Unique hedgerows

On a hike through the Monschau region, you can experience the famous hedgerows in Eicherscheid. The Eicherscheid hedgerow landscape stretches over 100 km and consists of gnarled hedgerows, some with trees over 300 years old. In addition to field hedges, you can also marvel at the typical, meter-high house hedges in the Monschau village of Höfen.

The start of the 8 km circular trail is the parish church of St. Lucia in Eicherscheid, built in 1933. The trail first leads through the village center, past idyllic half-timbered houses, high hedges, small chapels and crossroads. Leaving the village, you finally enter the impressive landscape of hedgerows around the village. The copper beech hedges, some of which are centuries old, were once used as boundary markers and still serve as living pasture fences today, offering protection from the harsh Eifel winds. The chimney sweep butterfly accompanies children to seven information boards, tells them about the history of the Eifel's natural and hedgerow landscape and gives them a task to solve.

The highlight of the route is the Eifel viewpoint "Worbelescheed", which offers an incomparable view of the Rur valley and the Eifel National Park with the Schleiden hilltop villages of Herhahn and Dreiborn as well as impressive wind turbines.

Out and about with a small child? The route can also be shortened at Station 4 (Green Classroom). You can simply return to the starting point via Buschgasse and the path along the playground. More good news for families: the entire trail is paved and pram-friendly - with small but somewhat steep climbs (up to approx. 12%) - so that even the little ones can enjoy the Flurheckenweg experience.

Tip: Along the family-friendly Flurheckenweg trail, you will find seven information stations about the special features of the landscape. The chimney sweep, a butterfly, accompanies children along the way and sets them a special task at each information station.
Educational material for school classes is available for the Flurheckenweg.

A brochure with all the circular hiking trails in the municipality of Simmerath is available at the Rursee-Touristik offices, at Simmerath town hall and for download at www.rursee.de.

Overview of the Flurheckenweg

• Start: Bachstraße (at the playground)
• Route: Walking time: 2.5 hours
• How to get there:

- By public transport: The bus stop "Eicherscheid Ehrenmal" is served by various bus lines. Further information at www.avv.de.
- By car: Enter "Simmerath-Eicherscheid Bachstraße" as your destination. There are parking spaces in Eicherscheid on Bachstraße and Kirchplatz.

Information on accessibility

• Nature of the route

The entire route is asphalted. The starting point is at the Eicherscheid/Bachstraße junction (at the memorial). From there, head towards the Sparkasse bank. Before entering the village, turn right onto the "Auf'm Scheid" path. Here the Heckenweg runs flat for two kilometers to the Eifel-Blick (2.2 kilometers). After 300 meters there is a gradient of 10 to 11 percent. After 500 meters, there is another slight incline (about 3 percent over a distance of about 300 meters). The route continues past the sports field along the village to the Brommersbach development area with wonderful views towards the Eifel National Park. This and the following stretch west of the Eicherscheid through road are almost flat. At around kilometer 6 there is a gradient of approx. 7 to 13 percent and from the Drosselbach a gradient of up to 14 percent. Once in the village, it is worth visiting the private farm museum. The trail then runs through the village, including through a narrow lane lined with beech hedges, until it is almost flat again at the starting point. Benches or benches and tables are available for a rest at the information points. At the "Wandersrast" you have to walk up an embankment to get to the bench.

• Access by car & parking

There are plenty of parking spaces in Eicherscheid on the through road "Eicherscheid", "Am Weiher", at the junction Eicherscheid/Bachstraße (official starting point), at the church (designated disabled parking spaces) and in a large parking lot with sufficient space for loading and unloading wheelchairs, baby carriages etc. at the end of Bachstraße at the artificial turf sports field (about 100 spaces).

• Directions by public transport

Eicherscheid can be reached by the Netliner (ramp for wheelchair users available) and at selected times by bus route 83 (Simmerath - Erkensruhr, no low-floor bus). The Netliner runs Monday to Friday between 8.00 am and 11.30 am and from 3.30 pm to 7.30 pm. During school transport times, i.e. on weekdays before 8 a.m. and between 11.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m., as well as occasionally during the vacations and at weekends, a regular bus service continues to run on route 83. The NetLiner cannot be booked during these times.

There are 3 bus stops in Eicherscheid. To walk along the Flurheckenweg, it is best to get off at the bus stop "Ehrenmal", alternatively "Auf dem Knipp".

• Toilets

In Eicherscheid there is unfortunately no public toilet for the disabled. The nearest public disabled toilet is located in Simmerath at the bus station.

• Refreshment stops

Pension/Gasthaus Haus Gertrud, Bachstraße (at the start and finish point)
Village store "Konsum", Am Weiher (end of the route)