Klever Reichswald, State forest in Kleve, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Klever Reichswald is a large continuous forest spanning across several municipalities in the Lower Rhine area. It features a mix of different tree types and rolling terrain crossed by walking trails that connect the various sections.
The forest is the largest remnant of the medieval Ketelwald, first recorded as Reichswald in the 14th century. In February and March 1945, Operation Veritable was fought here; the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, the largest Commonwealth cemetery in Germany, commemorates the dead. After the war, clearings made way for the villages of Nierswalde and Reichswalde.
The charcoal-burning tradition is kept alive by the Köhlerei Reichswalde association, which marked its thirtieth anniversary in 2022. Near the Sieben Quellen spring area on the Stoppelberg stands a model of the meiler, the earth-covered kiln once used to turn wood into charcoal. The forest's medieval name Ketelwald, meaning "great forest", survives in the Geldenberg core area.
The forest has multiple entry points and parking areas near the different towns where visitors can leave their vehicles. The walking routes are clearly marked, and there are rest spots along the paths where you can take a break.
The area was shaped by glaciers during the Ice Age, creating hills that stand out noticeably from the flat Rhine landscape. The highest point of these raised areas reaches roughly 95 meters in elevation.
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