Kleinhau: Chapels, Peace Trail and Hiking Trails

When planning a stay connected with Kleinhau, different interests can shape your focus: memorial sites and chapels, hiking trails through woodland and stream landscapes, or the MSC Kleinhau’s natural track at Raffelsberg. If you are looking for a hotel, first consider which of these themes matters most for your trip. The following places and routes offer concrete points of reference.

Chapels and Memorial Sites

The wayside shrine to the Virgin Mary in Hoppenhardt was erected by local residents after the end of the Second World War. It was intended to express gratitude for surviving and also to serve as a memorial to the victims and suffering of the war years. An old water bunker is located directly below the shrine. The two structures are therefore in close proximity, but have different functions: the shrine represents gratitude and remembrance, while the bunker is another historical feature at this location.

The “Hürtgenwald Memorial Chapel” in Kleinhau is a votive chapel completed in 1970, featuring an altar cross and a statue of the Virgin Mary. The Peace Trail leads from the chapel in Kleinhau to the wayside shrine to the Virgin Mary in Hoppenhardt. This provides a described walking connection between the two places. The traditional Hürtgenwald Peace Walk took place in Kleinhau on 8 May 2026; around 100 people took part.

Another local landmark is the Brunnenau Cross. It stands on the left side of the path from the former “Hoppenhardt” farmstead towards “Wegweiser”, just under 100 metres beyond the fork at the “Madonna”. The details given for these named points can help with orientation, without implying a walking time or any additional route connection.

Choose Hiking Trails by Landscape

The “Hoppenhardt, Gieschhardt, Scharberg (Kleinhau/Hürtgen region)” route begins in the centre of Kleinhau, at the church or the Hürtgenwald Memorial Chapel. It passes through mixed woodland and crosses the Rinnebach and the heights of Hoppenhardt before returning to the starting point. Its course therefore connects a start in the village centre with woodland sections and a return to Kleinhau.

The “From Kleinhau to the Wehebach Valley” route follows the Astelbach and Hürtgenbach streams through green meadows and past horse paddocks. Its starting point is in Hürtgenwald-Kleinhau on “In der Kaule”, near a car park in the vicinity of the kindergarten. Check the local parking information before travelling. The Wehebach Dam is also within walking distance of Kleinhau.

As a point of comparison, the routes offer different landscape features: the first description highlights mixed woodland, the Rinnebach and the heights of Hoppenhardt; the second features two streams, meadows and horse paddocks. You can choose between the hiking themes based on which landscape appeals to you, without assuming a walking time or difficulty level that is not specified.

Natural Track at Raffelsberg

The MSC Kleinhau has a natural track at Raffelsberg that is around 1,500 metres long. It runs mostly through the valley and has numerous climbs and descents. Its profile offers a different focus from the hiking descriptions featuring woodland, streams and meadows. If the track is relevant to your travel plans, check the current operating information before visiting, as operational details can change.

During a training event, children can ride on the children’s track for free on two or three wheels. Before travelling, check whether a suitable training session is scheduled. This allows you to consider this activity separately from the hiking routes described above.

Discover more destinations: Vossenack.

Go to the broader travel overview: Hürtgenwald.