Traumschleife Erzgräberweg

The themed hiking trail follows in the footsteps of the men and women who supplied the iron smelters in the Prims Valley with the materials for smelting before the Thirty Years' War. It offers wonderful views over the Prims Valley and idyllic forest passages. Special features along the way include the Bettinger Eisenschmelze ironworks, the Dicke Eiche natural monument, the Birk, the Hoxfels and the Marienkapelle chapel on the "Renges".

The hydropower of the Prims, the enormous wood reserves and the ore deposits led to the establishment of iron smelters throughout the Prims Valley from 1700 onwards.

On the ascent, along the Solbach stream, you pass former ore cauldrons. On both sides of the forest path, you can see the remains of the former surface excavations for the so-called "Lebach eggs". After the ascent, you come to the "Dicke Eiche" natural monument, whose seedling is said to date back to the time of the Thirty Years' War. An information board on the "Raubritterpfad" trail commemorates the former "Birg" of the robber baron "Birg-Peter."

The former Celtic refuge was built around 100 years before Christ. The two-hectare mountain plateau of the "Birg" slopes steeply on three sides. The fortification was used in Celtic times, in late Roman times and in the Middle Ages. From the "Birg" it goes downhill to the Hoxfels. The cliff edge offers a wonderful view of the Prims Valley.Another dream view at the "Großer Horst." There is a small viewing platform on safe terrain from which you have a magnificent view of the quarry and a panoramic view far across the Primstal valley.

The way back leads past the Marienkapelle chapel on the Rengeskopf high above Schmelz.

The trail has been rated by the German Hiking Institute with 62 experience points.</p