Berenbach combines a compact village centre with Kastelberg as a destination for a walk and paths along the Ueßbach. Churches and a chapel add a cultural and historical touch; Kastelberg and the paths along the Ueßbach offer different ways to explore the area.
Kastelberg: Landscape and history
Kastelberg lies on the boundary between Horperath and Berenbach and rises about 100 metres above both villages. It is a destination for a short walk from Berenbach and Horperath.
Geologically, Kastelberg is considered a Tertiary volcanic hill formed from basalt lava. Erosion created a talus slope and a talus forest there. Remains of a ring-shaped stone fortification have also been preserved on the hill. Kastelberg is considered to have been fortified before Roman times; Celtic and later Roman use are possible.
Village centre and churches
Berenbach has the settlement form of a clustered village, with buildings grouped together. The Catholic church at Bergfrieden 16 was built in 1933/40 as a basalt hall church. The churches dating from 1774 and 1933 are under the patronage of Saint Brigitta. The Chapel of Saint Brigida was built in 1940 to replace an earlier building. Two footfall stations have been preserved at the eastern exit of the village.
Exploring the Ueßbach
You can explore Berenbach on hiking and cycling trails along the natural landscape of the Ueßbach. Check that the routes are available before your trip. Furthermühle lies south of Berenbach on the Ueßbach. It has a historic appearance, but is extensively fenced off. Take this enclosure into account when planning and do not assume that the site is open to visitors.
Beyond Berenbach: the Volcanic Eifel
Berenbach is part of the Ferienland am Hochkelberg holiday region, lies on the edge of the Upper Elz Valley and is within the Volcanic Eifel, a landscape shaped by volcanoes and maars. A total of 77 maars have been identified in the Volcanic Eifel; 350 eruption centres have also been counted there, about 270 of them from the more recent phase. Ulmener Maar marks the most recent volcanic eruption in the Volcanic Eifel, which took place about 10,900 years ago. Another way to learn about volcanism in the Volcanic Eifel is to visit the Eifel Volcano Museum in Daun: it features three-dimensional landscape models of cinder cones, maars and mineral springs, as well as exhibits on West Eifel volcanism. By contrast, the interactive Strohn Volcano House in the Volcanic Eifel showcases a lava fissure wall about 30,000 years old, around six metres long and four metres high.
If you would like to hike beyond the short walk at Kastelberg, the Volcanic Eifel Trails offer routes of different lengths: half-day hikes, full-day hikes and multi-day hikes. The trails lead to scenic highlights to the east and west of the Eifelsteig and are marked and signposted. This makes it easy to distinguish a local walk from planning a longer hike in the Volcanic Eifel.
Discover more destinations: Mosbruch, Mannebach, Zermüllen, Sassen, Retterath, Gunderath, Oberelz, Katzwinkel.
For the overview of the wider area: Kelberg.
