A Host of Golden Daffodils!
This suggestion for an day out was first publised on the BEN website in 2005 – and still very popular -
The amazing sight of millions of daffodils in bloom in the Perlenbachtal and Oleftal valleys of the Eifel can be seen every year from around mid-April to mid-May.
Many many years ago the forest pines and fir trees were cut back to enable enough light to get through for the wild daffodils (Narcissuspseudonarcissus) to blossom and multiply.
A good place to see them is to drive on the B258 towards Monschau. Near Höfen, take the B399 towards Kalterherberg, past the church, keep straight on, at the end of the village when you see the sign post for Malmedy, you turn left towards Alzen and/or follow the signs to “Narzissen” and park at “Gut Heistert” car park. From here you can follow the yellow flower signs on a 2 km or 7 km round walk on fairly easy footpaths if you wish whatever you decide to do visitors must keep to the paths and refrain from picking any flowers or plants. The 2 km Rundwanderung is marked Orange and the 7 km Rundwanderung is marked Yellow. At weekends you may not be “wandering lonely as a cloud”, as it’s a popular area for hikers. Given a good map, you can walk all day in fairly wild countryside, mostly at over 550m altitude, so dress warmly. Any of the areas marked NSG (Naturschutzgebie) are likely to have wild daffodils or other protected species. In June and July you might see the Arnica plant in flower as it too grows wild here and there but be careful, not only is it a protected species it is only a natural aid to ailments if applied externally – it can be poisonous if swallowed. With so many wild flowers the area is also a natural habitat and crunching ground firstly for caterpillars and when the weather gets warmer many different varieties of butterflies.
Hoefen and Monschau are also worth visiting; Hoefen for its very high hedges that give shelter from the chilly Eifel winds, and Monschau for its picturesque buildings that attract vast crowds at weekends.(best park outside the town).
If you contact the tourist board they will send you a map of how to get there as well as times of tours – though all information is in German. Although you can speak English if you phone.
www.monschau.de Email: touristik@monschau.de Tel. 02472/3300
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