Devil's Gorge Irrel

It's autumn, and the so-called "golden October" is approaching. Halloween is just around the corner, and the weather is still perfect for beautiful hikes in nature.

We're driving to the southern Eifel region, past Bitburg, near Luxembourg, to Irrel. Here lies the Teufelsschlucht (Devil's Gorge), a gigantic and somewhat eerie rock formation that will help us get into the spirit of the darker season.

We first drive along the E29 to Irrel and then turn onto the L4 country road towards Prümzurlay. Halfway there, we find a parking area for hikers on the right-hand side of the road. From here, we begin our 5.5 km hike.

There is no shortage of good signage here, informing us not only about the directions but also about the geological history of the area over thousands of years. All very informative and interesting.

Until 2021, there was a wooden bridge here spanning the Prüm River. Unfortunately, the devastating floods of July 2021 swept it away and destroyed it completely. A new steel structure was then built, allowing us to cross to the other side without getting our feet wet.

And yes, there's not only the so-called Devil's Gorge here, but also the Irrel Waterfalls, which can be admired. But we'll continue on the other side. We'll encounter several inclines and stairs, gaining altitude along the way.

Explanatory panels about the natural features, flora, and fauna appear at regular intervals. A fascinating garden landscape.
The further we walk, the darker it becomes.
The greenery appears increasingly lush and dark, while mosses and rock formations become more prevalent. They seem ever more bizarre the further we go. Our curiosity is piqued.

Small streams occasionally cross the path. Here and there, sunbeams peek through the dense treetops, illuminating fascinatingly shaped rock formations, the likes of which we've rarely seen.

Even though some sections seem a bit slippery and require careful footing, the breathtaking views from some of the rocks leave us speechless with awe. It's incredible how these formations could have formed naturally.

There's something magical about looking at the rocks more closely. At least, we have no better explanation for what we see here. Perhaps it's also like a journey into a world that, at best, seemed imaginable only in our minds.

We pass through small cave passages—narrow, cool, damp, and dark. We squeeze through, sometimes with a slight shiver. Then a small glimmer of light appears, a glimpse of the real world out there in the distance, which seems more familiar.

We don't want to dwell on the real world for too long; we have plenty of time for that later. So we continue on and find ourselves in a rocky valley before a staircase that seems to climb endlessly upwards. A boulder threatens to fall on us as we ascend. The creepiness increases, and with every step upwards, the darkness deepens.

We've arrived at the top! We made it through the Devil's Gorge. A fantastic experience at a wonderful time of year. We follow the signs further down and return to the trailhead parking lot.