Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park - Nationalpark Hunsrück-Hochwald

Map of the Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park

The Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park lies in the border area of ​​the federal states Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. It was opened in 2015 and is the youngest German national park.

background

The national park has an area of ​​101.2 km², the majority of which is in Rhineland-Palatinate. He is part of the Saar-Hunsrück Nature Park, which is much larger with 2055 km².

history

The history of the park is quite short: the first idea for a national park in Rhineland-Palatinate arose in 2011 on the occasion of a coalition agreement between the red-green state representatives. Two years later a finished concept was presented, and two years later a state treaty was signed with the Saarland. The National Park Act came into force in early March 2015, and the National Park opened just a few weeks later.

landscape

Map of Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park

The national park extends at the heights of the Hunsrück within an area that is encompassed by the Saarland communities 1 NonnweilerWebsite of this institutionNonnweiler in the encyclopedia WikipediaNonnweiler in the media directory Wikimedia CommonsNonnweiler (Q550261) in the Wikidata databaseand 2 NohfeldenWebsite of this institutionNohfelden in the encyclopedia WikipediaNohfelden in the media directory Wikimedia CommonsNohfelden (Q570209) in the Wikidata database and the places belonging to Rhineland-Palatinate 3 Birkenfeld (Nahe)Website of this institutionBirkenfeld (Nahe) in the encyclopedia WikipediaBirkenfeld (Nahe) in the media directory Wikimedia CommonsBirkenfeld (Nahe) (Q541850) in the Wikidata database, 4 Mr. SteinHerrstein in the encyclopedia WikipediaHerrstein in the media directory Wikimedia CommonsHerrstein (Q553477) in the Wikidata database, 5 MorbachWebsite of this institutionMorbach in the encyclopedia WikipediaMorbach in the media directory Wikimedia CommonsMorbach (Q662244) in the Wikidata database, 6 Thalfang at the ErbeskopfThalfang am Erbeskopf in the encyclopedia WikipediaThalfang am Erbeskopf in the media directory Wikimedia CommonsThalfang am Erbeskopf (Q659866) in the Wikidata database and 7 HermeskeilWebsite of this institutionHermeskeil in the encyclopedia WikipediaHermeskeil in the media directory Wikimedia CommonsHermeskeil (Q519344) in the Wikidata database. The northeast part of this area is the Idarwald, to the southwest of it lies the Black Forest high forest. According to the locality, there are a few smaller exclaves within this national park 8 BörfinkBörfink in the encyclopedia WikipediaBörfink in the media directory Wikimedia CommonsBörfink (Q562399) in the Wikidata database

Highest elevations in the Black Forest high forest:

  • 1 ErbeskopfErbeskopf in the Wikipedia encyclopediaErbeskopf in the media directory Wikimedia CommonsErbeskopf (Q314903) in the Wikidata database, 816 m, highest mountain in the Hunsrück.
  • 2 RuppelsteinRuppelstein in the encyclopedia WikipediaRuppelstein (Q1463924) in the Wikidata database, 762 m
  • 3 SandheadSandkopf in the Wikipedia encyclopediaSandkopf (Q1500989) in the Wikidata database, 757 m

Highest elevations in the Idarwald (outside the national park):

  • On the two stonesOn the two stones in the Wikipedia encyclopediaOn the two stones (Q482556) in the Wikidata database, 766 m
  • 4 Bald heathKahlheid in the encyclopedia WikipediaKahlheid in the media directory Wikimedia CommonsKahlheid (Q1671010) in the Wikidata database, 766 m
  • Stone shaker headSteiningerüttelkopf in the encyclopedia WikipediaStone vibrator head (Q2340721) in the Wikidata database, 756 m

climate

Hunsrückhaus am Erbeskopf - National Park

The Hunsrück is a low mountain range and is surrounded by the wine-growing areas on the Moselle, Nahe and Rhine. However, their climate is much milder. In the Hunsrück, the average annual temperature is 7-8 ° C, and it rains about 1100 mm per year. For comparison: In the city about 120 km to the east Mannheim the annual mean is around 3 ° C higher, the annual rainfall is around 670 mm. The weather in the national park can therefore be a lot wetter than in the surrounding valleys. In addition, a little more than 50% of the area is forested, and the forest can store the precipitation well. The rock of the Hunsrück consists mainly of quartzite, which, unlike limestone, is insoluble in water and therefore cannot form karst caves. As a result, wetlands, ponds and moors have emerged in numerous depressions, as the name suggests fracture recognizes. However, when the bare rock comes to the surface, the quartzite can also weather. This creates rock ribs, and in the next step they split into individual blocks, as you would with the sea of ​​rocks Mörschieder Burr and at the Rosselhalde can recognize.

