Volcano Trail - half good, half mediocre

Back on trail by 8 o'clock sharp. After crossing Manderscheid, a beautiful trail leads me through meadows and forests. It's really fun! Apart from the chirping of birds and the babbling of a stream, it's totally quiet. Then it goes down to little Kyll creek and on the other side up through the Wolf Gorge (no wolves around). 

The climb takes me to the Mosenberg/Bettenfeld volcano park. Diagrams explain the volcanic landscape of the "Mosenberger Perlenkette", a series of volcanoes whose first eruption took place 80,000 years ago. The next stop is the Windsborn crater, where the water is still as a mirror.

After the town of Bettenfeld, I descend yet again on a single trail to Meerfeld, then climb the crater rim of the Meerfelder Maar, which erupted 30 to 40,000 years ago. After 12 km, I take a half-time break at the Landesblick observation tower and snack on cereal bars and trail mix.

On the descent to the Bleckhausen mill, the quality of the path deteriorates considerably. I continue on farm roads, which unfortunately do not change in quality except for a short stretch before the village Üdersdorf. The mill is private and no longer has a restaurant, but I can get fresh water there on request.

The second section of todays trail offers neither highlights nor places to sit. When I conquered the next hill, a bench would have been really nice. At the top, a gravel/asphalt mixture leads past farms. At the Müller farm, there obviously had been a party, because of obvious remnants. These are from yesterday's wedding reception, and I am invited to enjoy a shandy and get sparkling water while sitting in their garden. How lovely is that?

Refreshed, I tackle the last few kilometers, pass a small fishing pond infested with mosquitoes, and finally reach Üdersdorf. My tireless trail manager picks me up, and has prepared a delicious casserole which is waiting for me at home.