Top 20 Caves around Wahlenau

Historically interesting, sure, but it's just a "dark hole."

Construction began at the end of World War II and was intended to serve as an air raid shelter. After the war, explosives were stored here. May 30, 2019.

Mining has shaped the village of Altlay and its residents and given the village its name Altlay. In local dialect, a lay is a roofing slate. Anyone who visits the narrow stream valleys around Altlay will not fail to notice striking evidence of mining here and there. Here, at every turn, you come across the remains of what was once a fairly extensive, predominantly small-scale roofing slate mining operation. Slate is still mined in Altlay today. Source: https://www.tourenplaner-rheinland-pfalz.de/de/punkt/bergwerk/altlayer-schiefergrube/2798106/

Again and again you come across evidence of slate mining

I didn't try to go in.

Shortly before, I had hiked past the small cave in Ahringsbachtal, and I saw it in front of me - was that the bear 🐻 from the legend of the Leiermannspfad?! 😮 Luckily, the bear was easily soothed with a few biscuits and then showed himself to be very approachable. And when the biscuits were completely plastered, the little guy trolled back to his cave, growling, and let me go on my way unmolested! 👋😄

<< The hurdy-gurdy man from Ahringsbach >> "Two or three hundred years ago there were still no music bands in the Moselle villages that played at festivals and celebrations, for child baptisms, weddings or fairs. This was once done by the lyre, a kind of violin that was made to sound with a crank and at the same time been plucked from the sides. A hurdy-gurdy man also lived in Enkirch, who had returned home late one evening from a wedding in Starkenburg. He used the steep mountain path that is now called Leiermannspfad. Suddenly he heard a strange hum and grunt and stopped dead in his tracks. Then he saw a huge bear a short distance away. As quick as a squirrel, the hurdy-gurdy man climbed a tree, because the bear came running up with mighty leaps. With a constant growl, the mighty animal romped around the tree, nuzzled the bark and raised its paw with long, sharp claws menacingly up the trunk. But the dense branches prevented the monster from climbing the tree. For a while the hurdy-gurdy man sat stiff and stiff with fear in the branches and looked down at the humming monster. When he had finally recovered a little from his shock, he began to play the lyre. But all music was in vain; the bear didn't move from the spot, but sat on its broad rump and romped around the tree again and again, growling. So the hurdy-gurdy played all night long. On the one hand he encouraged himself in this way, on the other hand the lovely tones had a calming effect on the restless animal. Yes, Dickpelz only disappeared into the forest at dawn, because he was afraid of daylight. The hurdy-gurdy man quickly climbed down from his uncomfortable place to sleep and ran to Enkirch as fast as his legs would carry him." Source: Shortened from_ ghosts, counts and crooks "Sagas, legends, stories from the Moselland by Reinhold Wagner. Hetios Verlags- und Buchvertriebsgesellschaft, 52068 Aachen, telephone: 0241 - 555426, ISBN: 3-925087-50-8

I was there once in the summer, but unfortunately everything in front of the cave was overgrown and I didn't want to go through the bushes in short clothes. I made up for it and went there in the winter. Very beautiful. A small pond has formed. The water is crystal clear.