Flora and fauna

  • Plant species:

Numerous wetlands, ponds and bogs have emerged in the valleys of the park. Botany has adapted to this environment, plant species thrive here that tolerate nutrient-poor and slightly acidic water (pH value <4). These include sundew, arnica, cotton grass, cranberries, bog birches, peat moss, as well as daffodils and orchids. On the other hand, dry meadows and rubble heaps were created on the mountain slopes and rocky areas, in which more undemanding plants could spread.

Autumn at the Sandkopf in the Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park
  • Animal species:

An estimated 1,400 species of insects are found in the park. There are also 16 species of bats, birds such as black stork or black woodpecker and mammals such as deer, roe deer and wild boar. And of course mice, they serve as food for the colony of wild cats living in the park. Incidentally, the park's logo was created from the image of a wild cat in connection with a Celtic motif.

Some of the animal species found in the park have very special requirements for their habitat. Amphibians like mountain newt and newt like to live in a pond. The fire salamander, on the other hand, needs slowly flowing cold water. Common toads and common frogs like to live in meadows and forests. They only come into standing water at spawning time. The reptiles such as the forest lizard, wall lizard, slow worm and grass snake, on the other hand, love a dry and warm environment, they like to stay on sunny stones.

getting there

Kirschweiler Fortress (Dream Loop)

See the journey to the neighboring towns:

There are access options at the national park gates

  • 5  Erbeskopf National Park Gate, Hunsrückhaus, 54426 Hilscheid. Tel.: 49 6504 778. Summer toboggan run, forest ropes course.
  • 6  Wildlife enclosure Wildenburg (Future National Park Gate WILDENBURG), 22, Wildenburgerstrasse, 55758 Kempfe. Tel.: 49 6786 7212. Open: all year round from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.Price: adults € 6, children € 4, family discount.last change: Mar. 2021
  • 7  Celtic park in Otzenhausen with a replica of a Celtic village (Hunnenring or Celtic ring wall of Otzenhausen, Future national park gate KELTENPARK). dam Nonnweiler, Primstalsperre.
In the Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park

There are parking spaces at these gates, the starting points for hiking tours are also here, and there are also meeting points with the park rangers. There are also 3 other ranger meeting points:

  • 1 Thrannenweiler
  • 2 Sour well near Oberhambach
  • 3 Mill with the National Park Church

These meeting points are closed during the pandemic.

Fees / permits

mobility

Tourist Attractions

activities

  • 1  Mörschieder Burr. Mörschieder Burr in the encyclopedia WikipediaMörschieder Burr in the media directory Wikimedia CommonsMörschieder Burr (Q15122313) in the Wikidata database.Nature reserve since 1940, in the northeast corner of the national park.
  • 2  Kirschweiler fortress (Hiking area), 55758 Hettenrodt. Nature reserve since 1940.
  • 3  Long break. Long break in the encyclopedia WikipediaLong break (Q55098129) in the Wikidata database.Nature reserve since 1985 with bog and wetlands.
  • 4  Ox break. Ox break in the encyclopedia WikipediaOchsenbruch (Q55098082) in the Wikidata database.Since 1979 nature reserve with bog and wetlands. Partly plank paths.
  • 5  Riedbruch (NSG since 1987). Riedbruch in the encyclopedia WikipediaRiedbruch (Q55098163) in the Wikidata database.Wetland, bog, bodies of water.
  • 6  Rosselhalde (NSG since 1939) Rosselhalde in the encyclopedia WikipediaRosselhalde in the media directory Wikimedia CommonsRosselhalde (Q53066936) in the Wikidata database
  • 7  Breaking the Thrane (NSG since 1985). Breaking the Thrane in the Wikipedia encyclopediaBreaking the Thrane (Q55112376) in the Wikidata database.Wetlands, bog.
  • 8  Meadows at the Einiederhof (NSG since 1988) Meadows at the Einiederhof in the Wikipedia encyclopediaMeadows at the Einiederhof (Q55129009) in the Wikidata database

shop

kitchen

accommodation

Hotels and hostels

camping

security

Practical advice

  • 1  National Park Office Hunsrück-Hochwald, Brückener Str. 24, 55765 Birkenfeld. Tel.: 49 6131 884 1520.

trips

  • Visitor mines in the region:
  • 8 Steinkaulenberg gem minesGemstone mines Steinkaulenberg in the encyclopedia WikipediaGemstone Mines Steinkaulenberg (Q23901353) in the Wikidata database
  • 9 Herrenberg slate quarry
  • 10 Fischbach copper mine

literature

Web links

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