southwest of and above the village in a meadow, sandstone shaft cross from the 18th century. Economy and infrastructure For a rural middle centre, Hillesheim has good infrastructure at its disposal with three schools, two sport halls, one tennis hall, one indoor swimming pool, a cinema, several supermarkets and filling stations and a building centre. Transport Rail Oberbettingen-Hillesheim railway station lies on the Eifelbahn (Cologne–Euskirchen–Gerolstein–Trier), which is served by the following local passenger services: the Eifel-Express (Cologne–Euskirchen–Gerolstein with connection to Trier); the Eifel-Bahn (Cologne–Euskirchen–Kall, and at peak times on to Gerolstein). For all local public transport, three tariff systems apply: the Verkehrsverbund Region Trier (VRT), the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg, and for journeys crossing tariff zones, the NRW-Tarif. Road The resident population is hoping that the gap in the A 1 between Daun-Rengen and Blankenheim in North Rhine-Westphalia will be filled, as all traffic currently rolls through Hillesheim, thereby causing very busy road conditions, especially on Fridays. On the other hand, this does conflict with local retailers' interests, for they have been profiting from spontaneous purchases made by those passing through town for a long time. Established businesses Hillesheim is headquarters to the KBV-Verlag (publishing house). Tourism The town of Hillesheim is a tourist destination, above all for visitors from North Rhine-Westphalia and the Netherlands. Besides the mediaeval town centre with its church, foremost among sights worth seeing is the "Bolsdorfer Tälchen" recreational area, where a lake, hiking loops, leisure activities and pubs on the town's outskirts invite visitors. The network of paths in the "Bolsdorfer Tälchen" is also a direct link to the Kylltal Cycle Path, which leads more than 115 km from the Kronenburg reservoir to the Kyll's mouth on the Moselle in Trier-Ehrang. Hillesheim is a "station" on the Eifel-Krimi-Wanderweg ("Eifel Crime Fiction Hiking Trail"), which is based on books by crime fiction authors Jacques Berndorf and Ralf Kramp. The Geopfad Hillesheim, at 30 stations in the town's vicinity, casts light on the Eifel's geology and on the evidence of vulcanism in the Vulkaneifel. Public institutions Administration In Hillesheim is the administrative seat of the Verbandsgemeinde of Hillesheim, which by population is the district's second smallest Verbandsgemeinde, after the Verbandsgemeinde of Kelberg. Education In Hillesheim are two kindergartens, one primary school, one Hauptschule and one Realschule. The folk high school is run on a volunteer basis by the KEB Bildungswerk Hillesheim - Katholische Erwachsenenbildung. Social services There are a