Top 4 Caves around Mettweiler

☠️ Cueva de la Muerte – the deadly mercury tunnel Tucked away in the hillside is this former tunnel, once used to extract mercury, now known as the "Cave of Death." Poisonous gas (including mercury vapor) constantly escapes from within, making the cave extremely dangerous. A fascinating, yet threatening, site of geological and historical significance. Tip: Never enter! Even a few breaths in the tunnel can be life-threatening. Observe only from a safe distance and treat the area with respect.

Before and after relatively wet trails, narrow and overgrown.

The landmark of Leitzweiler. It was inaugurated in 1928 and will celebrate its 95th anniversary in 2023. Apparently a miracle once happened in this place. Even today, many people make pilgrimages to the Mariengrotte every year. Every year there is a devotion to the Assumption of Mary followed by a procession of lights through our village.

𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗵 In the early days, the Wildfrauenloch was associated with the goddesses of the Celts. As a rule, these were holy places where homage was paid to these gods. Since then, many stories and legends have grown up around them. So also the legend of the wild woman in Baumholder: After the defeat of the Huns on the Catalaunian fields, they withdrew to Hungary. They are said to have left a Hun woman of unusual size and wildness in this area, also called "wild woman". Their weapons are said to have been a crooked Hun dagger and a mace. Their food consisted of berries, roots, herbs and the raw meat of slain deer, stags, boars and wolves, which they pounded tender between two stones. She was not only considered a bold robber, but also a scary cannibal. However, the men could not catch them even with combined strength. Because in the event of an attack - according to tradition - she simply closed her cave with a heavy boulder so that nobody could move it. Source: text information board

The legend of Odel's Uwe Odel's oven (Uwe) is a rock cave in the shape of an oven from earlier times. It is located in a forest ravine between Kronweiler and Nohen and is popularly known as "Odel's Uwe". The saga exists in two variants: 1. An outcast castle woman, the wife of a knight from the Nahegau, is said to have lived in this cave until her repentant husband brought her back to his castle. A hen shared the lot of exile with the innocent. For feeding it ran daily to the other chickens in Kronweiler, but kept returning via the so-called "Hinkelspfädche" 1 back to the cave and laid an egg there. 2. A woman named Ottilie "Odilche" is said to have lived here during the Thirty Years' War. After her relatives and the other residents of her village fell victim to armed attacks and illnesses, she withdrew here. Thick bushes made the cave almost impossible to find, and a clear brook provided the necessary drinking water. Two chickens, which took turns laying an egg a day, made sure that the poor woman did not starve to death. It owed it to them that it was preserved until the time when things were in order again made it possible for her to return to her own kind. The legend about the wife of a knight has no basis and was probably based on the Genoveva legend. The second version, which refers to the Thirty Years' War, on the other hand, has a historical background. At that time, remote and protected places - if no castles or fortified cities were accessible - often offered the rural population the only protection for their lives when enemies approached. The local residents used Odel's stove as a refuge, which probably led to the origin of the legend in later times.

Only knew her from pictures. Is really very impressive in nature. You should definitely have a look.

There is a small wild fireplace in front of it, next to which wood that has already been collected is piled up. As we have also briefly considered, hikers in the vicinity have probably stayed here under the rock. Or was it old Ottilie? ;)

Totally beautiful hike, especially on the stream