Schimmelkopf: Weiskirchen is planning the highest peak in Saarland!

Schimmelkopf: Weiskirchen is planning the highest peak in Saarland!

The community of Weiskirchen is planning ambitious steps to make the Schimmelkopf the highest peak in Saarland. Mayor Stephan Barth, who is independent, gave this information in a recent conversation with the Saarbrücken newspaper known. The Schimmelkopf, which is currently the second highest mountain in Saarland with a height of 694.8 meters, is to be increased to 700 meters by filling it in the form of a heap.

The Schimmelkopf is located in the Hunsrück part of the Black Forest High Forest, on the border of the districts of Trier-Saarburg (Rhineland-Palatinate) and Merzig-Wadern (Saarland). The exact coordinates of the summit are 49° 35′ 21″ N and 6° 48′ 21″ E. The neighboring mountain to the northeast, the Teufelskopf, measures 695 meters and is therefore only just above the Schimmelkopf. Historically, the Schimmelkopf and the Dollberg (695.4 m above sea level) were considered the highest elevations in Saarland. However, according to measurements from 2005, the Schimmelkopf is 0.6 meters lower than the Dollberg, which still relegates it to second place.

Planned increase and impact

The planned elevation of the Schimmelkopf could provide both tourism and economic stimulus for the region. The location is already a popular destination for hikers who pass through the Saar-Hunsrück Nature Park. However, the increase will also bring challenges. Parts of the Schimmelkopf are located in several nature reserves and fauna-flora-habitat areas (FFH), which raises questions about ecological compatibility.

The area surrounding the mold head is already polluted by other interventions. Work began in spring 2014 on the construction of the Weiskirchen-Schimmelkopf wind farm, which includes four wind turbines and has been in operation since spring 2015. These wind turbines, with a rotor diameter of 115 meters and a total height of 207 meters, led to the section of the dream loop “Weiskircher Höhentour” that ran over the summit being largely destroyed before the hiking route was recently renamed “Wildnistrail”.

Accessibility and leisure activities

The Schimmelkopf can be reached via various signposted forest paths, which makes it a popular destination for numerous hikers. In the immediate vicinity there is a picnic bench and an information sign that provides information about the surrounding area and the mountain. In addition, the European long-distance hiking trail E3 runs over the Schimmelkopf, which further adds to the attractiveness of the area. Transport connections are provided by the nearby federal highway 407, which is part of the Hunsrückhöhenstraße.

The Weiskirchen community's ambitious plans could develop the Schimmelkopf from a regional attraction into an even better-known destination. But it remains to be seen what concrete steps will be taken and what the ecological conditions will be. These challenges should be addressed with the same importance as the potential to ensure sustainable development of the region.