Kell sits on a plateau about 260 m above sea level between the Brohl Valley and the Pönterbach Valley. Its elevated position between the two valleys provides a clear setting for hikes and for the history of pilgrimage associated with Kell. When looking for accommodation, you can plan your stay around whether the landscape and circular hike or the historical connections are the deciding factor.
Plateau, Caves and Gorges
The Dream Trail Cave and Gorge Trail is an approximately 12.5 km circular hike around Kell and passes through large, accessible tuff caves. The rugged Wolf Gorge, with its waterfall, is also one of the trail’s highlights. Both the caves and the gorge shape the character of this hike; its length is given as approximately 12.5 km.
As of July 2, 2026, Wolf Gorge was closed until further notice due to an acute risk of slope failure; as a result, the Dream Trail was only partially accessible. Check the current trail status before setting out.
Another hiking option is the annual Kell Winter Hiking Day. It starts at the Bürgerhaus (community hall) at Pöntertalstraße 38 and follows a different route each year through the hilly landscape between the Brohl Valley, the Rhine, and Lake Laach. Unlike the approximately 12.5 km Dream Trail, the route here changes from year to year. You should therefore take the date and the route for that year’s Winter Hiking Day into account when planning.
Church and Pilgrimage History
The Catholic parish church of St. Lubentius was built between 1902 and 1905 as a two-aisled Neo-Gothic church. It is associated with the pilgrimage to Keller GottesOrt, St. Lubentius, which still takes place on the so-called Friday of Sorrows, the Friday before Palm Sunday. Its connection to Palm Sunday places the date within the church year and makes it a different reason to travel than a hike.
The history of the Carmelite monastery of St. Anthony in Tönisstein is closely linked to Kell. According to legend, shepherds from Kell found a devotional image there in a burning bush in 1388. The pilgrimages that followed led to the founding of the Carmelite monastery in 1465; it remained in existence until secularization in the early 19th century. The former monastery of St. Anthony was built between 1465 and 1495. Its ruins are in Bad Tönisstein, a settlement within the Kell district of the city of Andernach. Later, the devotional image and parts of the monastery’s furnishings were moved to Kell’s parish church of St. Lubentius.
The different dates and schedules are useful for planning your trip: the pilgrimage is tied to the Friday of Sorrows, the Winter Hiking Day follows a different route each year, and the Dream Trail’s current status should be checked. If you are looking for accommodation in Kell, you can first decide whether the pilgrimage date, the hiking event, or the landscape along the circular trail should be the focus of your stay.
Discover more destinations: Nörtershausen, Bendorf, Polch, Kettig, Vallendar, Gering, Urmitz, Spay
Return to the regional travel overview: Mayen-Koblenz.
