Immerath is part of the “Around the Pulvermaar” holiday region and has no through traffic, which helps make the village peaceful. A distinctive introduction to the area is the Immerath Maar, which combines a volcanic history with a protected natural habitat. Hiking trails and local cultural attractions add further points of interest beyond the landscape.
The Immerath Maar as a Landscape and Habitat
The Immerath Maar is a maar lake with no inflow. Its water is supplied by precipitation, surface water and groundwater. The 66-hectare area includes shoreline, fen and meadow habitats that serve as refuges for plants and animals. Rare birds, frogs, dragonflies and butterflies live here. The maar formed around 40,000 to 70,000 years ago and is also Stop 21 on the German Volcano Road. Swimming and other water sports are prohibited in the nature reserve at the Immerath Maar.
Hiking Trails and Stops in Immerath
The Wendelinus Hiking Trail is an approximately 12-kilometre loop around Immerath, with several viewpoints along the way. It follows historic mill paths through Eifel forests and reaches sections of the Üßbach. The route brings together a variety of landscape features: woodland, sections alongside the stream and scenic views. The distance is a guide; before setting out, you can check the latest information on trail conditions.
The Parcours of the Senses offers another way to explore the area, with 15 experience stations in and around Immerath. Unlike the hiking trail, it focuses on individual stations. The two options therefore offer different experiences: a longer loop through the landscape and a trail with several sensory stations.
Chapel, School Museum and Local History
The Chapel of the Holy Trinity is Immerath’s landmark and offers a view over the village in the maar basin. The Immerath School Museum is housed in a historic half-timbered building dating from around 1770, which served as a school until 1910. The former school and bakehouse also has two working ovens. This site thus brings together its former use as a school and its function as a bakehouse.
Local tradition includes processions by the village community, accompanied by music, along a stone Stations of the Cross to the Chapel of the Holy Trinity. The route and its destination give this tradition a tangible connection to the village landscape and the chapel.
Practical Information
A fishing licence is required to fish at the Immerath Maar; swimming and other water sports are prohibited in the nature reserve at the maar. As permits and contact details may change, it is advisable to check them in advance. A shelter near the maar offers refuge in bad weather.
Immerath in the Vulkaneifel
Across the wider Vulkaneifel travel destination, 77 maars have been identified to date. In addition, 350 volcanic eruption centres have been counted there, around 270 of them from the more recent period. The Ulmen Maar marks the most recent volcanic eruption in the Vulkaneifel, which took place approximately 10,900 years ago. By comparison, the Immerath Maar, formed around 40,000 to 70,000 years ago, dates back further. The Vulkaneifel thus brings together volcanic traces from different periods.
Discover more destinations: Schönbach, Utzerath, Mehren, Dockweiler, Brockscheid, Udler, Meisburg, Betteldorf.
For the wider travel overview: Daun.
