With the meandering Inde as a constant companion, the first section of the tour takes you south from the station through the idyllic Indetal valley. Between junctions 87 and 98, a first detour to the Zinkhütter Hof is recommended. As a museum for the industrial, economic and social history of the Aachen region, the Zinkhütter Hof shows the development of one of the oldest industrial regions in Central Europe. The Zinkhütter Hof itself is a unique testimony to local industrial history. It was built as a glassworks at the beginning of the 19th century and has been rebuilt several times since then. It is rare to find a similarly preserved ensemble of buildings from the early phase of industrialization. To get to the Zinkhütter Hof, briefly leave the route by simply driving straight ahead on the L 221 (Cockerillstraße) instead of turning right and following the road for a few hundred meters. The Zinkhütter Hof is located on the right-hand side (for more information, visit www.zinkhuetterhof.de ).

Back on the route, you pass Busch- Hau- and Bocksmühle in the direction of Büsbach. These three mills are representative of the centuries-old tradition of metal processing in Stolberg. Brass production was particularly widespread and these three mills were built along the Münsterbach stream to process the brass.

Pay particular attention on the section behind the Bocksmühle mill, as with a bit of luck you might spot the legendary dwarves of the Tatternsteine. The steep walls of the Tatternsteine, which cover the entire Tahl slope, were exposed by the Inde River and consist of strongly rounded rock debris (boulders), known as conglomerate. It was formed from weathering debris that was transported from the Venn Massif by watercourses during the Upper Carboniferous period (around 340 million years ago). According to legend, small dwarves lived in the Tatternsteine, which is why they are still called dwarf stones today. It is said that these little fellows were busy mining during the day and helped out farmers and craftsmen with various tasks at night. A niche created by an overhang in the Tatternsteine is still regarded as a dwarf cave or dwarf dwelling today (for more information on the dwarves of Tatternstein, visit: www.zinkhuetterhof.de).

The route continues along the Inde, or Münsterbach as it is also known here, through a beautiful natural landscape to Breinig. The name Münsterbach is due to the fact that the Inde at this point is located on the territory of the former imperial abbey of Kornelimünster. In the recent past, nature has been able to develop freely along this section, as most of the Inde valley is a nature reserve.

Once you arrive in Breinig, the next highlight awaits. Alt Breinig is considered the "pearl of the Münsterland" and presents itself with a harmonious and lively townscape. On the south-eastern edge, you will encounter the very early village structures near the now disused "Schomet" quarry, whose quarry and bluestone has characterized the "Alt Breinig" street, which has been consistently and meticulously renovated since 1980. In addition to the 19th century church of St. Barbara in the "Nazarene style", there are many historical gems and courtyards as well as the original type of Aachen farmhouse (parlor, kitchen, stable).

From Breinig, the route continues to the Wehebach dam, which was built for flood protection and drinking water supply and from whose dam wall you have a wonderful view over the lake.

Via Schevenhütte, you reach Gressenich, which is often associated with the legendary town of Gression, and not just because of its similar name. According to legend, Gression was an important, rich town located in or around Gressenich and is said to have been famous for its mining. Great wealth is said to have flowed into the town due to the richness of the ore deposits. However, this led its inhabitants to opulence, extravagance and vice, which is said to have led to the downfall of the town. The legend of the town of Gression can undoubtedly be traced back to the lucrative brass production in Roman times, when the Roman Empire created a long-lasting era of stable and peaceful conditions for the brass casters of the Voreifel region in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. It is therefore not surprising that the splendor of this time shone through to subsequent, less peaceful eras, and that this prosperity lived on in the stories as a partly exaggerated tradition. In the memory of better days, the undoubted prosperity of the economic region at the time was transformed into fairytale wealth, which was irretrievably lost with the legendary town of Gression

The region around Gressenich, Werth and Mausbach is also said to be home to the so-called Quärrismännchen. However, unlike the dwarves of the Tatternsteine and the Killewittchen, this type of dwarf is said to be less helpful and should be treated with caution. The strange, small, long-bearded fellows did not harm people directly, but they did not help them either. They only showed themselves when they needed the 'above-ground' people, and then their rule was: tit for tat. If they held their festivities in the ground, they sometimes lacked crockery. Then they came to the residents and borrowed what they lacked. If they willingly left what they wanted for the night, they would have it back the next morning, scrubbed as well as anyone could. It was different if they were refused. Then they simply fetched it in the night and brought it back, covered in soot. (For more information on the Quärrismännchen visit www.zinkhuetterhof.de)

Via Scherpenseel you finally reach Hastenrath, where the much friendlier Killewittchen were at home. They did their work at night and did not want to be seen. The people of Hastenrath knew this and left them alone, as they were on good terms with them. At harvest time, it often happened that the ripe fruit that had been standing on the stalks in the evening was cut off and piled up. According to legend, the Killewittchen helped the farmers who had their fields near their underground dwellings with their work. One day the Killewittchen were gone; where they went and why they left is not known. It is only said that they spent a long time digging in the earth before they left, packed their rich treasures in sacks and took them with them on their journey. The region south of Hastenrath was named after them in honor of these little helpers and is still called Killewittchen today. (More information about the Killewittchen can be found at www.zinkhuettterhof.de)

At this point, we leave the field of myths and legends and return to Stolberg, where we finish the tour by enjoying the impressive backdrop of the historic old town, with the medieval castle as the town's landmark. The unique copper yards and old churches are witnesses to Stolberg's industrial development and heyday in the 17th/18th century. Despite its long history of development, Stolberg's old town has a homogeneous appearance and is an impressive historical ensemble without appearing uniform. (For more information on the historic old town of Stolberg, visit: www.stolbergtouristik.de)

From the historic center, the route then heads back towards the starting point at Stolberg main station, from where you can start your journey home.

Highlights along the route:

• Indetal
• Zinkhütter Hof
• Tatternsteine
• Historic town center of Breinig
• Wehebach dam
• Historic old town with castle