It's September, and that means this year's GRAVEL GAMES are practically upon us. On September 24th and 25th, the grounds of the Ewald coal mine and the surrounding slag heaps will transform into a gravel mecca for cycling enthusiasts. This year, there will be even more tours, which can be ridden either with a guide or independently. Today, I'd like to introduce one of these tours to you in more detail, because of course, you can also ride these gravel tours anytime outside of the Gravel Festival.

Wait a minute? What exactly are GRAVEL GAMES???

The GRAVEL GAMES are the biggest bike festival for gravel bikers in Germany. Last year's premiere was a great success. And this year, everything will be even bigger and better for all visitors. Besides sporting challenges, you can expect a fantastic festival area where you can learn about current trends, the latest technology, and of course, stylish clothing, and maybe even buy it on the spot. The food won't be neglected either, with hearty burgers, vegan treats, and refreshing cold drinks. We'll provide information on-site about... Cycling Region radrevier.ruhr And with the help of fantastic guides, they organize exciting guided bike tours in the region. From easy beginner rides and relaxed gravel tours to challenging excursions, there's something for everyone. Therefore, every gravel biker should definitely mark this festival on their calendar.

Free and outdoors: the GRAVEL GAMES at the Ewald coal mine

The Ewald coal mine is, of course, a wonderful backdrop for this cycling event. And with the Hoheward and Hoppenbruch spoil heaps, there are two fantastic test hills right in front of the festival grounds. The surrounding area also offers gravel enthusiasts plenty of variety, so the tour program will once again be really exciting. Best of all: participation in the tours is free! Just spend a great gravel weekend in the Ruhr area with other friendly bikers – I'm already really looking forward to it!

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My tour recommendation for advanced riders: the gravel trail tour through the Brauker Alps

I'll also be leading some tours and would like to tell you more about my favorite one. While there are classic beginner tours and relaxed gravel rides, this one is a bit more challenging. Anyone who likes to push their gravel bike a little further off-road will definitely enjoy this tour suggestion. In any case, you should be in good physical condition and have decent riding skills so that pain doesn't win you the ride. 😉

My suggested tour is just under 50 kilometers long with 320 meters of elevation gain. It takes you to a total of nine smaller and larger spoil heaps, so you'll practically be a spoil heap expert after the tour. Besides fast gravel tracks, some narrow trails will put an extra-wide grin on your face. The tour can also be done as an easy mountain bike loop, as the trails are naturally even more fun with wide handlebars. But they're also perfectly rideable with gravel handlebars, and on the fast sections, a gravel bike is certainly far superior to heavier mountain bikes.

Starting point: the Ewald coal mine in Herten

From the beautiful former coal mine site, the route begins with a leisurely ride south along the foot of the Hoppenbruch spoil heap. A relaxed warm-up ride on easy gravel – simply wonderful.

A quick jump across a traffic intersection, then it's onto the Emscher pathThe distinctive bridge structure of the Grimberger Sichel is quickly reached. After a short stretch along the canal, I continue driving fairly straight alongside the Emscher River. It's a weekday and there's hardly any traffic, so the speedometer needle can stay in the 30 km/h range for quite a while.

The first spoil heap: Monument for a Forgotten Future

At the beginning of the Hugo Bahn I turn off and rejoin the Rhine-Herne Canal. The first climb awaits me, but it's very easy. As they say, you should always start small, and so the top of the slag heap, with its large boulder – the Monument for a Forgotten Future – is quickly reached. A brief moment of summit bliss, a pat on the back for this impressive climb (I've just gained almost 10 meters in altitude), and then it's on again, past the lock and towards Nordsternpark.

Industrial heritage is a must: the Nordsternpark in Gelsenkirchen

The slope is wonderfully clear and I'm gliding along. Rhine-Herne Canal Along the way. Then I turn into Nordsternpark. I cross the beautiful canal bridge and continue to the mine tower. Those already familiar with the area can, of course, skip this detour. But for me, a quick look at the two mine towers is always a welcome part of a bike ride.

