Discover Sellerich: Hiking and Local History

Sellerich brings together hiking, landscapes and local history spanning Sellerich and Hontheim. The municipal hiking trail network covers 80 kilometres and includes nine routes; part of the Schneifel lies within the municipality. There are also memorial sites in Hontheim and a viewpoint nearby. You can focus your trip on time on the hiking trails, an interest in local history, or a mixture of both. If you are looking for a hotel in Sellerich, these themes can help you shape your stay.

Hiking Trails and the Schneifel

The municipality of Sellerich has an 80-kilometre hiking trail network with nine routes. Additional trails connect to it via the North Eifel Nature Park. Part of the Schneifel also lies within the municipality of Sellerich. This gives you several points of reference for planning: the municipal network, with its total length and number of routes; additional connecting trails via the nature park; and the local connection to the Schneifel. The 80 kilometres and nine routes describe the municipal trail network, while the Schneifel reference situates the landscape. This can help you decide whether the extent of the trail network or the landscape will shape your time outdoors.

Hontheim: Activities and Memorial Sites

In the district of Hontheim, there is a Kneipp footbath next to the barbecue shelter. A forest barefoot trail is also located right by the shelter. You can walk barefoot along it over gravel, bark mulch, sand or grass. There is another Kneipp footbath on the Schneifelweg in Hontheim. Check the current access arrangements for these facilities before visiting.

Hontheim’s local history can also be explored through its memorial sites. At the edge of the forest above the district stands the Marienkapelle, which commemorates the liberation by the Americans in 1944/45. Nearby are two historic columns from the former Reich Labour Service camp (RAD). The chapel and columns have different historical associations: the chapel commemorates the liberation, while the columns recall the former camp. Alongside Sellerich’s church and local history, this adds a distinct memorial site above Hontheim.

Church History in Sellerich

The foundation stone for the branch church of St Isidore in Sellerich was laid on 13 July 1952, and the church was formally consecrated on 26 August 1953. Its history includes the rebuilding of a branch church that had previously stood in Hontheim and served Sellerich, Sellericher Höhe, Herscheid and Hontheim. It was completely destroyed by the effects of war in 1944/45. It was subsequently rebuilt in Sellerich rather than at its former location in Hontheim. This decision led to some disputes between the villages. The destruction, rebuilding and consecration establish a timeline in the area’s history and link the histories of the two villages.

Theatre and a Viewpoint Nearby

The theatre club puts on performances in Sellerich several times a year. If you would like to plan an evening at the theatre, check the performance dates before your trip.

The Eifel-Blick “Schwarzer Mann” viewpoint is located near the destination, close to Sellerich. It offers sweeping panoramic views across villages, lakes, river valleys, hedgerow landscapes, heathland and wetlands. Panoramic panels provide information about visible sights, villages and landscape features; benches invite you to linger. The panels help you identify the places and landscapes in view, while the benches offer a place to sit and take in the surroundings.

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