Bell between forest trails and village history

Bell combines an extensive hiking area with distinctive traces of village history and oven-building. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, consider Bell as a destination if you would like to focus your stay on nature and local history.

Forest Area and Hiking Trails

Bell has a hiking area of around 150 hectares. It consists mainly of open high forest with beech and oak trees; its flora and fauna are considered very diverse. This combination gives the area a distinct landscape character. The network of hiking trails includes benches, barbecue areas and shelters for hikers. If you enjoy exploring on foot, you will find various stopping points along the network, from places to sit to sheltered spots to rest.

Two routes can be distinguished by their length and starting point. The 14.2-kilometre Waldseepfad Rieden has its quickest access point from Bell at the Gänsehals hiker car park. The 12.9-kilometre Vierberge-Tour has its quickest access point from Bell at the Gemeindeplatz. The route lengths provide a practical guide for planning your day, without implying a specific walking time or level of difficulty.

Churches, Chapel and Oven-Building

The Catholic parish church of St Florinus is an imposing tuff-stone building. Construction began in 1913; the church was completed and consecrated on 10 July 1916. The Late Romanesque Nikolauskapelle has a much older historical connection: it was first mentioned in documentary records in 1249. This date marks its first documentary mention, not the start of construction. The two buildings offer different insights into the history of the village.

Oven-building is also one of Bell’s distinctive traditions. The demonstration oven in the area between Hauptstraße, Wehrer Straße and Gänsehalsstraße can be visited. A number of oven-builders’ tools are on display there alongside the oven. Bell’s oven-building tradition continues to this day: three companies carry it on using a different method, the steam steel oven. This is distinct from the original Beller stone oven on the Gemeindeplatz, which is still in operation today.

Village Landmarks and Visitor Information

The new village square, built in 2010 on Hummesgasse, features a historic forge and a fountain installation with Bell’s emblem, “einer Jäß”. Another striking feature is the Hasenbrunnen, also colloquially known as Hassebuhr. It lies south of Bell at the end of Brunnenstraße and is the source of the Bellerbach stream. These places make the village’s history visible through specific buildings and installations, beyond its churches and ovens.

The older Gänsehalsturm and its attached shelter are located near Bell. Both have been privately owned since 1960 and are not accessible to the public. This restriction is important when planning an outing: the tower and shelter are not public visitor attractions.

Summer Tradition and Other Places

Bell’s fair is traditionally celebrated on the third Sunday in July. It has been an established summer village fair in Bell and the surrounding region for decades. If you would like to plan your stay around a special village event, this gives you a specific traditional date to keep in mind; the other sights and hiking trails mentioned offer insights into the landscape, history and crafts regardless.

If you would like to explore another place as well as Bell, you can find Rieden here.

For the broader travel overview: Mendig.