I cross the Emscher again and cycle through the park. The bike-friendly weather of the last few weeks has left its mark. Not only are most of the bushes along the path half-dried out, but here in Nordsternpark there's also a large area of ​​scorched earth. I have to admit, I've never been so excited for my next bike ride in the rain as I am now.

The highlight: the Brammen Trail on the Schurenbach spoil heap.

The most challenging part of the trail lies ahead. Slabs.Trail It's actually designed as a mountain bike trail and is certainly much more fun with wide handlebars. Nevertheless, I also enjoy tackling the trail on my gravel bike, as it's a lot of fun even with narrower tires. You just need to be a bit more careful on the descents than you would be with wider tires. And you probably shouldn't attempt the final, somewhat steeper descent at the Eickwinkel spoil heap on a gravel bike.

Things are happening one after the other, or rather, one heap after another.

I'm on the most challenging part of the tour and am standing before the spoil heap landscape of the Brauker Alps. A pleasant riverside path leads me to the Mathias Stinnes spoil heap (54 m elevation gain), which is quickly climbed and offers a viewing platform overlooking the Green Capital.

Note: Please be careful on the descent; the transverse drainage channels are really deep and not much fun. Shortly after, I'll be climbing up to spoil heap 19. The not-so-creative name of the heap suits the rather non-existent panoramic view. But there is a photogenic old pulley on the top. Again, please take the descent slowly over the drainage channels, otherwise your puncture repair kit will probably get its next use.

Halde 22 and Mottbruch

It's just a few more pedal strokes and then you're climbing up to spoil heap 22. As boring as the names of spoil heaps might sound, cycling here is a real joy. A whole network of great trails awaits bikers. Spoil heap 22 is a blast on a gravel bike – especially the tight hairpin bends on the downhill sections.

Finally, the biggest climb of the day awaits. At 117 meters above sea level, the Mottbruch spoil heap is the highest point of the tour. The ascent is relaxed, however, as the gradient is very moderate. At the top, though, you shouldn't get too distracted by the stunning panorama, otherwise a sudden gust of wind could easily knock you off your feet. The wind turbine isn't there for nothing. Nevertheless, you should definitely take the time to enjoy the panoramic view. The vista stretches 360 degrees from the starting point at the Hoheward spoil heap, encompassing the Nordstern Tower and Gelsenkirchen; even Essen's city center is clearly visible. The Tetraeder and the Gasometer are located to the west, while to the north, the lush green landscape is particularly captivating.

I'm enjoying the descent in a very relaxed way. Anyone who doesn't want to ride the rather steep final section down to the path around the slag heap can continue counter-clockwise and then turn right at the well-known entrance.

Heap in Brauk

It's just a few more meters to the last spoil heap of the Brauker Alps. The spoil heap in Brauk is only 59 meters above sea level, but I always enjoy climbing it. There are never many people around, and from the top you have a relaxing view over northern Gelsenkirchen and the Schalke Arena.

After the descent, I follow a riverside path, later taking somewhat hidden back roads close to the A2 motorway, and then a rather long stretch on a road, which is usually not very busy. Here again, the completely parched fields on either side of the path are striking. A little further through a settlement, and then I reach the last spoil heap on my tour.

Rungenberg dump

The starting point on the northern side of the spoil heap is really beautiful. After a short, steep climb, I enjoy a very relaxed ride around the heap with a lovely view of the Hugo coal mine. The newly constructed main path then leads upwards, offering another chance to look back at the spoil heaps I've just traversed.

The last few meters to the impressive floodlights are best covered on foot. Unfortunately, the descent to the south isn't always pleasant; sometimes the path seems to be unclear. Nevertheless, I manage to get down safely and reach the Hugo Trail.

The next few kilometers take me through the northern part of Gelsenkirchen. