Former Basalt Quarry at Hohenstoffeln

Former quarry - basalt was mined here until World War II - currently there are a few mystical signs on the floor area.

The geomorphological and geological structure of the Hohenstoffeln consists of cover tuffs with pre-basaltic tuff masses. In addition to basalt, there are bentonites (Swiss type). Thick vertical columns of basalt are visible at the summit.[3]

Since the beginning of the 20th century, basalt has been quarried on the north summit for road construction, as the rock is tough and hard and does not have a preferred direction of cleavage, so that it does not weather as quickly. The broken rock was transported to the gravel works in Mühlhausen via a cable car around four kilometers long.

The local poet Ludwig Finckh advocated stopping basalt mining, which was actually stopped in 1939. The former quarry can still be recognized by the mining terraces.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Shielded from the path by trees, one could scale the summit of the Hohenstoffel without seeing this wonderful abandoned quarry. That would of course be a mistake, because the basalt rock, in its hexagonal diversity, knows how to convince. It towers imposingly towards the summit, while in front of it a cliff falls like a step onto the lower plateau of the quarry.
There a meadow softly covers the ground. You long for the sun, you want to spread out your blanket on the grassy floor and let the day pass over you. Preferably with sun, warmth and content serenity.