Nine maars, a waterside circular trail and the history of home weaving give Schalkenmehren a varied character. The local maar area includes water-filled and dry maars, wetlands and the Schalkenmehren double maar. The neighbouring Weinfelder, GemĂĽndener and Schalkenmehrener Maars form the heart of this landscape. Nature, outdoor activities and local history therefore offer distinct themes to consider when planning a trip.
Maars and landscape
The Schalkenmehrener Maar was formed by volcanic activity around 20,000 to 30,000 years ago. Fen vegetation can be found in the former eastern crater. Visitors interested in the maar landscape will therefore encounter both water-filled formations and a former crater depression with a different character.
The Weinfelder Maar can also be explored on foot: a trail just under two kilometres long circles the maar. Its flora and fauna are protected. Check the applicable protection rules before planning specific activities.
Circular trails and swimming
The circular trail around the Schalkenmehrener Maar is about three kilometres long, fully paved and designed to be more accessible. It starts at an accessible car park near the Schalkenmehren Tourist Information Centre. The trail includes a 65-metre-long bench overlooking the maar. The circular trail itself is designated as designed to be more accessible.
A circular route starting in Schalkenmehren along the Vulcano Trail passes through the MĂĽrmes nature reserve. The western Maar Route is the 16-kilometre Schalkenmehren branch of the Vulcano Trail. This offers a choice between a circular route around the maar of about three kilometres and a considerably longer route.
The municipal Natur-Maarbad adds a swimming option to the trails and landscape. It offers swimming, a children's pool, a diving board and a water slide, as well as a shaded sunbathing lawn. Changing and shower facilities are also available.
Home weaving and the history of Weinfeld
The Home Weaving Museum tells the story of the Schalkenmehren Home Weaving Cooperative and its social and economic significance. On display are looms, spinning wheels, reels and handicrafts from six decades. The cooperative was founded in 1926 and produced Maar cloth textiles until the 1980s. The tools and items on display give the cooperative's history a tangible connection.
The Weinfelder Chapel was once the parish church of Weinfeld. The village was abandoned after an outbreak of plague in the 16th century. A church in Weinfeld is first mentioned in 1044 and is among the oldest churches in the Eifel. The history of Weinfeld can thus be linked both to the abandonment of the village and to an early reference to a church.
Getting around and the Volcanic Eifel
Bus route 560 connects Daun and Bad Bertrich via Schalkenmehren. If you plan to travel by bus, check the timetable before your journey, as details may change.
On the broader geological scale of the Volcanic Eifel, 77 maars have been identified to date. In addition, 350 eruption centres have been counted there, around 270 of them from the more recent phase. The Ulmen Maar marks the most recent volcanic eruption in the Volcanic Eifel, which took place around 10,900 years ago. These regional landmarks place the local maar landscape in a broader context.
Discover more destinations: Niederstadtfeld, Winkel, Ellscheid, Tettscheid, Schönbach, Meisburg, Mehren, Steineberg
For the broader travel overview: Daun.
