At Pentecost, most people want to get out – out into nature, out into the countryside. I also desperately wanted to get out of the city and simply clear my head. Since I didn't feel like driving somewhere and even less inclined to test a €9 ticket on the German Rail (Deutsche Bahn) during the Pentecost rush, I looked for places nearby that could offer relaxed cycling. My glance at the cycling map of the node system I quickly headed north because I had been there less often before.

Quick planning with the radtourenplaner.ruhr

Once the general direction was clear, I used my computer to... bike tour planner.ruhr It's open. I wanted to start in the Oberhausen area and cycle somewhere between 60 and 80 kilometers. If you want to stick to the official junction system and have selected "most scenic route," you can quickly click on the junctions and see how long the tour will be. You don't even have to click on every junction; you can just roughly map out the route, and the software does the rest.

My initial plan was a bit too short for my liking, so I repeated the whole thing up to Dorsten and back again via the Kirchheller Heide – perfect. You can also see the elevation profile, so everyone can easily decide if it's something for them.

Komoot as a backup

Since I am a passionate Komoot user, I have the GPX I also quickly uploaded the data to my Komoot account, just to be safe. Because yes, we know that our route planner sometimes has its quirks. However, it's a great planning tool for the junction network, as Komoot tends to plan routes that are a bit more "creative" and often deviate from the intended paths. If you don't have Komoot, you can also use the free radtourenplaner.ruhr (Ruhr cycle route planner) for excellent on-site navigation. And especially on this tour, everyone should have a good map or digital navigation, because both in cities and in the countryside, it unfortunately happens quite often that signs are missing or easily missed while cycling past.

The starting point is Haus Ripshorst in Oberhausen

Ripshorst House is an ideal starting point. In the visitor center, you can quickly fortify yourself with a coffee or cold drink before your tour and learn more about the rural Ruhr region. If you need a bike, you can rent one at the adjacent RevierRad station. E-bikes are also available for rent here with advance reservation. Those arriving by car will find a large parking lot in front of Ripshorst House. If you're arriving by train, you can choose either the Bottrop or Dorsten train station (depending on your starting point).

In any case, you should take a short time (even in rainy weather like I did) to enjoy the beautiful gardens at Haus Ripshorst.

Urban country cycling right from the start

I waited out the rain showers, then set off across the Ripshorst Bridge to junction 7. From here, my route is planned using radtourenplaner.ruhr. Anyone who wants to can also do this without registering. Just quickly put together your route here on site using the most important junctions and click "Navigate" at the bottom.

Passing through an industrial wasteland, I quickly cycle past Vondern Castle before continuing towards Bottrop. Although I'm still in the heart of the Ruhr region, I already feel a pleasant sense of the countryside. The route takes me past meadows and fields, and the villages along the way are rather small and tranquil. It gets a bit bustling briefly at Bottrop train station, but I cycle through it quickly. I then cycle along a newly constructed section of a... railway line I drive towards the Tetraeder, while on the right I see the Prosper II colliery tower.

Optional: A sporty tour of the slag heaps

Since my time is limited today, I'll stick to the circular route using the junction system. However, anyone who wants to can extend this bike tour to include one or more viewpoints or even a more challenging route. Slag heap tour Make the most of it. Because with the Tetraeder and the alpincenter, as well as several slag heaps in the Brauker Alps in Gladbeck and the enormous Haniel slag heap at the end of the tour, there are several challenging climbs right along the way.

As I said, I'm moving on. I always enjoy cycling through the lovely garden city of Welheim, and today I'll stay relaxed at the foot of the Brauker Alps. Sightseeing isn't always necessary; sometimes you just want to enjoy a leisurely bike ride through the countryside.

Cycling through Gladbeck

I pass the B 224 – as a driver, you always feel like you're right in the heart of the Ruhr area. On a bike, however, you're in the countryside after just a few meters.

Looking across a magnificent cornfield, I glance once again at the Tetraeder on the horizon and realize how close the big city and country life actually are here.

