To be honest, I was quite worried that we'd have to tackle our planned bike tour for early October in raincoats and with several liters of hot tea in our packs. For days beforehand, I checked the weather forecast daily, and lo and behold, contrary to expectations, the prediction for our planned bike tour Saturday changed from thunderstorms to brilliant sunshine. Fortunately, the forecast held true, and so we were able to start our tour highly motivated and with light luggage. Here I'll tell you about my bike tour through... radrevier.ruhr.

The perfect route for a day trip through the Ruhr area

The route for our day trip was designed to take us past some highlights of industrial heritage, avoid too much city traffic, and provide a good first impression of exploring the Ruhr region by bike. Our requirements seemed to pose no great challenge for the radrevier.ruhr team – they quickly put together the perfect route for our needs. After cycling through the Ruhr cities of Gelsenkirchen, Bottrop, Oberhausen, and Essen over approximately 50 kilometers, all our wishes were fulfilled. A few minor detours extended the route slightly, bringing the total distance from the stated 41,1 kilometers to just under 50 kilometers.

The right gear

If you ask me, I would describe myself as sporty, although cycling isn't really one of my disciplines. I do cycle quite a lot on my Dutch bike, though.
Through Düsseldorf, but those are usually distances of less than 30 minutes. Therefore, my companion and I decided to take advantage of RevierRad's offer and rent two high-quality trekking bikes for our day trip. We packed plenty of water, some sandwiches (for those unfamiliar with the Ruhr dialect), and fruit. We also brought tissues, sunscreen, our smartphones with the Komoot app for navigation, and a camera to capture the beautiful industrial scenery in the golden October light. What we didn't have with us, but would have liked, was a phone mount to easily keep an eye on the navigation while riding.

First stop: Nordsternpark Gelsenkirchen

We pick up our rental bikes in Essen at the Zollverein collieryWe were able to park here easily and, most importantly, for free. We'll save the Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site itself as the highlight of the tour until the very end, and then head straight towards Gelsenkirchen.

Under bright sunshine, the route leads along small paths through a wooded area shortly after leaving the Zollverein site, past the mini-slag heap Zollverein 4/11, until reaching the Rhine-Herne Canal. We cross this canal and then cycle parallel to the water until we can see the red winding tower of the Nordstern coal mine.

A little later we reach the former coal mine site and the North Star ParkThe area was transformed into a beautiful landscaped park almost 20 years ago. Today, there's plenty to discover. The historic buildings and a visitor's mine offer insights into the local mining history. The Nordstern grounds also feature an adventure farm, a climbing park, and Heiner's Restaurant. In summer, you can sit in Heiner's beer garden, and in winter, in a cozy mountain hut. It's the perfect place for a break, but we decide to continue cycling and convert our initial enthusiasm into leg power.

Following the traces of industrial history in Bottrop

We continue along the Emscher River in the opposite direction. After a while, we notice that the houses around us look suspiciously similar. A quick glance at the map confirms our suspicion. We're in a former workers' settlement. Until its closure in 1931, this was home to the workers of the Vereinigte Welheim coal mine. The groups of houses stand neatly clustered together, separated only by green spaces and narrow, lightly trafficked streets. Here, the world still seems to be in order, and you have the feeling of being in an idyllic suburb of a small town. Without our Komoot app, we'd probably still be trying to find our way out today.

Since the landmark “tetrahedronSince the weather on the Beckstraße spoil heap barely lifted from the gray sky during my last visit, it was clear we absolutely had to go up. After just a few meters, I wasn't so sure anymore whether we shouldn't have locked the bikes down below and taken the stairs. But the decision was made, and we pedaled hard to tackle the winding road together with our two-wheeled steeds and reach the summit plateau. Our hearts racing, we arrived at the top, and it was well worth it. This time, the steel, 50-meter-high landmark in the shape of a pyramid looked much more impressive. On a clear day, you can not only see the surrounding spoil heaps but even as far as my hometown of Düsseldorf.

Together with the neighboring Prosperstraße spoil heap, on which the Bottrop Alpine Center's indoor ski hall is located, the Tetraeder spoil heap was created by the nearby Prosper-Haniel coal mine. This mine is the last active coal mine in the Ruhr region, and here too, operations will literally cease at the end of the year. 2018 marks the complete end of hard coal mining in Germany, bringing with it more than 200 years of industrial history. When you consider all this, the individual stops on our bike tour take on a slightly time-traveling quality.

Onward to Oberhausen

We leave Bottrop and quickly cover the short distance through the city traffic. Back in the beautiful early autumn greenery, we are now in Oberhausen and soon reach a small moated castle. Vondern Castle, where celebrations and weddings can be held, stands in the middle of a small park. We decide to take a short break on a bench in the immediate vicinity of the castle.

Back in the saddle, we cross the Emscher River again, followed by the Rhine-Herne Canal. From the small pedestrian bridge, we have a perfect view of the Gasometer and what is probably the most famous electricity pylon in the Ruhr region, the so-called "Sorcerer's Apprentice." This steel sculpture, while constructed like a conventional electricity pylon, literally dances out of line. Stripped of its original function, it stands freely and seemingly dancing on a green meadow, reminiscent of the spirit from Goethe's "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," who defies the apprentice's obedience. From here, a detour to the Gasometer in Oberhausen is worthwhile. There you'll find a climbing park, a beautiful view from the roof, and exciting rotating exhibitions. I was there just a few weeks ago to see the current exhibition, "The Mountain Calls," about the fascinating mountain landscapes of our planet, which is why we'll skip it today.

Zollverein is calling – Back to Essen

Now comes what is probably the most beautiful part of our route. Passing farms, pastures, through parks and forests, our route gradually leads us back towards Essen. We will soon find ourselves on the... RS1...the 101-kilometer-long expressway that will run through the Ruhr region between the cities of Hamm and Duisburg. Let me tell you, there's nothing better for cyclists. There are no cars, you're surrounded by nature, the surface is bike-friendly, and you get from A to B in no time.

This is what makes cycling fun. We agree it's time for our next break, so we'll head straight to Radmosphäre. Opened by a true cycling enthusiast, this café, located directly on the RS1 cycle path in Essen Altendorf, has been welcoming countless cyclists and catering to their needs for over a year now.

Refreshed, we're now ready for the final kilometers of our tour. The route winds through Krupp Park and parts of Essen's city center. More and more parts of my body are starting to complain. My thighs, my glutes, and somehow the rest of me have had enough of the unaccustomed exertion, despite the refreshments, and I'm glad to soon catch sight of the first parts of the famous Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex.

Before returning our bikes to the bike station, we thoroughly explore the Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's not for nothing that it's also known as the "most beautiful coal mine in the world." Only now, on our bikes, do I realize just how vast the site actually is and how diverse the leisure activities are. You could easily spend hours here. At the Ruhr Museum, the Portal of Industrial Culture, or on the Zollverein Heritage Trail, for example, you can delve into the cultural history of the Ruhr region. Modern design can be discovered at the Red Dot Design Museum. In summer you can swim, in winter you can ice skate, and all year round the entire area provides a fantastic backdrop for photos. Even today, we only see and experience a fraction of what we would like to explore here, so we will definitely be back soon.

Conclusion: Our day trip by bike through the Ruhr cycling region

Our bike tour through the Ruhr region was definitely worthwhile. In just one day, we cycled through four different cities, mostly away from busy roads, and encountered unique industrial monuments, just as we'd hoped. The original estimated time for the route was 2 hours and 37 minutes. This seems a bit too ambitious for recreational cyclists. Perhaps we dawdled too much. Or maybe we lingered too long over the weather, which was absolutely gorgeous on that autumn Saturday. Nevertheless, I would definitely recommend planning a full day to allow enough time for breaks, visiting the various sights, and leisurely exploring.

An article by Franka Vollrath

Hello! My name is Franka, I'm a free spirit with a love of detail and a travel-loving coffee enthusiast. I also enjoy adventures in nature – preferably with my dog ​​Eddy by my side – and love discovering the most beautiful neighborhoods in different cities. I've been sharing my experiences on my blog for several years now. detailed ideaMy home is the beautiful Rhineland, and therefore I am in the fortunate position of being a direct neighbor of the Ruhr area, which I will undoubtedly make even greater use of in the future.