Everyone's talking about the weather. So are we. For two days now, the sky has hung heavy as lead over the Eifel heights. A considerable amount of water has been pelting down on our rain jackets almost non-stop. All of this, of course, in "temperatures that are clearly too cool for this time of year", as the weather forecast tries to put it. Martin's dirt-speckled face looks as if a balloon filled with mud has exploded right under his nose. Eddy's and mine are probably no better. Every sip from the wheel is relatively earthy on the finish. Sand crunches between my teeth. It's a miracle that the wheels of our fullys are still turning. But the material copes surprisingly well with the Eifel monsoon. So we pedal on towards Trier, which is still a good four days away to the south. And what's more, summer is due to return tomorrow - if you believe Kachelmann's slogan of perseverance.
The Eifel - low mountain range in western Germany
Crossing mountain ranges is very popular with bikers. However, these are usually the Alps. Martin and his mates are no exception - they have already battled their way towards Italy on their bikes six times. But the man from Euskirchen (emphasis on "Eus" if you don't want to stand out as a tourist) knows how to appreciate the qualities of his local mountains at least as well. Last but not least, the "100% Eifel" logo on Martin's jersey testifies to his unconditional love for the low mountain range in western Germany. Constantly on the lookout for new trails and adventures, he has travelled almost all of the Eifel Association's hiking trails to date. And there are quite a few of them. They are listed in Martin's bible, the half-pound guide to the Eifel. He also organises the "Liteviller and Friends" touring event in spring. More passion for biking and the Eifel is not possible.
Information about the MTB tour through the Eifel
Five days in the solitude of the Eifel: Catering and spare equipment are a must!
The precinct
The low mountain range is located in the far west of Germany, roughly in the triangle between the cities of Aachen, Trier and Koblenz. The Eifel is bordered to the south-east by the Moselle, to the west by the Sauer (Our) and to the east by the Rhine. At 747 metres, the highest mountain is the Hohe Acht near the Nürburgring. The small region of the Vulkaneifel around the small town of Daun is best known for tourism. Otherwise, however, you will find a great deal of solitude in the forests of the Eifel. Accommodation With the exception of the larger towns on the edges of the Eifel, the interior of the low mountain range is mainly characterised by small rural villages, which do not always offer overnight accommodation. For multi-day tours in particular, it is advisable to check the situation in advance. For an overview and booking, see Basics.
Mountain biking in the Eifel
Thanks to the excellent signposting of the hiking trails by the Eifelverein, touring in the Eifel is pure pleasure. The overview map of the main hiking trails (included in the book "Eifelführer 2006") makes it easy to plan day and stage tours. Typical of low mountain ranges, you have to be prepared for very hilly terrain. The number of climbs is more gruelling than their length. Stages longer than 50 kilometres can be very tough. Encounters with hikers are generally rare. With the exception of the Vulkaneifel (around Daun), Ahrtal, Liesertal and Ferschweiler Plateau regions, where it can get busier at weekends. Mutual consideration is a must anyway!
GPS data
GPS data for all the main hiking trails can be downloaded free of charge from the Eifelverein website: www.eifelverein.de.
The route
Total distance from Düren to Trier: 284 km/7114 m elevation gain. After the start in Düren (near Aachen) along the Rur in a southerly direction. In Düren/Kreuzau (railway station) on main hiking trail 5 (HWW 5). In Obermaubach on the HWW 10b to Hürtgen. There change to HWW 5a heading north (Wehebach dam). At Schevenhütte, turn onto HWW 10a in the direction of Roetgen. At Mulartshütte, head south on the HWW 6 via Simmerath into the Rur valley. From there, follow the Rur valley on the HWW 11 to Monschau. In Monschau, change to HWW 12 and follow this via Hellenthal (Olef dam) to Reifferscheid. From Reifferscheid, stay on the HWW 5 in a southerly direction (via Prüm, Schönecken, Waxweiler, Bitburg reservoir, Bettingen). From Bettingen: leave the HWW 5 and cross over to Enzen (road). There, follow the hiking trail "G" via Schankweiler up to the Ferschweiler plateau. At the top, turn onto the Way of St James and continue via the Viking castle and the Fraubillenkreuz to Bollendorf in the Sauertal valley. From Bollendorf, follow the HWW 6 to Trier (via Echternach and Ralingen). Return to Düren by train from Trier via Euskirchen. Suggested stages: 1st Düren-Roetgen, 2nd Roetgen-Kronenburg, 3rd Kronenburg-Waxweiler, 4th Waxweiler-Bollendorf, 5th Bollendorf-Trier
Bike shops
You only pass a few larger towns on the route. It is advisable to have the most necessary spare parts in your luggage. There are shops in Monschau, Prüm, Waxweiler and Bitburg.
Maps
The best are the detailed topo maps of the Eifelverein on a scale of 1:25000. 50 sheets cover the entire Eifel. For our example tour, you need sheets 2, 3, 4/14, 15, 17, 26 and 28. Information and ordering at www.eifelverein.de.
Digital: Tour Explorer 25 "North Rhine-Westphalia" and "Hesse/Rhineland-Palatinate/Saarland", topographic map 1:25,000 plus aerial photos and tour suggestions, interface to GPS and PDA (two DVDs each), www.magicmaps.de.
Literature: "Mountainbiken in der Eifel", 15 tours in the North Eifel, Andreas Meyer and Tobias Mommer, Meyer & Meyer-Verlag, 14.95 euros.
Basics
Eifel Tourismus Gesellschaft, Kalvarienbergstr. 1, 54595 Prüm, Tel. 06551/96560, www.eifel.info
The entire BIKE article and the GPS data for the MTB tour through the Eifel can be downloaded below.
