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Lakes

Germany

Rhineland-Palatinate

Vulkaneifel

Schalkenmehren

Weinfelder Maar (Lake of the Dead)

Discover
Places to see

Lakes

Germany

Rhineland-Palatinate

Vulkaneifel

Schalkenmehren

Weinfelder Maar (Lake of the Dead)

Weinfelder Maar (Lake of the Dead)

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    Location: Schalkenmehren, Vulkaneifel, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

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    Top cycling routes to Weinfelder Maar (Lake of the Dead)

    4.7

    (159)

    874

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    1. View from Daun Viaduct – Großes Schlitzohr Tunnel loop from Daun

    31.9km

    02:04

    400m

    Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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    Intermediate

    4.6

    (14)

    294

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    2. Dronketurm Viewpoint – View of Schalkenmehrener Maar loop from Waldkönigen

    45.8km

    04:18

    880m

    Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route.

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    4.4

    (28)

    93

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    3. View of Schalkenmehrener Maar – Weinfelder Maar loop from Ulmen

    40.3km

    02:56

    690m

    Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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    Tips

    May 13, 2025

    Weinfelder Maar

    The Weinfelder Maar, formed by volcanic activity around 20,000 to 30,000 years ago, is the highest of the three Daun Maars at 487 meters above sea level. The lake is 51 meters deep and has a diameter of 396 to 429 meters.

    An almost melancholic atmosphere surrounds the maar. Many legends surround the tranquil Eifel eye. A castle is said to have once stood on the site of the crater, where a count lived with his wife and only child. After returning home from a hunt, the castle had sunk as punishment for the woman's nastiness, and he found only a lake where a cradle miraculously floated his child safely to the shore. If you look at the dark surface of the water long enough, it is said that you can make out the outline of the castle.

    The German landscape painter Fritz von Wille was so fascinated by the Weinfelder Maar that he repeatedly immortalized it in his paintings. Among his favorite motifs was the small chapel on the north bank, dedicated to Saint Martin. It was once the parish church of the village of Weinfeld, which was ravaged by the plague in the 16th century. Anyone who rings the bells inside by pulling the ropes can make a wish. To this day, the associated cemetery is maintained and used by the local community of Schalkenmehren. This is also where its second name, Totenmaar, comes from.

    Donkeys and goats have been introduced to the Weinfelder Maar to regulate vegetation. The maar's unique flora and fauna are protected. Swimming and other water sports are prohibited in the Weinfelder Maar, but a nearly two-kilometer-long path makes it a wonderful place to explore on foot.

    Parking:

    Guests can park along the L64 either in the parking lot at the Weinfelder Maar or on the Maarsattel between the Weinfelder Maar and the Schalkenmehrener Maar.

    Text / Source: GesundLand Vulkaneifel GmbH, Leopoldstr. 9 A, 54550 Daun

    eifel.info/a-weinfelder-maar

    Translated by Google •

      May 13, 2025

      The Daun Maars - 10,000-Year-Old Volcanic Lakes

      The Daun Maars were formed around 10,000 years ago from volcanic steam explosions. Hot lava rises from the Earth's interior and meets water, which suddenly evaporates. This blasts away entire mountain peaks. What remains is a deep crater that fills with water over the years and a wall of boulders surrounding the lake.

      The Daun Maars include the Gemünden Maar, the Weinfelder Maar, and the Schalkenmehrener Doppelmaar. One crater of the Schalkenmehren Maar has silted up over the millennia.

      The area is a nature reserve and a refuge for waterfowl and rare dragonfly species.

      Text / Source: deutschland-outdoor.der

      deutschland-outdoor.de/eifel/dauner-maare

      Translated by Google •

        March 17, 2018

        Also a round around the maar is nice. Of course you let the bike stand, because that does not really come to the maar.

        Translated by Google •

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          Details

          Informations

          Elevation 490 m

          Alerts

          This Highlight is in a protected area

          Please check local regulations for: Natur- und Geopark Vulkaneifel

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          Thursday 18 September

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          Max wind speed: 12.0 km/h

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          Location: Schalkenmehren, Vulkaneifel, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

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