The Schiefer-Wackenweg winds through green tunnels, past rock outcrops and old mine history — 11.9 km worth walking slowly.
There are trails you walk once and forget by the following weekend. The traumschleife-schiefer-wackenweg starting from Thomm, in the Landkreis Trier-Saarburg, is not one of them. Eleven point nine kilometres of forest paths, field edges, a stream valley and raw slate geology — all of it bound together by a quality of light in summer that makes every photograph look almost too composed to be real.
Into the Green Tunnel
The hike begins in the village of Thomm itself, where you can park at the Bürgerhaus. Within the first kilometre the tarmac gives way to a narrow dirt track that disappears into what can only be described as a living green tunnel: overhanging deciduous branches lock overhead, the path narrows, and at the far end a bright clearing glows like a lamp left on in another room. On a sunny summer morning the contrast between the cool, leaf-filtered shade and that distant brightness is genuinely arresting — slow down and let your eyes adjust before you walk through it.
The Herler Wacken Rock Formation
Once clear of the tree canopy the trail opens onto meadow edges and fields of dry summer grass before arriving at the natural monument that gives the route half its name: the Herler Wacken, a quartzite ridge that breaks through the plateau like the spine of something very old and very large. The quartzite rocks of this ridge rise in places up to 20 metres above the plateau and extend over a length of more than 500 metres. Walking beside and over these formations in the slanted summer light — the stone tinged orange, the trees above them still fully green — is one of the more quietly dramatic moments the route has to offer. A second slate rock outcrop appears shortly after, anchored at the edge of the treeline where the meadow begins, ancient trees growing straight out of the fractured rock as if they have been there since the stone itself cooled.
Down to the Noßerbachtal and the Mine
From the ridge the path drops, following the Thommer Bach for roughly 900 metres through the valley bottom. The trail leads through forest, meadow and field paths, past the impressive natural monument of the Herler Wacken and through the Noßerbachtal to the remnants of the former roofing-slate mining industry. The mining story is told well here: in the years 2020–2021, 24 information boards were set up along the path to inform hikers about the historical mining and village history of Thomm. If you time it right, you can visit the old tunnels and take part in mine tours between April and October. Even if you skip the guided underground tour, the Besucherbergwerk Fell is worth the short detour — there is the opportunity to visit the mine from the inside during a guided tour or to take a break in the Bistro „Weinstein”.
The Pavilion with the Kerosene Lantern
Somewhere along the climbing section above the mine — the path winds steadily upward through densely forested slopes with the Moselle valley falling away behind you — there is a rustic wooden pavilion with a slate roof and a vintage kerosene lantern hanging from the centre beam. Grapevines reach up the nearest post. It is the kind of rest stop that looks almost staged but is genuinely useful: the bench faces the forested hillside, the light is soft and shaded, and there is no sound apart from the trees. Worth a proper sit-down rather than just a glance back over the shoulder.
The Return: Field Edges and a View over the Valley
The last section of the loop brings a change of mood. The path follows old fence posts through dry summer grassland, the grass bleached pale gold, residential rooftops visible on the horizon — unspectacular in the best sense, the ordinary landscape that connects the dramatic set-pieces. Fine long-distance views into the wooded surroundings and down into the Ruwer and Moselle valleys make the final stretch of the Schiefer-Wackenweg very rewarding. Before the village closes in again, a Sinnesbank (a sensory rest bench) invites you to sit and enjoy the beautiful view down into the Moselle valley.
Practical Notes
- Start / Parking: Bürgerhaus Thomm, Landkreis Trier-Saarburg. Parking is available directly at the community centre.
- Distance and elevation: 11.9 km circular route. The lowest point is around 250 m (Thommer Bach valley floor), the start and end sit at roughly 460–465 m — so there is a real descent and a real ascent involved.
- Footwear: Sturdy walking boots are strongly recommended; some sections can be steep and slippery in wet or wintry conditions.
- Food and drink: The Bistro Weinstein at Besucherbergwerk Fell is a mid-route option. Thomm itself has limited facilities, so carry water and a snack.
- Getting there by public transport: The trail is reachable by bus and train; check the regional RVT timetable for connections to Thomm.
- Trail quality: The route was rated 72 experience points by the Deutsches Wanderinstitut — high enough to qualify it as a certified premium trail among the Traumschleifen (a network of premium circular hiking routes in Rheinland-Pfalz).