GPX - M’off - Hurtgen Forest

[Wapping]

I met a Dutch couple and their two dogs, out looking at the same sites as me. Usefully, as they are dressed in bright tops, it shows how one them can ‘vanish’ in the trees and then ‘reappear’ , not very far ahead of me:



The gentleman in the blue shirt, is (in a few paces) is suddenly hidden completely by the two trees to his wife’s left:



To then reappear:



The pictures also hopefully show how dark it is (even in high summer) beneath the trees, having in mind that the iPhone boosts the light, making it appear lighter than it is.

 

[Wapping]

The pictures above were taken walking towards a huge blown up bunker, deep in the trees, just ahead of us. It was invisible until we got right up to it:



You can see how, despite only being a few metres away, the lady is only visible because of her pink top and (if you look closely) her bare leg. Now imagine, trying to spot a darkly dressed or camouflaged combatant. Then trying to maybe identify them as friend or foe in a second or two before they vanished:

 

[Wapping]

Another massive bunker…..




Until it’s time to return back to the car park:



and my hotel, where the local chapter of the FDP party was holding a rally, ahead of the September elections:



Dinner I had in a pretty good bistro type restaurant, five minutes from the hotel\s front door. The bar next door is OK, too:







To be continued…..

 

[Wapping]

Day five

The museum in Vossenack, the Kall Trail and a bunker I’d missed.

The roads in just about any direction are good:



Vossenack, at the top of the Krall Trail was fought over heavily and all but destroyed. On a top of a ridge, it becomes easy to see why its position was so important to both sides, overlooking the valley to the ridge beyond:



Stop one is at the museum, run by the local history / enthusiast group. It is worth a visit, for sure.

 

[Wapping]

The museum is interesting, not least as I had the benefit of one of the ‘owners’ showing me around and explaining some of the exhibits. It’s certainly not the Imperial War Museum or the huge Battle of the Bulge museum but, as an amateur and very well intentioned museum, it’s worth a visit.

Here’s just some snapshots I took, including holding a piece of shrapnel which was interesting. You’d certainly not want to be on the receiving end!

Interesting too were the explanation of the development of the battle and, not least, the little room devoted to Roman artefacts found in the area:

Museum Hürtgenwald 1944 und im Frieden

Museum 1944 und im Frieden, Geschichtsverein Hürtgenwald e.V., Vossenack, Hürtgen, Allerseelenschlacht November 1944, Gemeinde Hürtgenwald

www.museum-huertgenwald.de

 

[Wapping]

The museum done, I set off to walk the Kall Trail, at least as far as the small bridge over the river Kall, which really is nothing but a stream or brook.

The trail, which leads from the village of Vossenack, down the steep valley to the river and up the other side to the vital village of Schmidt, has become a sort of metaphor for the entire battle.

Kall Bridge

When, in November 1944, worn-out American units were forced to retreat from the village of Schmidt, they had to pass the Kall bridge under fire. In the midst of the bitter fighting, Dr. Stüttgen, a German medical officer, organized several short cease-fires. As a result, wounded soldiers from...

www.liberationroute.com

The pictures I took show (even in the height of summer) how narrow and often steep the former pilgrims’ trail to the bridge and the climb up to Schmidt is.

They start from me leaving Vossenack and finish at the bridge:

 

[Wapping]

Unfortunately, due to the additional (but very worthwhile) longer time I had spent in the museum, I didn’t have time to walk on all the way to Schmidt. This is something I plan to do when I, hopefully, go back.

After a snack and a beer at the ‘Mill restaurant’ which is not far from the bridge, I walked back to Vossenack, taking a slightly different path, but still through an area which would have seen copious action in the battles along the Kall Trail. Not least the pictures maybe give at least an impression of how difficult the terrain is:

 

[Wapping]

The return then brought me back to Vossenack.

Normally, I’d probably just have returned to my hotel and get myself ready for coming home tomorrow. But, when I was at the museum, the guide had asked me what else I’d seen on my travels around the area. I told him about yesterday’s visit to the bunkers in the woods and parking in the little car park across the road. He asked me if I’d seen the bunker by the car park itself? When I confessed that I’d not seen it, he gave me a little explanation of where I’d find it.

As it was on the way back to my hotel, I thought I might as well see it.

