Scenic Routes.
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Nice countryside near Dusseldorf are easy to find. But if like to wander or hike, then the landscapes of the Eifel and the Ardennes are wonderful resting areas. Since both blend into each other, they are termed as the area of the Eifel-Ardennes. Located in the West of Germany and in the east of Belgium, France and also Luxembourg, the mountains run across the open borders.
The Ardennes are pretty rough low mountains of the Rhenish Uplands. They lie in the Southeast of Belgium as well as on French and Luxembourg territory. The woody mountains lying between the streams of the Meuse and Moselle in the East change into the Eifel and the region of the Hohes Venn. The average height of the mountain comes to 550 metres. The highest mountain named Baraque de Fraiture has 652 metres and lies in the northern province of Belgium. The whole landscape with a number of river valleys is traversed of many subsidiary streams. Indeed, one of the streams is the Meuse that arises in the North of France wherefrom it flows to the Netherlands, flowing to Rotterdam where it ends in the North Sea. Its subsidiary streams are the Korn, Semois, Lesse and Ourthe. There is also the Moselle with its little streams of Sauer and Ur through the Ardennes. With their lovely green grasslands, the valleys of the Ardennes are very picturesque, the uplands being somewhat austere with boggy and impenetrable fields.
The Eifel in the West of Germany reaches from Aachen in the North to the Rhine Valley in the East to the Valley of the Moselle in the South up to Malmedy in the West. Here in the West the Eifel blends into the geologically identical Ardennes. Therewith the Eifel is a trans-border mountain too. The highest mountain of the Eifel is the Hohe Acht with 747 metres. A must fo racing fans is the Nurburgring where the famous racer Michael Schumacher won 5 competitions. Nature enthusiasts can make long distance walks in the nature park of the Northern Eifel. Just as the Ardennes, the landscape of the Eifel is characterised by many streams and brooks as well as by reservoirs and natural lakes. The climate is fair. Winter is not too cold but rather long and with a lot of snow. In summer it is not too hot, but rather cool and with many rainfalls. For this reason the climate of the Eifel is eminently comfortable, especially in the uplands.
Both the Ardennes and the Eifel are remarkable areas for wandering, hiking and cycling. Many accommodations from pensions and hotels to holiday flats and homes are offered. So one can decide on one-day-trips up to holidays of more than a few days. One hiking trail that's a must is the so-called Eifelsteig. From midyear 2007 this route will interconnect the tradition-steeped towns of Aachen and Trier and leads through all landscapes of the Eifel. Another highlight is the volcano park, Vulkanpark located in the district of Mayen-Koblenz. The park points out the volcanism in the Eifel and how the landscape originated from these eruptions. Many projects regarding this period and the consequences for the current day, information centres and hiking ways help to visualize the Eifel-volcanism.
Link: Eifel...
Link: Luxembourgian Ardennes...
Link: Vulkanpark (volcano park)...
