Johannes Höhn
With the Ruhr, Rhine, Lippe, Lenne, or Sieg, rivers of all sizes shape the landscape along their banks in NRW in different ways. Those following them by bike from source to mouth will experience nature, history, and plenty of cycling fun with little gradient.
RuhrtalRadweg, Stratmann
Rural idyll meets industrial culture
Ruhr Valley Cycle Path
From its source high up in the Sauerland to its mouth on the Rhine in Duisburg, the river Ruhr takes any cyclist following its banks past romantic places such as the old town of Arnsberg, Zeche Nachtigall in Witten, or Villa Hügel high above the Baldeneysee in Essen.
Johannes Höhn
Palaces, castles, pretty places
The Erft cycle path
Luckily, the good signage here makes it unnecessary to keep one’s eyes glued to the GPS or bicycle map! Cyclists can focus entirely on enjoying the region, which has one of the greatest moated castle densities in Germany. Castles, fortresses, and cosy little villages are situated on either side of the Erft cycle path that runs along the little river from its source in the Eifel to its mouth on the Lower Rhine.
Jan Graumann
Through the land of 1000 mountains
The Lenneroute cycle path
The Lenneroute generally leads cyclists through the Sauerland along the riverbanks without any significant gradients. The odd climb is manageable. An experience lift makes even a visit to Altena Castle, towering high above the water, effortless.
Tourismus NRW e.V.
From a small river to a large reservoir
The Möhnetal cycle path
Following the small river Möhne from its source in Brilon to the river Ruhr at Arnsberg affords an experience of the Sauerland region without any gradient. Meadows, forests, and the impressive Möhnetalsperre dam characterise this tour.
Tourismus NRW e.V.
Rhine romance and metropolises
The Rhine cycle path
The most exciting stretch of the 1,320-kilometre-long Rhine cycle path leads through NRW’s romantic landscapes, into the Rhineland metropolises, past the Drachenfelsen, the Cologne Cathedral, the old town of Düsseldorf, the industrial heritage of Duisburg, and the Xanten Archaeological Park.
Tourismus NRW e.V.
Dive deep into history by the river
The Roman-Lippe route
The river Lippe used to be an important traffic and transport route for the Roman legionaries two millennia ago. Cyclists following the river can still find their traces between Detmold in the Teutoburg Forest and Xanten in the Lower Rhine region today. For exampel in the LVR Roman Museum in Xanten: The institution was built on the walls of the Basilica thermarum, which was the entrance hall to the city baths of the harbour city of Colonia Ulpia Traiana – one of the largest Roman settlements.
Naturregion Sieg
Accompanied by the river with many species of fish
The Sieg cycle path
The river Sieg, the home to more than 40 species of fish and therefore one of the rivers with the most types of fish in Germany, flows through the idyllic landscape in the very south of North Rhine-Westphalia. Around the municipality of Windeck, the river is particularly meandering, creating a charming river valley within steep, forested hills. The Schladern district offers visitors the multi-level Siegwasserfall as a special treat. The largest waterfall in North Rhine-Westphalia, it was artificially created in the scope of railway construction.
