Discover Kell: Hiking, Pilgrimage and History

Kell is located on a plateau about 260 metres above sea level, between the Brohl Valley and the Pönterbach Valley. The local history and hiking options offer concrete points of reference when looking for a hotel in Kell and considering what might shape your stay. The main themes are the pilgrimage to St. Lubentius, the history of the Carmelite monastery in Tönisstein and hikes around Kell. You can first decide whether to plan your stay primarily around a hike or around the area’s religious and historical attractions.

Hiking around Kell

The Traumpfad Höhlen- und Schluchtensteig is a circular hike of about 12.5 kilometres around Kell. It passes through large, accessible trass caves; the rugged Wolf Gorge, with its waterfall, is another feature of the route. Its circular layout and approximate length give you a concrete point of reference if you want to include a hike in your travel plans.

As of 2 July 2026, the Traumpfad was only partially accessible because Wolf Gorge was closed until further notice due to the acute risk of landslides. Check the current trail status before setting out.

Pilgrimage and Monastery History

The Catholic parish church of St. Lubentius was built between 1902 and 1905 as a two-aisled neo-Gothic church. The pilgrimage to Keller GottesOrt, St. Lubentius, still takes place on the so-called Schmerzensfreitag (Friday of Sorrows), the Friday before Palm Sunday. The church and the pilgrimage offer two distinct historical reference points: the construction of the church at the beginning of the 20th century and a tradition that continues to this day.

The history of the Carmelite monastery of St. Anthony in Tönisstein is also closely connected with Kell. According to legend, in 1388 shepherds from Kell found a miraculous image there in a burning thorn bush. The pilgrimages that followed led to the founding of the Carmelite monastery in 1465, which remained in existence until secularisation at the beginning of the 19th century. The miraculous image and parts of the monastery’s furnishings were later moved to the parish church in Kell.

The ruins of the former Carmelite monastery of St. Anthony are in Bad Tönisstein, a settlement within the Kell district of Andernach. The monastery was built between 1465 and 1495. These dates therefore distinguish the founding of the monastery from the stated period of construction. Together with the legend of the miraculous image, this history shows how the pilgrimage, monastery and parish church are interconnected.

The Winter Hiking Day

Another hiking option is the annual Kell Winter Hiking Day. It starts at the community centre in Kell, Pöntertalstraße 38, and follows a different route each year through the hilly landscape between the Brohl Valley, the Rhine and Lake Laach. Unlike the approximately 12.5-kilometre Traumpfad, the specific route here changes from year to year. Check the event date and route in advance if you would like to include the hiking day in your plans.

Andernach as a broader travel destination

The Geyser Expedition offers a different focus in the broader travel destination of Andernach. At the Geyser Museum Andernach, it takes visitors through six exhibition areas featuring exhibits and interactive learning stations about geysers, volcanoes and the related geoscientific processes. The Geyser of Andernach can only be reached aboard the geyser boat “MS Namedy”, which departs from the Rhine promenade in Andernach and takes visitors to Namedyer Werth, where the geyser is located. As the trip is subject to seasonal and operational changes, check the operator’s latest information before making plans.

Discover more destinations: Herresbach, Ditscheid, Welling, Arft, Kirchwald, Weitersburg, Baar, Nitztal

Back to the broader travel overview: Mayen-Koblenz.