Wupper, Balkan Route and Burg Castle

Where you start the relaxed gravel tour along the Wupper and through the beautiful Murbach valley is up to you. Because the start of the 45-kilometre route is flexible. The official start and finish point is the train station in Leichlingen, so it is also easy to get there by public transport or the Bergische FahradBus. The climbs are only very gentle, as the tour runs partly along the Balkantrasse panoramic cycle path. This owes its name to the railroad line between Leverkusen-Opladen and Remscheid-Lennep, popularly known as the "Balkan Express". Today, trains no longer run here. Instead, you cycle leisurely through small villages to Schloss Burg in Solingen, which once served as a knight's castle and aristocratic palace. After several opportunities to stop for refreshments, the return journey follows the course of the Wupper in varied loops.