most pristine habitats in the region. They lie hidden between the plateaus of the north and the mountain ranges of the Schneifel - sometimes as an open raised bog with a wide view, sometimes as a mysterious moorland forest with narrow footbridges and moss-covered ground.
Peat mosses, cotton grass and sundew characterize the landscape, adders sunbathe in moorland clearings. Narrow wooden footbridges lead visitors through open raised bogs and hidden moorland forests. The sounds become quieter, your footsteps more attentive, your thoughts slower. Moors are living archives of the landscape - they store water, bind CO₂, preserve pollen, traces and history.

At the same time, they are vulnerable. Many moors in the Eifel could only be preserved or revived through many years of renaturation. Anyone who walks over footbridges through these special biotopes today will not only encounter unique nature.

An impressive array of wildlife thrives among ancient beech forests, moors, and volcanic cones. If you keep your eyes open, you’ll encounter red deer in dense forests, hear the drumming of the black woodpecker, or see eagle owls gliding silently through the twilight. Kingfishers and dippers inhabit the natural streams, while swallowtails and blue butterflies flutter over the heaths.

Particularly impressive is the return of species that had once disappeared: beavers are damming streams again, wildcats roam the undergrowth, and with a little luck, you might even spot a lynx. The Eifel offers refuges for endangered species—in protected areas like the Eifel National Park or on quiet trails through the Kalkeifel.