Together with the Obermaubach reservoir, the Heimbach reservoir is responsible for balancing out the irregular water releases from the Schwammenauel power station and the Jugenstilkarft power station in Heimbach. The dam was built in 1934/1935, modernized in 2001 and adapted to the current state of the art.

After about two thirds of the route, you reach the Jugendstik power station in Heimbach, which was put into operation in 1905 and draws its water from the Urft dam via the Kermeter tunnel, which merges into two pressure pipes 110 m above the power station. The power station is still in operation today. The original equipment with eight turbines was replaced in 1975 by two new machines with higher efficiency. Since then, the plant has had an installed capacity of 16,000 kilowatts to cover peak loads. Some of the old machines are still in place, as the new generators take up much less space.

Directions

From the Über Rur parking lot, we take the paved path closest to the water and follow it through the spa gardens to the Heimbach reservoir. We pass the small leisure facility and then follow the hiking trail along the reservoir. After about 2 km, we reach the district of Hasenfeld. We walk along the road past the campsite, follow Kleestraße uphill and turn left at the bend to the right onto the hiking trail, which takes us back to the reservoir after a few 100 m. As we continue, we pass a clearing with a barbecue hut and access to the water. After a few minutes, we reach the stilling basin and approach the end of the reservoir. After a left-hand bend, we find ourselves on the path at the foot of the Schwammenauel dam; on the other side of the dam wall is the Rursee lake. After another left-hand bend, the path now runs below the vacation village. At the next junction, you have the option of turning right through the vacation village up to the Schwammenauel landing stage and taking a boat trip on the Rursee or stopping for a bite to eat there. On our way back, we pass the art nouveau Heimbach power station, which still supplies the Eifel with electricity and regularly hosts "Spannungen", an annual chamber music festival. We continue straight ahead and follow the Langerscheidt road and the Seerandweg, which bring us back to our starting point after a good 8 km.

If you don't want to walk all the way around the Heimbach reservoir, you can shorten the route. Instead of walking up Kleestraße at the campsite in Hasenfeld, you walk downhill along the campsite and cross the bridge at the Jugendstil power station. Then turn left and walk along the reservoir back to the starting point.