It’s very well hidden and commands a view across the valley road, pointing towards the bunkers I’d seen yesterday. It’s a bit of a scramble down to its remains but worth it. A little bit of local knowledge I’d found by talking to someone:

 

[Wapping]

Day six

It’s time to go home again.

My route back to St Omer was (near enough) a simple reverse of my route down, except that I took the motorway for my final leg from Cambrai up to St Omer.




I stopped for lunch in Solre le Chateau, which I can assure you is wasp city!




From there it was just a matter of a coffee stop at the cafe I’d used on the way down, before hopping on the motorway at Cambrai, up to St Omer:



That morning, I’d managed to trad on my reading glasses. But knowing that no town in France is complete with at least five opticians’ shops, I knew I’d found some more in the middle of St Omer. I wasn’t wrong:



Checked in to the Ibis Budget, it was just a matter of a quick shower and a stroll into town for a beer on the square, before supper in the very good au Bistronome restaurant:

https://www.aubistronome.com/

Do think about making a reservation, as the place does get busy.

 

[Wapping]

Day seven

I had made my usual booking for a Chunnel train at about 10:30, reasonably confident that if I arrived early there’d be no huge queues and that they’d probably offer me an earlier train at no extra cost.

I wasn’t wrong and was away a hour early.





From Folkestone, it was an easy run back to home via the M20, M25, QE2 Crossing and the A13 back to home.

Job done.

 

[Wapping]

Summary:

Was it all worth it? In a word, yes. Not least as I’d seen and experienced something different (and all but unknown) from the run o’ the mill visits to Normandy or the Battle of the Bulge sites.

It’s not a million miles away and compact enough to see ‘stuff’ over just a few days. Reading the book and doing a bit of research on the internet paid dividends, as did being prepared to talk to people when I was there.

Will I go back? Yes, at some point, to fill in a couple of gaps and, not least, complete the Kall Trail walk to Schmidt and, visit the medical bunker.

Anything else? As there is inevitably a bit of ‘stop, start, stop’ in the visits to the sites and sights, it might be easier in a car. To some here that might be a heresy, but I really don’t care.

The weather was very good. It would be very different if it was chucking it down with rain. When it does rain there, it often pours, believe me. Had I gone a week earlier, I’d have been soaked. I was just lucky, I guess.

The little 450 Himalayan motorcycle was perfectly fine for the trip. Could you ride it all something bigger (like a GS) or sportier, like a FireBlade? Yes, of course.

Everyone and everything was ‘Biker friendly’. But that came as no surprise or indeed, shock.

PS Next year, maybe the fall of Berlin and the massacre of the German attempt to break out of the Halbe Pocket.

Thread 'Something for 2026 perhaps - Seelow Heights and Battle of Halbe'

Jul 27, 2025

Following on from my plan to see the Hurtgen Forest, I might well think about seeing another of the less visited sites, or rather two of them.

The Seelow Hights were the last natural obstacle, standing in the face of the Russian armies, in their drive to first encircle, then subdue and capture Berlin. It might be interesting to see the places where things happened.

Likewise, a bit south of Berlin, is the site of arguably the last great battle of the war - outside of Berlin itself - (it was a slaughter really, for both sides) as the beleaguered Germsn 9th army attempted to disengage from...

• Wapping
• Replies: 47
• Forum: Germany

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But nearly 8,000 miles of the German Motorcycle Route is calling to me, too. Maybe I could combine the ‘Fall of Berlin’ into the eastern leg? It does work, as you can see from the purple line, superimposed on the black line of the German Motorcycle Route:



We shall see.

 

[dr nosh]

Thanks for taking the time and effort to write up and present this mini tour.

All so unknown and hidden away until someone, i.e. you, does a bit of googling and research.

Fascinating.

 

[Wapping]

Thank you.

 

[the woodster]

A great trip and superb write up of a subject I knew next to nothing about. Thanks very much.

 

[karlp]

Thanks for this - a very enjoyable read

 

[Wapping]

Thank you, both.

 

[TYKEBBS]

I've read this report from start to finish, it is superb.....thanks for sharing with us

 

[Wapping]

Thank you, TYKEBBS.

 

[Redboots]

Cheers Richard. I "enjoyed" that.
Tragic events for all involved.

 

[gerarddwatts]

Thanks...VG...