In Plütscheid, two easy circular trails with very similar estimated times meet a trail that leads through the forest and past the abandoned village of Staudenhof. You can plan your hike based on distance, approximate duration, and landscape or historical themes.
Two circular trails starting in Plütscheid
Nature Park Südeifel Hiking Trail No. 19 is an easy circular trail starting in Plütscheid. It is 7.6 kilometres long and takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes. Nature Park Südeifel Hiking Trail No. 20 also starts and ends in Plütscheid; this easy circular trail is 8.5 kilometres long, with an estimated time of about 2 hours and 20 minutes. In direct comparison, No. 20 is 0.9 kilometres longer and takes around five minutes more according to the approximate times. The stated times provide a guide for comparing the two loops when planning your day.
Views, hills and forest
Hiking Trail No. 19 offers views across the heights of the Eifel and into the Prüm Valley. No. 20 has a different landscape focus: the trail follows a wooded ridge shaped over thousands of years by the Ehlenzbach and Kleiner Ehlenzbach streams. Near the destination, a 530-metre-high hill offers panoramic views. Conditions on and access to Trail No. 20 may change; check both before setting out.
Nature Park Südeifel Hiking Trail No. 21 also follows its own sequence of landscapes and places. It leads through the Geweberwald, with its beech, oak and spruce trees, and passes the abandoned village of Staudenhof. From there, narrow paths run along the Prüm towards Mauelermühle, before the trail climbs back towards Plütscheid.
Staudenhof and its history
Staudenhof gives Route No. 21 a historical focus. In the 19th century, it was considered Germany’s smallest municipality and covered 18 hectares. Around 128 people lived there around 1821. The dates are important: the description refers to the 19th century, while the approximate population figure is for around 1821. At this remote location, the old school is considered the only house still fit to live in.
The three trails can therefore be compared according to different interests: No. 19 leads to views over the Eifel heights and the Prüm Valley, No. 20 follows the shaped ridge, and No. 21 passes through forest and Staudenhof. If you are planning an overnight stay, the starting and ending points may be useful for planning your day: Routes No. 19 and 20 start in or pass through Plütscheid, while No. 21 climbs back towards Plütscheid.
Getting there and starting point
Plütscheid is considered a place without a direct rail connection; Bitburg-Erdorf is named as the nearest railway station. A hiking car park is located in the village centre near Hauptstraße 2, between Gasthaus Geimer and the parish church. Bus connections, parking rules and local access routes may change; check the latest information before travelling.
More to explore in the Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm
The wider travel destination of Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm has its own attractions dedicated to mining, science and history. The Mühlenberger Stollen Bleialf visitor mine offers one-hour guided tours through the mine. They cover everything from the geological background to the technology used in ore mining in Bleialf. The mine also has a mining trail with numerous information boards about the area's mining history. Opening information is seasonal; check the dates in advance.
The Devonium in Waxweiler presents complex concepts in palaeontology and the science of fossil life in a playful way. The Westwall Museum houses a military history exhibition spread over three accessible floors of a bunker; it extends through underground corridors and rooms. The water castle in Rittersdorf, around 700 years old, has remained almost unchanged since it was built and offers a glimpse of late medieval and Renaissance residential culture. The castle has a privately run restaurant serving fine regional cuisine; check whether it is open before your visit.
Discover more destinations: Dackscheid, Harspelt, Strickscheid, Daleiden, Neurath, Leidenborn, Lierfeld, Eschfeld.
Return to the wider travel overview: Arzfeld.
