Father-and-son bunker trip in the Hürtgenwald

Sometimes the days that initially seem badly timed end up being unforgettable. Our adventure in Hürtgen Forest began under grey clouds and relentless heavy rain. The Jeep was packed with everything we needed for a weekend outdoors — gas stove, table, chairs and tent — and we set off towards Nideggen. The motorway took us past the enormous Garzweiler open-cast mine, a striking reminder of the scale on which people reshape the landscape.

Late in the afternoon, we reached the campsite, idyllically situated beside a stream directly below the imposing Nideggen Castle. The rain would not let up, so we pitched the tent in the wet, attached the tarp to the Jeep and settled in. With a dripping hood and wet hands, I served our first camping classic — a tin of ravioli heated on the gas stove. Simple, but exactly right for that moment. Later, tucked into the tent, we watched an action film on the tablet before climbing into our sleeping bags. Rain drummed on the flysheet and accompanied us into the night.

The reward came the next morning: the rain had finally stopped. While my son was still in his sleeping bag, I made coffee in the percolator. The gentle sound of the river in the background, the clear, damp air and the smell of freshly brewed coffee — that is all it takes to feel the adventure. After breakfast, we packed up, stowed the tent and headed into the heart of Hürtgen Forest.

The drive led through picturesque countryside and up into wooded hills. After parking at the forest edge, we had barely walked a few metres before history caught up with us. The first trenches, a demolished bunker — relics of the Second World War still silently bearing witness to the battles fought here. Our walk covered around ten kilometres through dense woodland, past bunkers, bullet holes and concrete ruins. Some structures could still be entered: oppressively narrow, with blast marks on the walls. History you can touch — and a sobering feeling when you imagine what happened here roughly eighty years ago. This makes the past tangible for children too.

After hours in the forest, among reminders of the past and the peace of nature, we returned to the Jeep. On the way home, we stopped at a viewing platform overlooking the open-cast mine — a stark contrast to the historic forest. We rounded off the day with a hearty meal: schnitzel and steak, the perfect ending to a successful weekend.

And so our father-and-son adventure came to an end. Two days of rain, nature, history and shared experiences that will stay with both of us for a long time. Quality time at its best.