The viewing platform "Silbersandblick" is located on the western flank of the Hochsimmer near the hiking trail up to the Hochsimmerturm. The 26 m² wooden platform is equipped with 2 large benches and was created in summer 2020 by Josef Ackermann in cooperation with the forest and officially handed over to the local community of St. Johann. It offers a fantastic view of the name-giving pit "Silbersand", the Nitztal, the surrounding communities up to the Nürburg and the Hohe Acht.
The pulpit has an area of 25 square meters and consists only of local larch wood. It took 100 hours to build. For the hikers who stroll through the forest, breathe the fresh air that smells of wood and moss, a visit to the building is inevitably a "must": From there you have a wonderful view of the Eifel heights with the pretty towns or over the Nettetal up to the world-famous Nürburg. And then something very special. The view of nearby witnesses to the local past not far away. Towards the former “Silbersand” mine. It was one of the most important ore deposits in the Eifel. Halden and Pingen still bear witness to the lively mining industry. Probably already known to the Romans, lead, copper and iron ores were verifiably mined there between 1401 and 1677. In 1846, operations on "silver sand" were resumed in order to specifically use the dumps with their rich aphalerite reserves. Due to the ore exhaustion, the mine was abandoned in 1914. Between 1957 and 1959 the Louisenstollen was opened again to examine ores again. It led to the further removal of dump material to a processing plant.
Wetter
