Georoute Tertiär - Industrie - Erlebnis Stöffel-Route (EN)

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Tertiär - Industrie - Erlebnis
Stöffel-Route
GeoRoute at the
Nationalen GEOPARK
Westerwald-Lahn-Taunus
Markierungszeichen
Profile
Distance: 11,9 Kilometer
Certifikate:
  • Leading Quality Trail
    Best Of Europe -
    Day Walk (Seit 2025)
  • Qualitätsweg Entdeckertour
    (seit 2025)
Difficulty: medium
Start: Stöffel-Park,
Stöffelstraße, 57647 Enspel
Train: Hessische Landesbahn,
Station Nistertal
Informationen on Web
--
useable QR-Codes
direct
QR-Code:
www.qltr.de/qrka0193

On the Trail of Basalt!

25 million years ago, the Westerwald looked completely different from today. At Stöffel, there was a lake, and in the warm, humid climate, a rich variety of plants and animals thrived. A volcanic eruption nearby brought large amounts of glowing hot molten rock to the surface. The lava covered the surroundings and solidified into the dark, hard rock known as basalt. In the process, the lake’s habitat was buried and preserved. Over the course of Earth's history, the resilient basalt withstood weathering and eventually formed the summit of the Stöffel hill.

Humans have made use of basalt for centuries. The rock is an excellent building material, but it is particularly valuable for crushed stone and gravel used in road and railway construction. Industrial extraction began in the early 20th century: several quarries were established at Stöffel. Initially, workers used hammers and crowbars, but over time, machines and explosives made excavation more efficient. As demand for basalt grew, the stone was transported by rail and exported to numerous countries across Europe.

Today, Basalt-Actien-Gesellschaft still operates a large basalt quarry at Stöffel. Through mining activities, deposits from the ancient lake have been partially exposed once again, making Stöffel a significant fossil discovery site.

The Wäller Tour and GeoRoute Tertiary – Industry – Experience Stöffel Route take visitors on the trail of basalt. Highlights of the tour include the GeoInformation Center at Stöffel Park, spectacular fossils at the TERTIÄRUM Museum, a panoramic view from Stöffel Tower overlooking the active quarry, and the impressive Erbach Railway Bridge, once used by basalt transport trains. Numerous GeoStations and the Basalt Mile illustrate the journey from the volcanic formation of basalt to its modern use as high-quality crushed stone for road construction.

Overview

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Experiences

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Audio-Guides (only German)