アイフェルの山小屋＆キャビン・トップ20

Hikers are welcome guests at the Krausberghütte, located on the mountain of the same name above Dernau, just a stone's throw from the Krausberg Tower (if interested, see https://www.komoot.com/de-de/highlight/72123). It is run by the local chapter of the Eifel Association – a volunteer organization. Those planning a stop here should check the opening hours beforehand.

A striking point in the Ahreifel is undoubtedly the Krausberg above Dernau. It is not only known for a hut run by the local branch of the Eifel Association, but also for the Krausberg Tower.

This inn was founded in 1813 by the German tailor Michel-Henri Schmitz. It also served as a landmark in the midst of the extensive surrounding peat bogs, where travellers often got lost. On the facade of the house there is an old bell that was rung in earlier times when there was fog etc. to give the people of the Venn orientation.

The Iron Man is an iron stele that protrudes approximately 1.20 m from the ground and measures 15 x 15 cm. It is 2.18 m long in total, with the buried end being T-shaped to ensure better anchoring in the ground. It is believed to be a surveying point, a boundary marker, or a memorial. The stele was first mentioned in documents in 1625 and for a long time served as a landmark for the border between the communities of Heimerzheim and Alfter. A 1978 investigation indicates that it is made of charcoal pig iron that was poured into an open earth trough in the form of an ingot. This is a technique that was used in the late Middle Ages and the early modern period, but not yet in Roman times. The precise alignment of the line of sight from Augustusburg Palace in Brühl and its baroque garden to the Iron Man is remarkable. The Iron Man may have been relocated in 1727, when a new trail system for par force hunting was also being created in the Kottenforst forest. Several forest and hiking trails intersect at the Iron Man. The Roman Eifel aqueduct to Cologne also runs nearby. It is a popular meeting and resting place. Seating and a shelter are located in its immediate vicinity. Source: Wikipedia

I felt like I was in a mountain hut in the Alps.

The iron pole, over two meters high, is an impressive relic from the late Middle Ages. The iron was probably heated with coal and poured into a trough. Its shape was probably used for transport for further processing. But it never came to that. The iron post served as a border post for a long time. An information board explains the details. The Iron Man is history you can touch. At the crossroads there is also a seating area and a weather shelter.

The La Baraque Michel restaurant is an excellent place to stop off after a great hike. TABLE RESERVATIONS ONLY BY TELEPHONE: +32 (0)80 44 48 01 OPENING HOURS: Mon: closed Tue: closed Wed: closed Thu: 10:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m Fri: 10:03 a.m. – 9:30 p.m Sat: 10:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m Sun: 10:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m (Kitchen 12pm – 8pm)

From the vantage point "Bunte Kuh" you have a fantastic view of the beautiful Ahr valley.