Romantic Rur Valley (Circular Path 55)

The beautiful nature and the small towns with a rich history are the ingredients for this hike of about eight kilometers on both sides of the Rur.

From the hiking parking lot, the path first leads back to the street. On the other side of the road, the buildings of the former wool factory remind of the time when Monschau was one of the larger linen and cloth weaving centers in Europe. The former machine building now houses the studio of a sculptor.

After crossing the Rur, a romantic path leads through the primitive slope forest up into the source valley of the Hasselbach with its fertile meadows. It is hard to imagine that this road has been one of the most important connections between Kalterherberg and Monschau for centuries. In many places, the marks left by the carts with their iron-clad hubs and wheels are still clearly visible in the rock. At the edge of the Kalterherberg plateau, you can impressively see how versatile a forest area can be. A light spruce forest, dense shrubs, and native young deciduous trees alternate here. In summer, numerous species of flowers and plants (such as daisies, clover, buttercup, red foxglove, and lupine) transform the roadside into a blooming and colorful garden.

From the "Hesjesbuer", you can enjoy many kilometers of beautiful views: from Kalterherberg in the southwest to Höfen in the east. The nearby country road has an unusual soil structure. In the past, this road was reinforced with a rubble foundation through very hard manual labor to prevent heavily loaded carts from getting stuck in the soft ground. The next section through the forest brings us to the hillside road north of the Rur. A path leads to the former Norbertine monastery Reichenstein, which was built around 1132 on the site of the castle of the Lords of Limburg on the left bank of the Rur. A romantic mountain path leads down to the Norbert chapel, built in 1926. This chapel is a homage to the founder of the Norbertine order and to the monks and sisters of Reichenstein.

After crossing the road, it leads up to the track of the former Vennbahn. This old railway line is now one of the most beautiful cycle paths in Europe (from Aachen to Luxembourg). The viaduct over the Ermesbach is one of the most impressive bridges on the Vennbahn route. To the west, the landscape is characterized by ponds and the roofs of the Reichenstein houses. On the other side is Reichenstein's monastery mill, which was first mentioned in 1533. Since 1562, the population of Kalterherberg has also been allowed to use this mill. The oldest parts of the current building date back to 1692.

In spring, thousands of daffodils transform the slope on the other side of the bridge into a sea of yellow flowers. The following part of the hike along the Rur is one of the most beautiful sections along this river. The mountain stream flows sometimes calmly, but a little later it can grow into a powerful brook between a few gigantic boulders: The current of this brook is constantly changing. At the "Fisherman's Hut," only a few remnants of walls remind us that a luxurious resort with numerous attractions, such as a summer toboggan run, a swimming pool, billiard tables, as well as cascades and fountains used to be here at the beginning of the 20th century.

At the end of the circular route, on the right side, is the youth campsite Dreistegen. At the spot where a small bridge now crosses the Rur, there once was the Monschau river bathing establishment. It must have taken a lot of courage and determination to take a bath in this river pool, as the temperature of the cold water was hardly warmer than 16 degrees even in summer.