A little later I cross the A2 motorway and quickly reach Wittringen Castle with its extensive park. You can find out more about it in Verena's article.The most photogenic castles in the Ruhr area".

A few more pedal strokes and I reach the center of Gladbeck, with some street art and a smart town hall. For a while, I'm back to urban cycling, which is perfectly fine here. I had actually wanted to visit the Zweckel machine hall. However, since you can't really get onto the grounds outside of events, this detour isn't really worthwhile, and I continue north.

The smell of popcorn in the middle of the forest

I enter a pleasant little wood and suddenly, instead of the scent of pine needles, I smell popcorn. For a moment I'm very confused, until a thundering roller coaster roars past beside me and I realize that I'm practically behind the Movie Park Germany I cycled along. But immediately beyond it, the wide fields opened up again and I could once more enjoy country life in peace.

The northern turning point: Dorsten

Following the railway line, I quickly reach Dorsten. Passing the train station, I enter the town center with its pleasant cafes and the beautiful moat right in the middle. Shortly afterwards, I arrive at the Wesel-Datteln Canal, who will accompany me westward for a while.

While large ships sail along the canal on the left, the Lippe River flows through a beautiful floodplain landscape on the right. The "Anne Bänke" beer garden is one of the iconic cyclist stops along the side of the path. After that, the junction system follows an asphalt path behind the dike. I recommend taking the path to the left of it, directly along the canal. It's not quite as well-maintained, but you'll be cycling right by the water.

From Gahlen, the route heads south again.

At junction 72, the tour turns south again towards Kirchheller Heide. If your feet are already burning, a nicely designed Kneipp facility on the right-hand side of Im Aap street promises refreshing relief. Otherwise, you cycle along red brick streets through the tranquil village of Gahlen. Immediately after the village exit sign, the most intense countryside experience of the entire tour begins.

Especially in June, magnificent fields of grain alternate with beautiful wooded areas. The route is completely paved and also suitable for... Road cyclists: inside very popular.

Although it is Whit Monday, I see few other day-trippers, which makes this area particularly interesting for people who prefer to avoid the crowded hotspots of the region.

The lakes in the Kirchheller Heide

A short stretch along Dinslakener Straße isn't so great. Here you get a bit too close to the traffic. But I can quickly turn off again into the Kirchheller Heide. First I pass the Heidhofsee lake and a little later the Heidhof, an important forestry competence center of the Ruhr Regional Association.

Next comes Pfingstsee, one of my personal favorite places. The lake is still forming as a result of subsidence caused by coal mining. Dead tree trunks stand in the middle of the lake, making it a magical place in my eyes. A little later, I'll come to Heidesee.

Back to the hustle and bustle of the big city

At the Grafenmühle mill, I'm back in the hustle and bustle of the crowd. Numerous restaurants cater to the day-trippers, many of whom arrive directly on their motorcycles. Sandra and Katalina had come here, after all. their bike trip .

Passing the foot of the Haniel spoil heap, the route leads through a pleasant wooded area to the Prosper Haniel coal mine. Thus, at the end of the bike tour, industrial heritage also gets its due attention. [The text abruptly ends here.] Jacobistrasse I drive to Oberhausen in a relaxed manner, and with every turn of the pedals I get closer to the urbanity of the Ruhr area.

The Osterfeld coal mine in OLGA Park and the gasometer Oberhausen They are essentially the gateway back to the Ruhr metropolis. Rhine-Herne Canal I roll out the last few meters until I'm back at Ripshorst House.

My conclusion – a pleasant country outing.

It doesn't always have to be a packed sightseeing tour from one tourist hotspot to the next. If you simply want to go for a leisurely bike ride and avoid crowded places, you'll find many beautiful spots on this tour through the northern Ruhr region. The radtourenplaner.ruhr (Ruhr cycle tour planner) reliably guided me along the route using the junction network system. RevierRoute “Landpartie” There's also a similar route through the fields and forests of the northern Ruhr area. If you like, you can easily extend the tour to include a few more sights. If you just want to get out of the city, this tour is a great option, and as always, I hope you enjoy cycling it!