Dedenborn: Hiking and Cultural Heritage in the Rur Valley
Accommodation in Dedenborn
Dedenborn lies in the Rur Valley, among dense forests and gently rolling hills, and is part of the municipality of Simmerath. Hiking trails, distinctive landscapes and traces of local history give the village its varied character. Visitors who choose Dedenborn as a destination can explore these themes along specific routes and at special places.
Hiking Trails Between the Rur and Scenic Views
The Kirche Dedenborn hiking car park is the starting point for three local trails. Access routes to the Eifelsteig and Heckenlandroute also lead from here. The car park therefore provides a starting point for choosing between local circular trails and these two long-distance routes.
The Dedenborn village walk combines local history and scenery along its route: it passes the small chapels of the Stations of the Cross, built between 1857 and 1863, winds through an oak forest on slopes that descend steeply towards the Rur, and continues to the Spicher rock outcrop. The Seifenauel loop has a different focus. It follows the Rur, climbs to the Eifel viewpoint “Schöne Aussicht” and returns to the river at Rauenauel. The routes described therefore differ mainly in their destinations and in how they wind between forest, hillside, river and viewpoint.
Another destination for a short hike lies at the southwestern edge of the village: a rock there displays mullion structures in the slates of the Rurberg strata. This tectonic structure is considered unique in this form throughout the entire Rhenish Slate Mountains. A visit combines a short walk with a distinctive geological feature.
Forest and River Landscapes
The Dedenborn forest nature reserve comprises predominantly wooded sections of the valleys along the lower reaches of the PĂĽngelbach and WĂĽstebach streams, the ridge between them, Girvelscheid, and the wooded valley section of the upper Erkenzrur. The Dedenborn Natura 2000 site includes extensive, contiguous woodrush beech forests as well as stream valleys with various floodplain habitats, grassland and alder floodplain forests. These details show the different elements of the landscape: wooded valleys and ridges, as well as open spaces and habitats along the streams.
Near Dedenborn, the Rur flows in wide loops through the valley below the village. The Einruhr Forest Nature Trail follows one of these bends in the river. Its approximately two-kilometre section explores the diversity of the forest with the help of information boards. It thus complements the local trails with a nature-focused route in the surrounding area.
Rest areas also have their own distinctive features. Above Dedenborn, the “Op em Demer” rest area on the Eifelsteig offers panoramic views over the Rur Valley. The bench there is modelled on the meandering shape of the Rur and has a pendulum. In Seifenauel, “Theo’s-Eck” offers another rest area with reclining loungers and benches.
Church, Stations of the Cross and Local Events
The Catholic parish church of St. Michael dates back to 1717 and was extended around 1973. Its furnishings include 16 Stations of the Cross paintings of considerable art-historical value. The 15th image depicts the discovery of the True Cross by Saint Helena; the 16th station takes the form of an indulgence letter. The stained-glass windows were created by artist Erich Charlier. The church’s furnishings therefore offer several distinct details, some of which are directly connected with the history of the Stations of the Cross.
A linden tree from the 17th century stands at “Pfarrer-Engels-Platz” beside the church and is approximately 350 to 400 years old. The White Peace Cross at the “Spicher” rock outcrop commemorates the return from the Second World War: in 1954, the men and young men of Dedenborn erected it in gratitude for their safe return.
The local events calendar includes recurring events. The St. Michael Schützenbruderschaft Dedenborn holds a large marksmen’s festival every year at Pentecost. An amateur artists’ exhibition takes place every two years at the community centre. Every year on German Unity Day, a barbecue is held at the “Om Spicher” barbecue hut. If you would like to plan your stay around one of these events, check the relevant event date in advance.
Discover more destinations: Woffelsbach, Einruhr, Steckenborn, Kesternich
Return to the main travel overview: Simmerath.
