Krautscheid is a hilltop village, with views from its surroundings stretching far across the heights of the Eifel. Two specific themes can guide your choice of stay: the chapel’s architecture and pilgrimage history, and several described circular trails. You can plan your trip according to whether a cultural monument, a particular route or a hike’s difficulty rating matters most to you.

Church and Way of St. James

The Catholic branch church of St. Valentine at Kapellenstraße 1 is a two-bay hall church with a chancel tower. Its core is probably Romanesque; this dating is explicitly a supposition. The slated spire is striking, with an unusual tip formed by two nested pyramids. The hall church, chancel tower and spire each offer a distinct point of interest if you are interested in architectural forms.

In 1984, the chapel in Krautscheid was placed under special protection as a cultural monument, with the agreement of the State Office for Monument Preservation. It is also a pilgrim station on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela. This makes it interesting to travelers who would like to explore sacred architecture or the pilgrimage tradition. Its protected status and its connection to the Way of St. James are separate aspects: one describes its status as a monument, the other the chapel’s role on the pilgrimage route.

Hiking trails with different features

The Berkoth Chapel Circular Trail (Route 2) runs over asphalt, natural paths and short sections of trail. It is rated difficult and is suitable for experienced hikers with good basic fitness. As local conditions can affect the surface and difficulty, it is a good idea to check these details before setting off. The circular trail can be started in Berkoth or in any of the other named places, including Krautscheid.

The Lauperath Chapel Circular Trail connects the chapels in Lauperath, Krautscheid and Bellscheid over approximately 13 kilometres. This distance is an estimate; check the local route information before setting off. Nature Park Southern Eifel Hiking Trail No. 91 is also a circular trail: its route runs through the hilltop villages of Krautscheid, Lauperath and Bellscheid, as well as Waxweiler. As routes can change, it is also advisable to check the latest route information here.

The details about the three trails help with different planning questions. For Route 2, the main considerations are the level of difficulty and the surface; for the Lauperath Chapel Circular Trail, they are the approximate distance and the connected chapel villages. Hiking Trail No. 91 is described in terms of the named hilltop villages and Waxweiler. This lets you choose a trail based on its specific features, rather than treating the routes as interchangeable options.

More things to see in the Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm

The wider travel destination of Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm also has its own cultural attractions. The Devonium in Waxweiler presents complex topics in palaeontology and the science of fossil life in an engaging way. The Westwall Museum is housed on three accessible floors of a bunker; its underground corridors and rooms contain a military history exhibition. These attractions are part of Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm and are not features of Krautscheid.

Discover more destinations: Weinsheim, Kyllburg, Ammeldingen Bei Neuerburg, Schlausenbach, Rittersdorf, Wolsfeld, Wilsecker, Wißmannsdorf

Back to the overview of the wider destination: Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm.