Summer beckons with Mediterranean temperatures (well, somewhere else in the world, just not in the Ruhr area), and what could be better than a culinary bike tour through the vineyards? Vineyards in the Ruhr area? You read that right! I'm taking you to one of Germany's most extraordinary wine regions: Dortmund!
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My bike tour through Dortmund covers approximately 63 kilometers, circling the city, which admittedly isn't known for wine, mountains, and forests, but rather embodies the triad of steel, football, and beer more intensely than any other city in the Ruhr region. Of course, we experience these themes extensively during our ride, but it's the wine, forest, and mountains that truly captivate me, precisely because they are so unexpected for the Ruhr area!
It starts from Phoenix West
A good starting point is the Phoenix West area. If you're arriving by car, you'll definitely find a parking space there easily. Those wanting to start the tour from Dortmund Central Station will first have to navigate some city traffic to reach the Emscher River. From Phoenix West, however, you can access the beautiful Emscher Valley directly, and the cycling fun can begin immediately.
Up and down the Emscher Trail
Yes, here too you can see the effects of the heavy rain in July. In some places, the surface has been eroded, while in others, small patches of gravel have been deposited. Currently (August 2021), you should therefore be a bit more careful than usual when cycling throughout the Ruhr area, but generally speaking, you can make good progress. I'm out again with my colleague Pascal, who's taking the great photos and will hopefully motivate you even more to cycle this route. We're starting with a leisurely ride alongside the Emscher River.
It quickly becomes clear that Dortmund is considerably hillier than many assume. From the Emscher valley, we follow the signs uphill towards the... Emscher Trail The route then climbs uphill for the first time in the Barop district. We are rewarded with a lovely view of Signal Iduna Park. Okay, depending on your team affiliations, this view might not appeal to everyone, but viewed objectively (without team colors in mind), the vista is truly beautiful.
After a short descent under the A40 motorway, we drive through a charming allotment garden community right next to the Emscher river. The sunflowers climb in a riot of color, and the allotment garden idyll seems perfect.
The Echo of the Emscher Valley
And as is typical in the mountains, we can also enjoy a tremendous echo here in the Emscher Valley. Yes, okay, you first have to briefly dismount your bike and step onto a work of art by the roadside, but it's all the more impressive for it. The artwork is called "Zur Kleinen Weile" (To the Little While), and all I can say is: go in! What looks from the outside, to an art philistine like myself, like the oversized droppings of a stately four-legged friend, offers a tremendous echo and sound experience inside. So: go in and clap! If you have a good voice, you can even belt out the miners' song, the Steigerlied (a traditional German miners' song), the acoustics are simply sensational.
Summit bliss on the Deusenberg
We continue cycling along the Emscher Trail and quickly reach the next highlight of the tour – quite literally. Because it's uphill, really uphill. Shortly before Deusenberg, we wind our way left along a small footpath, rejoin a deserted asphalt road, and circle the spoil heap clockwise until a gravel farm track leads uphill. While our muscles are working hard and our calves are starting to burn, we try to enjoy the view of the Hansa coking plant and, slightly behind us, the Hansa coal mine. A short break halfway up certainly helps.
My breathing becomes more labored. I'm riding my regular bike and miss the turbo button on my e-bike as I huff and puff my way uphill until we finally skirt a large solar panel plant and are rewarded with a wonderful view of Dortmund. For me, this is simply the best view of the Ruhr area's largest city, and worth every drop of sweat.
Those who prefer to enjoy the view without their bike can park it at the bottom by the Emscher Trail and quickly climb the slag heap on foot via a staircase. Those with a mountain bike, however, can have some fun in the small dirt park up here, featuring nice berms and small jumps.
Cycling along the Dortmund-Ems Canal
After departure, we leave the Emscher Trail and drive to the Dortmund-Ems CanalWe follow the path for a short distance past the port facilities. Then, on our bike tour through Dortmund, we turn east and quickly reach a beautiful wooded area. Yes, this is probably not something most people from outside Dortmund would associate with the city, but the forest paths are perfect for leisurely cycling, and from an observation tower, we can even spot deer – simply a wonderful nature experience so close to the city! Pascal, of course, immediately goes "hunting" for the perfect photo with his telephoto lens. The wildlife park is a great place for families to take a short break and enjoy some new experiences.
