The Hohes Venn-Eifel Nature Park is a cross-border Natural park in Belgium and the German federal states Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia. It is 2700 km² and includes the Rureifel, the Hocheifel, the Kalkeifel, the Ourtal, the Venn foreland and the High Fens.
background
What the regions of the Eifel and the High Fens have in common is that they were created in the last Ice Age and today form a coherent high moor and heather landscape.
On the German side and pretty much in the middle of the Nature parks is the Eifel National Park.
The Belgian part of the nature park is 700 km² (a large part of it in the German-speaking community of Belgium), the part in NRW 1600 km² and in RP are 400 km².
German places in the nature park: Aachen, Bad Münstereifel, Blankenheim, Dahlem, Düren, Gerolstein, Heimbach, Hellenthal, Huertgenwald, Kall, Kreuzau, Long woe, Mechernich, Monschau, Nettersheim, Nideggen, Upper Kylltal, Prüm, Roetgen, Schleiden, Simmerath, Stolberg, Zülpich.
Belgian places: Baraque Michel, Botrange, Burg-Reuland, Eupen, Manderfeld, Malmedy, Mont Rigi, Robertville, Saint-Vith.
history
In 1960 an association "Naturpark Nordeifel" was founded, in 1970 large parts of the Nordeifel were designated as "Landschaftsschutzgebiet Naturpark Nordeifel" and in 1971 finally merged with the Belgian "Parc Naturel Hautes Fagnes" to form today's nature park Hohes Venn-Eifel.
landscape
The nature park includes forests in the Venn foreland and in the Hoch- / Rureifel, the high moor in the High Fens and with the Rur a deeply cut valley. The high rainfall in the High Fens is collected in 15 dams all around Rurtalsperre is one of them. The Kalkeifel is drier and warmer and the Belgian Ourtal is idyllic. The nature park is predominantly populated with small communities and villages.
Flora and fauna
climate
Don't forget rubber boots and an umbrella, at least in the High Fens, which is famous for its long-lasting rains.
getting there
Aachen, Liege, trier and Cologne are large cities in close or slightly further neighborhood to the nature park, from here the places in the park can be reached in less than an hour's drive.
You can easily reach Heimbach by train (RB21 from Düren).
Fees / permits
mobility
Tourist Attractions
The Nature Park Center is located in Botrange in Belgium. From here, guided tours through the High Fens are offered. On the German side there is information and offers in Forest Education Center Eifel in Kommern and in Eifel nature center in Nettersheim.
See also the pages: Eifel, North Eifel, Schneifel, High Fens, Venn foreland, Kalkeifel and Rurtal.
Some sights:
- The Eifel views are particularly beautiful viewpoints in the nature park.
- Kommern open-air museum
- Water trail the Weser Reservoir in Eupen
- Daffodil blooms in the Perlenbach- and Fuhrtsbachtal nature reserves Monschau
activities
- Eifel expeditions lists current events and offers.
shop
kitchen
accommodation
security
trips
1 LVR open-air museum in Kommern (Line 894, on-demand bus! Call one hour before departure!) From Mechernich train station to the open-air museum. Tel. 02443/10 00. Alternative: From Mechernich with bus 808 (direction Euskirchen). Exit in Kommern-Mitte. Walk to the museum about 25 minutes.). Tel.: 49 (0)2443 99800. Open: March 30th to October 31st: daily 9 am-7pm. November to March 31: daily 10 am-5pm.Price: Free admission for children under 18 years of age, otherwise € 6.50, parking fee € 2.50 (2014).
