Discover Erkensruhr

Erkensruhr combines experiences in nature, brief cultural highlights, and varied trails. Since 2004, the village has been surrounded by Eifel National Park.

Between spruce forest, mixed beech forest, and rocky outcrops

One particularly memorable experience is the Creation Trail. It leads through dark spruce forest and old mixed beech forest, passing lichen- and moss-covered rocky outcrops. Along the way, there are ten stations with short biblical and literary texts for meditation. This creates a trail that combines observing nature with quiet moments of reading and differs from a straightforward hike along a route.

The Creation Trail ends at the walkable “Path to the Centre” stone labyrinth. From there, the view stretches far across Eifel National Park. The labyrinth provides a clear conclusion and offers another reason to experience the trail not merely as a connection between two places, but as an attraction in its own right.

Trails for different day plans

Several differently designed options are available in Erkensruhr for planning your trip. Village Circular Trail 65 is approximately 6.7 kilometres long and takes around 2.5 hours. With this length and duration, the circular walk can be planned as a programme item in its own right.

Theme 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 Theme Tour 3. The tour passes several disused slate mines where bats have found a habitat. The trail therefore combines the landscape, historic traces of slate mining, and a direct insight into a habitat used by bats.

Another option is Trail 75, “Püngelbach”. It leads from Einruhr through the Erkensruhr valley to the forest chapel in Hirschrott. Depending on whether you prefer a village circular walk, a theme tour, or a trail through the valley, you can choose your accommodation according to your preferred daily rhythm and plan your excursions around the respective starting points.

Village history and local tradition

Erkensruhr was established in the first decades of the 19th century as the youngest village settlement in the Monschau region. This classification gives the village a historical background that can be combined with experiences of the landscape. A special local tradition awaits you at Et Backes: fresh wood-fired bread is available there on the first Saturday of every month. This regular date provides a specific reference point for planning your month and complements the trails with a culinary visit.

A stay in Erkensruhr can therefore be arranged in different ways, depending on your preferences: with the ten stations of the Creation Trail, the “Path to the Centre” stone labyrinth, a village circular walk, the valley trail to the forest chapel, or a visit to Et Backes. When looking for a holiday apartment, you can consider which of these experiences should be the focus of your stay and how much time you would like to allow for trails, observing nature, and village history.

Discover more destinations

For your further search, you can also explore Eschweiler, Monschau, Würselen, Rurberg, Baesweiler, Lammersdorf, Aachen, and Roetgen.

Back to the main travel overview: Aachen.