The "Steffeln-Auel Runde" offers impressive insights into the volcanic past of the Eifel. Particularly noteworthy is the volcano garden, where exposed crater layers show the inner workings of a volcano. A historic quarry on the Killenberg completes the geological highlights of the tour.

Volcanic features in the Steffeln volcano garden

• The volcano garden is located directly on an extinct volcano, the "Steffelnkopf"
• You can see various volcanic rocks such as tephra, tuff, basalt and cinders up close here
• The site shows a complete eruption sequence - this is unique in Germany

The "Määrchenroute" near Ellscheid leads through an impressive volcanic landscape with maars, moors and lava domes. Highlights include the Celtic ring wall, the viewing platform, the Mürmes and the Demerather Drees volcanic acidulous well. The tour combines geological features with quiet moments to pause for a moment.

Special features of the Demerather Drees

• The Demerather Drees is a natural mineral spring
• The water of the Drees is highly carbonated (due to its volcanic origin), which can be directly recognized by the rising bubbles
• It contains minerals such as iron, sodium, calcium and magnesium, which gives it a slightly metallic taste

The hike around Laacher See impressively shows the region's volcanic past - visible in the CO₂-emitting mofettes and a historic flood tunnel. Information boards along the Georoute L explain the formation of the lake. The trail ends with a view of the Eifel landscape from the Lydia Tower.

The special feature of a "dormant" volcano

• The mofettes (cold CO₂ gas vents) at Lake Laach are clear evidence that the Laach volcano is still active - just not erupting
• Although the last eruption was around 10,930 years ago, the magma reservoir at depth has not yet cooled completely

• Carbon dioxide bubbles continuously rise in the water around the eastern shore of Lake Laach. This is particularly visible on windless days when the water ripples or CO₂ bubbles rise as if from a bubble bath

   

The two-day hike leads through a geologically impressive volcanic landscape. Highlights include the bubbling Wallender Born spring - a volcanic cold-water geyser - and the Meerfelder Maar, a volcanic crater lake that forms the crowning glory of the tour.

The "Brubbel"

• In contrast to hot geysers (e.g. in Iceland), the Wallende Born is not triggered by heat but by gas pressure
• It is therefore a so-called CO₂ geyser or mofette geyser, which is a geological rarity worldwide. It is fed by CO₂ pressure from underground, which causes water to "explode" to the surface at intervals
• The Brubbel lies on a concealed volcanic vent, through which only gases rise today - a so-called post-volcanic process.

The “Vulkanpfad” near Ettringen leads through an impressive volcanic landscape with a crater rim, basalt rocks and views of quarries. Geological highlights such as the Kottenheimer Winfeld and the Hartborn mineral spring bear witness to the region's fiery past.

Volcanic heritage

• The Kottenheimer Winfeld was one of the most important basalt quarries in the Eastern Eifel region
• It was formed by the eruption of a cinder cone in the Quaternary period, around 200,000 years ago, which produced large quantities of basalt lava
• The cooled basalt formed mighty basalt columns, which were ideal for the quarry

The hiking trail around the Riedener Kessel leads through an impressive volcanic landscape whose origins date back up to 440,000 years. Along the route, you will not only experience tranquil crater lakes and gentle mountain ranges, but also hike through the traces of huge eruptions that have shaped today's landscape. Geological panels along the way provide fascinating insights into the history of the formation of this special region.

Geological rarity

• The Riedener Kessel is one of the three large pumice volcanoes in the Eastern Eifel - alongside the Laacher See and the Wehrer Kessel
• The rocks look like basalt, but are chemically fundamentally different and are considered a geological rarity.