Hiking in the Eifel with children: gear for families

For hiking in the Eifel, children mainly need three things: shoes with a grippy sole, a proper rain jacket and trousers they can climb and sit down in. For the first outings, short loops of 3 to 4 km are enough. Longer routes with several hundred metres of ascent are for older children with some experience.

Which family hikes are there around Bitburg and Prüm?

Here are five routes from our region, sorted by length. The figures are guide values; with small children you will usually need more time.

• Am Dreeskopf, starting in Neidenbach: about 2.7 km, around 40 minutes, about 60 m difference in height. Surfaced all the way, so it also works with a buggy (stroller).
• Schlossroute Malberg, starting at the village hall: about 3 km, around 1.5 hours, about 79 m difference in height, past Malberg Castle, the Mühlenwald woods and the river Kyll.
• Kleine-Prüm-Schleife, starting in Wißmannsdorf: about 3.9 km, around one hour, easy, partly along the river Prüm and through woods and meadows.
• Prümtalweg, starting at the Philippsweiler hikers' car park: about 9 km, around 3 hours, about 359 m difference in height. For older children and teenagers with hiking experience.
• Stausee-Prümtalroute, starting in Biersdorf am See: about 17 km and about 582 m difference in height. sportgiese.de gives around 4 hours; with breaks and children, allow much more. Not for small children or beginners.

On the first three routes, children can manage in sturdy trainers (sneakers) when it is dry. On forest paths after rain and on the long routes, hiking boots give much more grip and support.

Do children need proper hiking boots?

Yes, as soon as children walk longer distances on unsurfaced paths themselves. Trainers rarely have a tread that grips on wet leaves and clay, and they are soaked after the first puddle. A children's hiking boot should have a grippy rubber sole, be easy to put on and wrap a little around the ankle.

The CMP Kids Melnick Mid is made of suede, has a quick-lace system with toggles that children can use on their own, a waterproof Clima Protect membrane and a sole with the FullOnGrip rubber compound. For older children and teenagers there is the Salomon XA Pro V8 Mid WP J: waterproof, with a Contagrip outsole and a higher cut that protects the ankle.

Children's feet grow fast. Before every season, check that there is still about a thumb's width of room at the front, and let children try on new shoes with hiking socks. This works best in our stores in Bitburg or Prüm, where children can compare several sizes directly. New boots should be worn a few times in everyday life before the first longer hike, see Breaking in new hiking boots and lacing them properly.

Which rain jacket makes sense for children?

A children's rain jacket above all has to be waterproof and tough. Look for sealed or welded seams, a hood with an elastic edge that does not slip over the face while playing, and reflective details for the dark months.

The CMP kids' Rain jacket is made of ripstop, has fully sealed seams and elastic edges at the hood and cuffs, and packs into the pouch that comes with it. The Dare 2b Haydenbury is a waterproof softshell hiking jacket with a warm inner face, 10,000 g/m²/24h breathability, a detachable hood and a reflective trim all the way round; up to size 128 it has a name label inside. As a light emergency jacket for the backpack, the Dare 2b kids' Pack It Jacket III with welded seams and a stuff sack does the job.

What the numbers on the labels mean is explained in Rain jackets for hiking: hydrostatic head and breathability.

Which trousers are good for children on a hike?

Children sit, kneel and climb more than adults. Hiking trousers should stretch, dry quickly and stand up to some wear at the knees. Jeans get heavy and cold when wet.

The CMP kids' zip-off trousers unzip above the knee into shorts, are made of four-way stretch fabric, dry quickly and have UV protection 30. For cooler days and rough ground, the Dare 2b Tech Mountain Trousers Kids have ISOFLEX+ stretch fabric, reinforcements in high-wear areas and a water-repellent finish.

What goes in the family backpack?

• A water bottle and a packed snack for each child, plus something sweet as motivation for the last climb.
• A change of clothes: socks, a T-shirt and, for small children, trousers.
• A warm layer, such as a fleece jacket, for breaks.
• Sun protection and a hat, depending on the season.
• A first-aid kit.
• A sit mat for breaks on wet benches.
• A phone with a charged battery and the route saved offline.

From about school age, children like to carry their own small backpack with a water bottle and a snack. Nothing more should go in it. The detailed list for adults is in Day hike in the Eifel: backpack checklist.

How do you keep a hike exciting for children?

Choose routes with something to aim for: a castle, a stream, a viewpoint. Plan twice as many breaks as for adults, and turn back before the mood turns. Let older children read the map and look for the waymarks. A small task along the way helps younger ones: collect three different leaves, find the next wayside cross or count how many bridges the route has. And plan the end of the hike so there is still time to play at the finish, for example by the water or on a meadow.