Schleiden: Nature, Hiking and Starry Skies

Schleiden combines nature watching, starry skies, hikes and local history. If you’re looking for a hotel in Schleiden, these varied attractions provide a practical framework for planning your trip: you can focus your days more on the landscape, independent excursions or exhibitions. Destinations range from birdwatching by the water to a multi-day hiking route.

Observe nature and discover the starry sky

At the Bird Watching Station on Lake Urft, you can observe cormorants, great crested grebes, ducks and grey herons. Two high-quality telescopes with 15× magnification are installed at different heights, making it easy for wheelchair users to watch birds, too. With a little luck, you can also spot red and black kites and black storks, as well as cormorants, at the Urft Dam.

The Eifel National Park in Schleiden encompasses a landscape of deep-blue lakes and rivers, expansive reservoirs and forested mountain ranges. Wild daffodils and orchids are also part of this landscape. You can combine nature experiences at different observation spots: the Bird Watching Station focuses on particular bird species, while further sightings are possible at the Urft Dam, though they are a matter of luck.

At Vogelsang IP International Place in the Eifel National Park Star Park, the observatory run by the “Sterne ohne Grenzen” astronomy workshop regularly offers public stargazing events. The Vogelsang IP “Star Park” Star Viewpoint is equipped for exploring the night sky independently and is easy to reach. You can therefore choose between regular public observations and exploring the night sky on your own.

Choose hikes by length and difficulty

The “Sun, Moon and Stars” Eifel Trail is an easy, eight-kilometre hike with a stated duration of two hours. It leads through a landscape with distinctive flora and fauna and offers views of the starry sky in the Eifel International Dark Sky Park. Longer routes differ in stage length and stated difficulty: the fifth stage of the Eifelsteig is 17.5 kilometres long, rated moderate, and runs from Gemünd to Steinfeld, home to the abbey of the same name. The third stage of the Wilderness Trail runs from Gemünd to Heimbach through the Kermeter and is 22.6 kilometres long.

For a multi-day trip, the Rur-Olef Route is another option: it is 57 kilometres long, rated moderate, and described as a three-day hiking tour starting in Schleiden-Gemünd and passing through the Eifel National Park. These details illustrate the difference between a short, easy hike, longer stages and a multi-day tour. When planning, consider which route length and stated level of difficulty suit your stay.

Landscape, views and local history

The Dreiborn Plateau in Schleiden is a quiet open landscape shaped by agriculture and history. Broom is part of its landscape; views extend as far as the High Fens. On the edge of Dreiborn, the “Panoramic View” Eifel Viewpoint on the plateau offers expansive views as far as Hohe Acht and Michelsberg in the Volcanic Eifel. The Eifel Viewpoint at the Urft Dam offers panoramic views over Lake Urft and Lake Obersee.

The history of the Dreiborn Plateau is also present on site: the abandoned settlement of Wollseifen was deserted after the Second World War and is now accessible as an archaeological monument. Olef, a district of Schleiden, has a historic village square and a largely intact half-timbered layout. The two destinations show different aspects of the local character: traces of an abandoned settlement on the plateau and Olef’s historic village character.

The Eifel National Park Centre in Schleiden houses the accessible, interactive “Wildnis(t)räume” nature exhibition, which is aimed at visitors of all ages. The accessible “Destination: Master Race” exhibition by the Vogelsang Nazi Documentation Centre has a different focus. It is recommended for ages 12 and up and can be explored with guided tours or a media guide; check the current opening arrangements separately.

Practical information for your stay

The Eifel National Park Centre is open year-round and is the starting point for regularly scheduled ranger tours through the Eifel National Park. The “Vogelsang IP Forum, Schleiden” bus stop provides access to the centre. By car, it can be reached via the B 266 at Vogelsang 70, 53937 Schleiden. Before travelling, check the latest public transport information and the ranger tour schedule.

Discover more destinations: Gemünd, Morsbach, Hellenthal, Olef, Mechernich, Kall, Wintzen, Euskirchen.

Back to the main travel overview: Euskirchen.