Ruhr Val­ley Cycle Path

From in­dus­tri­al her­it­age and vi­brant cit­ies to idyll­ic nature and half-timbered houses: the Ruhr Val­ley Cycle Path passes many dif­fer­ent towns on its way through Sauer­land and the Ruhr Area.

The Ruhr Valley Cycle Path was officially opened in 2006 and has been one of the highlights of Germany’s riverside cycle paths ever since. It runs along the River Ruhr from its source in Winterberg, Sauerland, to the point where it flows into the Rhine at Duisburg. The 230-kilometre route is perfect for those with an interest in both nature and heritage: forests, moors and heathland alternate with mountains, idyllic half-timbered houses and the many traces of the industrial era, which are symbolic of the development and history of the entire Ruhr Metropolis.

Some of the many things to experience along the way include the medieval town centre in Arnsberg, the Mutten Valley, industrial heritage sites like the Nightingale mine in Witten, Lake Baldeney, the Villa Hügel in Essen and the redeveloped Duisburg Inner Harbour. The cycle route is also ideal for families: it offers them the chance to combine hiking with travel by canoe, ferry and railbus.

Certified as a four-star quality route by the German Cyclists’ Association (ADFC), the Ruhr Valley cycle route is one of the most popular long-distance cycle paths in Germany. The season opening in spring is celebrated with a RuhrtalRadweg festival in a different town or municipality each year.