The time windows on this route tell of gigantic changes: from Celtic times to the 20th century, mining and open-cast mining shaped the area around the town of Eschweiler. The mining of lignite brought work and prosperity, but villages and landscapes disappeared to free them up. Now man and nature are bringing about new change: the abandoned mining areas have been transformed into extensive recreational areas. Today, water covers old mining areas and children play where the mines used to be. But what is past should not be forgotten, so look through the time windows along the trail and immerse yourself in the images and sounds of places that have long since disappeared.

At the Inden open-cast mine, you will then have the opportunity to look directly into the open-cast mine hole and get an impression of the extent to which human intervention still affects the landscape today. After the closure of the open-cast mine, a huge inland lake is to be created here.

As an architectural landmark of the Indeland, the Indemann towers 36 meters high on the Goltsteinkuppe. Its numerous viewing platforms offer a far-reaching, spectacular panoramic view of a landscape that is constantly changing. Assembled from 20,000 individual steel parts, the steel skeleton of the Indemann weighs an impressive 280 tons. The full extent of the Inden open-cast mine can be seen from the height of the steel sculpture. Excavators, conveyor belts, but also the various layers of earth and coal fascinate the observer. At the foot of the Indemann is a large children's playground. Surrounded by numerous play equipment, a pirate ship is also waiting to be besieged by little conquerors.

Highlights along the route:

• Blaustein-See time slot
• Lürken time slot
• Langendorf time slot
• Neu-Lohn time slot
• Neulohn memorial chapel time slot
• Open-cast mine Inden
• Inde man
• Renaturalized Inde