Dis­cov­er Rat­in­gen by bike

Palaces and castles, his­tor­ic old towns and tran­quil nat­ur­al land-scapes – Rat­in­gen has it all. Cyc­lists al­ways have something new to dis­cov­er on a choice of themed routes.

With around 90,000 inhabitants, Ratingen is not the largest of towns. However, this scenic spot in neanderland can be proud of its network of cycle paths. It is definitely worth a trip, since the routes pass through beautiful scenery and take in architectural and historic attractions.

The paths snake past delightful forests, meadows and lakes, ensuring that Ratingen lives up to its reputation as the green heart of the region. However, industry has also left some traces here. These include the Cromford textile factory, the first factory in continental Europe. Originally built as the first mechanical cotton mill outside of England, it is now the only museum in the world that demonstrates cotton being processed into yarn using faithfully reconstructed 18th century machinery. This makes it a unique showpiece of industrial heritage.

Themed routes offer variety

Cyclists can discover all the opportunities and themed routes available to them around Ratingen in the cycling map, which is available from the tourist information office. One route, entitled “Einkaufen auf dem Bauernhof” (Farm Shopping), leads to various farms in the nearby area. Other routes pass castles and palaces or lead through nature reserves.

The longest tour is the 45 kilometre Natur-Tour (Nature Tour), which makes you forget that the vibrant metropolis of Düsseldorf is not far away. The Technik-Route (Technology Route) heads 20 kilometres east across the surrounding countryside and through the city to a variety of technical installations such as mills and wastewater treatment plants. A six-kilometre route designed especially for families with children offers opportunities to play along the way.

Anyone wanting to take just a single detour to Ratingen from a longer cycling tour should follow the Euroga Route. This links Düsseldorf and the Lower Rhine with the Dutch province of Limburg, and leads 600 km from east to west across the entire urban area of Ratingen.