In the middle of a landscape of FOREST and WATER, you can experience the fascination of WILDERNESS up close in the Eifel National Park. Over a large part of the total area of around 110 square kilometers, the motto is "Let nature be nature", as in all national parks worldwide. Discover the primeval forests of tomorrow. Wild cats, black storks and over 1,600 other endangered animal and plant species that researchers have already identified in the national park live here.

The tour starts at the Trappist monastery of Maria Wald Abbey. The abbey was built between 1480 and 1486 by Cistercian monks. An image of grace was a magnet for numerous pilgrims. From the parking lot, you first walk to the cemetery of honor, from where you have a great view of the wooded low mountain range landscape of the Eifel. You follow the Herbstbachtal valley to a fork in the path, where you can choose either the short version (T5 short, turn right) or the long tour (T5, keep left). If you want to hike the entire 14-kilometre tour, leave the Herbstbachtal valley at this point. The landscape now alternates between deciduous and coniferous forests along the route, with great views over the lake landscape accompanying the hike time and again.

As the tour progresses, you reach the Jugenstil power station in Heimbach, which was the largest storage hydroelectric power station in Europe when it was commissioned in 1905 and still makes an important contribution to the region's electricity supply today. The power station owes its popularity not least to its architecture, which is based on the Art Nouveau style. The route continues along the riverside path to Heimbach, where you can take a detour to Hengebach Castle or the historic town center.