Waldretter Trail at the Wohlleben Forest Academy (Wershofen Loop Trail)

Enjoy the wonderful nature of the Eifel and rediscover your love for nature and the forest!

Highlights along the trail:

• Impressive village linden tree
• Dreisbach Mill
• Kottenborn Chapel
• View of the High Eifel Kottenborn Cross
• Primeval Forest Project: Wohlleben’s Forest Academy

1. Impressive Village Linden Tree: With its monumental appearance, the old village linden tree immediately catches everyone’s eye. Its gnarled trunk—which appears completely intact on one side while already hollow on the other—bears witness to the many events this historic linden tree has weathered over the course of its life. Even today, it steadfastly defies all adversity and invites you on an imaginative journey into the past.

2. Idyllic Remnants of Old Orchard Meadows: Before we slowly leave the tranquil village of Wershofen behind to venture into the sprawling forests, the path is lined with the remnants of old orchard meadows. The ancient fruit trees, with their numerous gouges, hollows, and uniquely twisted branches, standing serenely on the lush green hills, present a picturesque sight.

3. Romantic trail along a stream with a historic mill: As we walk down the forest slope, we can hear a soft splashing sound. Gradually, the view of the small stream opens up as it peacefully winds its way down into the valley. The fairy-tale path, much like the stream, meanders through the forest and ultimately leads to the historic Dreisbach Mill, which underscores the dreamy atmosphere of this place.

4. Walking Among the Original Christmas Trees: As we stroll along this section beneath the mighty trunks of old beech trees, a few equally mighty conifers sneak their way in here and there. These are silver firs, a true veteran of German forests that thrive in the company of beech trees. Over time, our once-traditional Christmas tree has been replaced by the spruce, and today it’s rarely found in the forest at this size.

5. Inviting bench with a breathtaking view of the Aremberg: It’s almost impossible to resist the invitation of this bench and not let the breathtaking view of the Aremberg take hold of you. At 623 meters above sea level, this striking mountain towers majestically over Wershofen and also hints at the volcanic origins of this unique landscape.

6. Kottenborn Chapel: The charming, freely accessible Kottenborn Chapel has a magical allure. Given its idyllic location, this comes as no surprise. On a clear day, you can spot the highest—and probably best-known—castle in Rhineland-Palatinate to the southeast: Nürburg Castle. If you let your gaze wander further to the northeast from there, you can spot the Hohe Acht, the highest mountain in the Eifel. The forested mountain, with its strikingly tapered peak, would have liked to be 800 meters high, but at just under 747 meters above sea level, it fell just short of that mark. With this magnificent panoramic view in all directions, it’s easy to lose track of time and simply enjoy the moment.

7. A Touch of Primeval Forest: Cool, damp air; colossal beech trees casting long shadows; a dense canopy—and you, feeling very small right in the middle of it all. On this trail, you can sense what makes an old beech forest special and experience this wonderful ecosystem. Knowing that this primeval forest is allowed to develop freely, entirely without human intervention, makes the experience even more intense. Through the Primeval Forest Project—in which anyone can participate—Wohlleben’s Forest Academy has contractually protected the old beech forests around Wershofen for the next 50 years, thereby paving the way for the primeval forest of tomorrow.

8. Mystical Forest with a View of the Armuthsbach: As we walk along the path, the hornbeams crowd closely together on the steep slopes, creating a mysterious atmosphere. Around the next bend, our gaze wanders over mighty oaks to the Armuthsbach, whose gentle babbling accompanies us for a stretch along the path.

9. Experiencing the Forest’s “Air Conditioning”: To conclude this varied hike, we can experience the multifaceted importance of deadwood along this path, while continuing to breathe in the pleasantly moist forest air beneath ancient oaks and beeches. If we look closely at the numerous moss-covered trunks of former forest giants, we can discover the homes of small forest dwellers and sense just how much life still thrives within them.