Nature and history come together in Ellscheid. MĂĽrmes, a moor west of the village, is both a nature reserve and a habitat for rare plants and many species of amphibians and insects. Its landscape formed around 11,000 years ago in a volcanic depression. Village stories, historical records and several trails offer further ways to explore the area, each with its own focus, from the moorland to cultural history.
MĂĽrmes and trails through the landscape
MĂĽrmes covers around 40 hectares. Both MĂĽrmes and Mittelweiher are considered sights in Ellscheid. The MĂĽrmes circular trail leads from an access point at the cemetery parking lot to MĂĽrmes after about 800 metres. Along the way, information stations offer insights into the habitats of Mittelweiher and MĂĽrmes. A permanently installed telescope provides a view of the wetland.
Another option is the Vulcano Trail Määrchenroute. It starts and ends at the Janshen poultry farm on Moselweg in Ellscheid and leads to Mürmes and Demerather Drees, a volcanic mineral spring in the Eifel. The HeimatSpur Antoniusweg has a different focus: it has gentle gradients and is considered suitable for families, Nordic walkers and joggers. The trails can therefore be considered in terms of different points of reference: the Määrchenroute focuses on its starting point, destination and places visited, while the Antoniusweg is characterised by its gradients and stated suitability.
Village stories and historical traces
Visitors wishing to learn about Ellscheid’s local history can follow a village tour with 25 stops presenting local stories and history. The Celtic burial mounds are also among the area’s historical features: the largest group is in Starkenbruch. The mounds are clearly visible in the forest and are attributed to the Hallstatt-period Eifel-Hunsrück culture.
The Church of St. Anthony is another testament to the village’s history. Its original building was constructed in 1772. The statues of the Virgin Mary, Saint Anthony and Saint Lucy in the church date from the 13th century. These details provide a timeframe for the building’s history and the figures; they complement the older traces around Ellscheid with an example from the village’s history.
The Volcanic Eifel in a wider perspective
Beyond the local features, the Volcanic Eifel has its own geological setting: maar volcanoes, volcanic cones, lava flows and mineral springs shape the region, along with maars, geological sites and informative hiking trails. To date, 77 maars have been identified in the Volcanic Eifel. In addition, 350 eruption centres have been counted there, around 270 of them from a more recent period. Ulmen Maar marks the most recent volcanic eruption in the Volcanic Eifel, which took place around 10,900 years ago.
When choosing a route, you can use the features mentioned as a guide: the short access to Mürmes, the destinations along the Määrchenroute or the gentle gradients of the Antoniusweg. Those more interested in local history can focus on the village tour, the burial mounds and the Church of St. Anthony. This lets you decide how to balance nature and cultural attractions during your stay, without combining all the trails or sights into a single tour.
Discover more destinations: Schutz, Udler, Ăśdersdorf, Deudesfeld, Immerath, Darscheid, Gillenfeld, Brockscheid.
Go to the main travel overview: Daun.
