A few steps up and you will see an absolute geological specialty in the Volcanic Eifel. The Windsborn cinder cone is the only water-filled volcanic crater north of the Alps! And not only that - due to its special situation, it is home to extremely rare plants.
Unlike other bodies of water, the crater lake at the summit of the volcano is not fed by groundwater, which can be enriched with minerals from the soil. Instead, the water and nutrients are supplied solely by precipitation. As a result, the lake is very low in nutrients and oxygen. What may initially sound like a deficiency is, however, a paradise for certain plants. The white-flowering feverfew loves the edges of the lake and is in impressive bloom in May/June.
This is followed in June/July by the red-flowering marsh fritillary. Together with sphagnum mosses, they form a wide carpet with their sprouting shoots, which grows from the shore out into the lake on the water surface. In the long term, the crater lake will silt up and develop into a raised bog.
Tip: You can hike the entire Mosenberg-Reihenvulkan group on an approx. three-kilometre circular trail, along which the boards of the Manderscheid Geo-Route provide further information.