A currywurst is simply a must.
We continue on our way, and our stomachs are starting to rumble. We cross fields and eventually reach the Gneisenau Trail, which we would normally follow to the former coal mine of the same name. But when hunger is screaming, and you know that one of the best currywursts in the region is served at the other end of the Gneisenau Trail at the Preußenhafen in Lünen, it's easy to take a wrong turn and walk the 4,5 kilometers in the wrong direction. Of course, this detour isn't necessary, and you can shorten the tour to a lean 54 kilometers this way. But if you like to "grab" a delicious currywurst on your tour, this short detour to Lünen is definitely the right choice. It certainly gives us enough energy for the remaining kilometers. While I treat myself to the classic currywurst with fries and mayo, Pascal chooses a meatball as a "side dish" to his currywurst – well, a nutritionist would probably have a hard time with either of us…
We quickly returned along the railway line, once again enjoying the fantastic view of the beautiful towers of the Gneisenau coal mine. For me, these towers are simply among the most beautiful coal mines in the Ruhr region. It's a shame that you can't actually visit the mine itself, and that the large camping shop somewhat detracts from the view. But as a photo subject, the Gneisenau mine is simply unbeatable.
Behind the coal mine, we have to cycle a short distance along a railway line on rather poor terrain before we can reach a nicely developed riverside path and finally cycle along the Alte Körne river in a completely relaxed manner. We already covered this section during the Discovery tour through the district of Unna presented. The forest nature trail in the Alte Körne nature reserve is particularly well-suited for a relaxed bike ride through beautiful scenery while learning a lot about nature.
The riverside paths of Alter Körne and Körne
In Kurl, we switch to the riverside path alongside the Körne stream. Since a bridge over the small stream is currently being renovated (as of August 2021), we take a small detour via Wasserkurl, as we've actually reached the easternmost point of the tour here and are now heading south to Wickede. After crossing the railway line, we turn right and cycle alongside the tracks. The route isn't quite as scenic as before, but that's okay, we're making progress and are practically on the final leg of the tour. We climb past fields, and of course, the headwind is blowing fiercely in our faces. Any doubts about whether a salad for lunch might have been the better choice are naturally ignored and pushed aside with the pained expression of a Tour de France rider in a breakaway group just before the finish line.
After a bit of city traffic, we reach a less well-known and not very well-developed railway line that takes us to Phoenix Lake.
The vineyards at Phoenix Lake
We cycle leisurely along the lake and arrive at the aforementioned vineyard. While the Phoenix Lake with its luxury villas is certainly a subject of debate, the Emscher Cooperative's vineyard is simply a wonderful idea. Even now, in the height of summer, large grapes are already hanging on the vines, and stylish wooden benches offer a relaxing view of the lake through the vines – pure holiday bliss.
You really don't want to leave at the end of a tour. All that's missing is a wine waiter with the perfect glass to make the relaxing moment complete. But of course, we have the perfect spot for an after-work beer tucked away on our bike tour through Dortmund.
The finale: the standing beer hall of the Bergmann Brewery
Above the Emscher River, we cycle from the lake back to the starting point of the tour at the blast furnaces of Phoenix West. The final stretch of elevation offers one last taste of industrial heritage and is quickly conquered, as we're looking forward to a delicious beer in front of the iconic Bergmann Brewery's beer garden to round off the tour. I choose the light "Halbstarke" and Pascal the robust "Adam Eichenbock"—quite tasty. And while we drink our beers, we observe the many road cyclists who obviously enjoy doing their training laps around the blast furnace here in Phoenix West—some more professionally than others.
Our conclusion about the bike tour through Dortmund
Looking at the blast furnaces, we mentally review our bike tour through Dortmund and come to the conclusion: A great Day Trip This route around Dortmund lets you experience many of the city's highlights. Not every bike path is perfect, and you might have to overlook a few rough patches towards the end. However, it offers a great opportunity to discover Dortmund beyond the usual clichés. As always, I hope you have a fantastic time cycling along this route!
