The Riffelsbach Loop

The Riffelsbach Loop is a misnomer. While the trail crosses and - for a short part - follows the Riffelsbach, it is really a trail above the Rur, from Hammer to Dedenborn and back through the hills.

The Rur is without doubt the most important stream in the Northern Eifel, and it is beautiful wherever you go. This makes it impossible to single out any particular stretch while referring to its name, and that's why call this the Riffelbach tour - the area where the Riffelsbach meets the Rur.

The hike starts at the Hammer-Bistro in the village of Hammer. This is a good way to start, end or pause on any hike. Food and drink are very good. From here, the trail starts, counter-intuitively, to the west, following the Riffelsbach upstream and the Eifelsteig. Soon the trail turns east and meanders high above the Rur. At some point you end in Dedenborn, and while the Eifelsteig continues along the Rur, we make a turn and follow forest roads back to the Hammer Bistro.

On our return from Dedenborn, we met a hiker who was aiming - as we did - for Hammer, but was wandering in the direction we came from. Just to say that one can get lost anywhere!