Attractions and Places To See around Eschweiler Stadtwald - Top 20

Unfortunately, today, April 7, 2025, hardly any of the writing can be read.

During the "Arbor Day" in 1958, a memorial stone was inaugurated in the city forest that hardly anyone knows today - the Deselaers stone. The man who was honored with this stone could give the speech of thanks himself. Foreman Emil Deselaers from the Wenau forestry office, who was about to retire at the time, looked after the Eschweiler city forest for several decades and transformed it from an area severely damaged by industry and war into a recreational forest. On April 12, 1924, Emil Deselaers took over the Wenau forestry office and thus also the care of the Eschweiler city forest. At that time, the forest was severely damaged by the toxic exhaust fumes from the Birkengang zinc works. The city forest consisted almost entirely of coppice. Even after the Second World War, the forest manager made sure that the city forest was reforested and converted into a high forest. The inscription on the stone reads: "Forestmeister Deselaers, the long-standing meritorious caretaker of our city forest". Today the inscription can hardly be deciphered. Source: https://eifelverein-indeland.de

Great driveway from Hastenrath. For Gravel and MTBs there is a nice route off the paved road

A nice place for young and old. The deer magically attract children in particular.

The Black Mountain is a 50 m high dump in the Eschweiler city forest, overgrown with predominantly birch trees. On its top, which is 250 m above sea level, there is a wooden cross, a refuge and a lookout point, from which one has a good view to the east over the Eschweiler city center and the districts of Bergrath, Hastenrath and Weisweiler. But there are also good prospects in the other directions. Its base is around 20 hectares. About 120 steps lead up to its summit; a good dozen of their wooden sleepers are now rotten and can hardly be seen. It is considered a landmark of the Eschweiler mining industry. Unfortunately there are idiots here too who think it won't work without their destructiveness.

This part of the city forest up to Hastenrath is the Killewittchen, and this poem explains why it should be so There is another similar story that ends more dramatically. Unfortunately, I don't know which one is the right one. Killewittchen A long, long time ago the Killewittchen lived in a large rock cave not far from the village of Hastenrath. There was a large limestone rock there that contained a cave with small stone benches. The Killewittchen were little dwarfs who never showed up during the day. They did their work at night and did not want to be seen. The Hastenrathers knew this and left them alone, because the people were doing well. At the time of harvest it often happened that the ripe fruit that was still on the stalks in the evening was cut off and stood in heaps. People knew right away who had done that. Whoever left his plow in the field found his field freshly plowed in the morning. In their work, the Killewittchen especially supported the farmers who had their fields near their underground homes. One day the Killewittchen were gone; where they turned and why they left is not known. It is only said that before they left they rummaged in the earth for a long time, packed their rich treasures in sacks and took them with them on their journey. The Killewittchen were related to the Heinzelmännchen from Cologne

The ascent to the cross is really steep and therefore a real challenge.

Here you can see fenced deer. Attention! Please do not feed.