Simmerath was the direction we wanted to go to swim but unfortunately it was cloudy, it rained and the temperature failed but still we wanted to go that way because it is so beautiful. Then just an alternative outing. We regularly drove by and every time we said that we should go there and now that we could not go swimming, the time had come to visit Ordensburg Vogelsang and Wollseifen in the National Park Eifel.

The first is a former training camp of the SS and the second they call a ghost village (now that was bad with what I understand but the term is correct). Once a cute but poor village that lay in a great place with a bad luck. First there came the French and then the construction of Ordensburg Vogelsang - which initially caused a revival in the village but you understand that a village that was next to a former SS camp (before the war) and used as a barracks of the Wehrmacht in the war — not really quite conveniently lay. In the winter of 1944-1945, the village was severely hit by allied bombs. Much of the village is destroyed and many inhabitants die. At the end of 1946, the worst damage was repaired and agriculture started again. People return to normal life as before, but then there will be an evacuation order from the British for all residents and they will have to leave their village within three weeks. From that period the village is used as a military training ground by the British, Belgians and later NATO. In 2005 Ordenburg Vogelsang returned to Germany and became part of the National Park Eifel. Since 2006, the complex has been opened to visitors.

You can find a lot of these people, and believe me I also find a lot of them and I don't have very nice words for that but there is one thing I think every time I visit certain places and that is: “Those people always sat in nice places on earth”. I have already been to a lot of places where I thought: “I understand that they chose this”. So too here, it is beautiful there!!! Our main goal was Wollseifen and because it suddenly became great weather we just stayed outside even though the exhibition is somewhere in the coming weeks also on the program. We have walked 10.6 km on that site, and I believe we have only seen a fraction. But even if history doesn't interest you, it's definitely worth a visit, what a beautiful nature reserve. You can walk there and it's so big that you really don't notice if there are a lot of people.

You can park the car for 5 euros per day (coins or notes). Wollseifen can be reached on foot via Ordensburg Vogelsang. It is not very difficult to walk but it was more spicier than I thought in advance. Sturdy shoes are not superfluous luxury and people who are badly on their feet I would advise against taking the hike to Wollseifen. If you stay in Ordensburg Vogelsang, sturdy shoes are not necessary, that is easily accessible. We have a picnic in Wollseifen but in Vogelsang is also a terrace with a great view.

Are you in the neighbourhood or do you want to take a trip then I can definitely recommend this. There is a reservoir in the area, quite large, where you can swim in different places. There is also a boat or several boats - I don't know exactly - with which you can make a tour on the lake. There are nearby hotels and campsites where you can spend the night and Aachen is just a stone's throw away, just like Monschau, which is also worth a visit. It's not an hour's drive for me, but every time I get there I feel like I'm on vacation.