Lake illumintation, torch ride lure visitors to Eiswoog

  • Published
  • By Petra Lessoing
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  A special event called "Eiswoog in Flammen," is expected to lure around 5,000 guests to the Eiswoog lake near Ramsen. "Eiswoog on flame" features a Bengal light show on the lake, musical entertainment, a fire show, eating and drinking, and a torch ride on a special old train, called Stumpfwaldbahn, which travels in the upper Eistal Valley near Ramsen.

The torch rides, starting at 5 p.m., will take passengers on an 2-kilometer route between the train stations at Eiswoog lake and Bockbach Valley. Flame bowls will illuminate the route.

Visitors can buy torches near the event locations, but for safety reasons the train conductor will decide if they can take them along on the train. Visitors are asked to handle the torches carefully and put them out or leave them in the campfires.

Next to both train stations and at the Seehaus Forelle restaurant, warm meals and drinks will be served.

Hunting horn blowers will perform near the camp fires, and a fire-eater will present his skills 7:30 p.m.

Drummers will march from the train station to the lake. The highlight of the event will be the Bengal illumination of the lake. The drummers will close out "Eiswoog on flame" around 9:45 p.m.

Organizers are asking visitors to take public transportation to get to the event since parking near the lake is limited. Shuttle trains can get boarded near the monument in Ramsen starting at 5 p.m., in Alsenborn center starting at 5:12 p.m. or Enkenbach train station starting at 5:17 p.m. For a detailed schedule and more bus stations, visit www.stumpfwaldbahn.de/veranstaltungen/fackfa11/shuttelbus_fackfa_2011.pdf.

The Stumpfwaldbahn train association maintains old trains mines, quarries and lumber mills. Rides for tourists are offered on a special field railway between Eiswoog lake and Ramsen from May 1 to Oct. 3 on Sundays and German holidays.

Eiswoog lake is located between Enkenbach-Alsenborn (east of Kaiserslautern) and Ramsen.

For details and directions, visit www.stumpfwaldbahn.de.