Oberelz between the Elzbach and Hiking Trails
The name Oberelz refers to the village’s location on the upper reaches of the Elzbach. Two circular trails start and end here; there is also a Catholic branch church and a small woodland chapel with its own history. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Oberelz, you can choose your destination according to the themes you want to shape your stay: hiking, cycling or cultural and historical discoveries.
Hiking on Two Circular Trails
Circular Trail 3 covers 9.6 kilometres and is listed as taking three hours, with 120 metres of elevation gain. At 7.2 kilometres, Circular Trail 4 is the shorter route. Both trails return to Oberelz, but they differ in more than just length: Circular Trail 4 follows the Elztal and Ahlsbachtal through the forest before returning to Oberelz.
Circular Trail 3 connects Oberelz with Retterath and Arbach. Along the way, the route passes a small chapel and the parish church of St. Remigius, then returns through the Elztal. This lets you choose the trail based both on the time you have and on the places and buildings it passes. A route description for Circular Trail 4 is available as a downloadable PDF; check whether the download is still available before planning.
Cycling by the Elzbach
The 31-kilometre Elztal Cycle Path runs through Oberelz along the Elzbach. It connects Gunderath with Monreal and continues as far as Mayen. For planning a specific ride, the section between Gunderath and Monreal is particularly noteworthy: its topography and family-oriented amenities make it family-friendly. This description applies to this section of the cycle path. Those comparing hiking and cycling will find different route profiles: circular trails that start and finish in Oberelz, and a cycling route connecting several places along the Elzbach.
Church, Chapel and Village History
The Catholic branch church of St. Nicholas is a hall church dating from 1750. St. Nicholas is named as Oberelz’s patron saint and patron of the village. Oberelz’s woodland chapel was built in 1823 at a crossroads of forest paths northwest of the village. Residents of Oberelz renovated it in 1964; it has been a listed monument since 1986. The dates provide two specific points of reference for understanding the village’s building history: the construction of the branch church in the 18th century and the later construction of the chapel.
The Vulkaneifel as a Broader Context
Beyond Oberelz, the Vulkaneifel offers a distinct perspective on the history of the landscape. To date, 77 maars have been identified in the Vulkaneifel. A total of 350 volcanic centres have also been counted there, about 270 of them from a more recent phase. The Ulmen Maar marks the most recent volcanic eruption in the Vulkaneifel, which took place about 10,900 years ago. This regional context offers a different focus from the local trails along the Elzbach and Oberelz’s building history.
This makes it possible to link your choice of holiday apartment to your planned activities without combining hiking, cycling and regional landscape history into a single itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Brücktal, Neichen, Drees, Zermüllen, Retterath, Mannebach, Bereborn, Welcherath.
See the broader travel overview: Kelberg.
