Well-rested, I meet our tour group for today's kick-off, unfortunately under rather mediocre weather at Lohrheide Stadium in Wattenscheid, all of them highly motivated, of course!

The SG Wattenscheid 09 stadium has a long tradition and is currently being modernized and renovated. This reconstruction is scheduled for completion in 2025, but we were still allowed a quick peek inside and a seat in the stands. It's quite iconic! By the way, you also have a great view of the stadium and the stands from the Rheinelbe spoil tip!

You can feel the retro charm of the stadium, built in 1959, whether you're enjoying a bratwurst from the charcoal grill or relaxing in the shade under the trees that line the grounds. It's also affectionately known as "the jewel box" ;-).

Firmly in the saddle, heading towards the Hanover coal mine

We hop on our bikes for a very short distance until our next stop, which Hanover colliery In the Günningfeld district of Bochum. The coal mine, which extracted hard coal from 1857 to 1973, is now an industrial monument, and you can experience demonstrations of the 1893 steam winding engine and get a sense of what it must have been like for the workers back then. Today, in addition to a wide range of cultural and artistic events, exhibitions, and concerts, there are also many activities for children, including the "Knirps" children's center. Why not drop by?

A must-see in the Ruhr area: The German Mining Museum in Bochum

From here, well-maintained cycle paths lead towards the next stop – the German Mining Museum Bochum. Now an icon of the museum landscape in the Ruhr area and definitely worth a visit!

Let's go at Castroper!

Since we still have a bit of a ride ahead of us and are more focused on football today, we'll leave the museum to our right and cycle through the beautiful old town behind it towards the stadium. The ride through Bochum's city park is pleasant, and then we'll see the Ruhrstadion on Castroper Straße!

Naturally, we made a longer stop here. We accompanied Hans-Werner and Cedric to the stadium – the two were clearly having a great time and entertaining the entire support crew! Of course, we took a seat in the fan lounge and enjoyed a moment of view of the stands and the pitch – currently still breathing in the air of the team's fight for survival ;-). Hans-Werner reminisced about his childhood and gave free rein to his passion for the blue and white team from Castroper Straße.

Final at the German Football Museum in Dortmund

The final leg of our journey, to the German Football Museum in Dortmund, is quite a long way off, but we manage it without any problems, mostly on very well-maintained paths! We repeatedly notice how beautifully green it is here, until urban life once again takes hold of us and we arrive at Dortmund U Drive past it towards the Football Museum.

Here You'll get a concentrated dose of football expertise, both visually and aurally, and of course, you can even kick a ball around yourself and be amazed! And even if you're the biggest fan, there's sure to be something new for you!

Intrigued? Then watch our film now, hop on your bike and explore football country on and off our route! We hope you have a great time!

By the way: The route is so easy to cycle that you don't need an e-bike (except for the Beckstraße slag heap) and everything is manageable without electric assistance. You can find more information about football in the Ruhr area here! We found the route at komoot Reserved for you!