Following in the footsteps of the Beverbach, we admire its meandering course, sometimes from the edge of the valley from an elevated position, sometimes very close from one of its little bridges. At the bottom of the old forests, it gives free rein to its nature and forms one loop after another to its heart's content. Despite its many bends, it has provided enough of a reference point since the 11th century to mark the eastern boundary of the independent abbey of Burtscheid. We walk through old forests along the Beverbach stream along the boundary of the former abbey territory, which extended in the west beyond Monschauer Straße to Elleterweg, in the south to the source of the Beverbach stream and in the north to the center around the Burtscheid abbey, including the still undeveloped Frankenberg quarter.

We enter the Augustinian forest seamlessly and enter the Jülich duchy with the former Schönforst office. We then leave the forest and cross open pastures (be careful to keep your distance from grazing cattle!) and come across existing, centuries-old borders. From the 14th century, a so-called "Landgraben" ran 70 kilometers around the city of Aachen and protected the forests and pastures of the rural areas outside the city walls from raids. Along our route, you can discover the remains of the earth rampart with its moat and the mighty, gnarled beech trees of the former protective hedge.

Hidden in the forest are the Cyclopean stones. A mystical place that is the subject of many tales. Although it wasn't giants but wind and weather that carved the Aachen sandstone into rounded boulders here, they are certainly impressive and invite you to take a break in the forest near the cafés at the Köpfchen border crossing. The Augustinerweg trail leads gently downhill back through the forests of the old monastery territory.

Highlights along the route:

• Beverbach meander
• Landgraben
• Cyclopean stones
• Köpfchen border crossing