The Alf rises about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) northeast of Hörscheid in the Volcanic Eifel. From its source at a height of 549 metres (1,801 ft), the Alf initially flows in a southerly direction to the village of Darscheid, from which it flows to the east through the villages of Gillenfeld and Strohn. The next section of the Alf, to Bausendorf, is very winding; it then turns towards the east and cuts through the south of the forest of Kondelwald, passing the villages of Kinderbeuern and Bengel. Around 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) beyond Bengel it changes course abruptly and swings north. A ridge prevents it from flowing further east unto the Moselle, here just 500 metres (1,600 ft) away. After breaking through the Moselle Hills the Alf finally reaches the Moselle at Alf (Cochem-Zell) at a height of 95 metres (312 ft). Along its 53 kilometres (33 mi) course from source to mouth, the Alf descends through 454 metres (1,490 ft), giving it an average river bed gradient of 8.6‰.
Tributaries
Left tributaries
Right tributaries
Laubach near Gillenfeld at 393 m above NHN
Diefenbach near Sprinker Mill at 328 m above NHN
Holzbach behind the Oberscheidweiler Mill at 306 m above NHN
Salzbach at 223 m above NHN
Olkenbach near Olkenbach at 188 m above NHN
Ewesbach near Kinderbeuern at 167 m above NHN
Kammerbach between Kinderbeuern and Bengel at 149 m above NHN
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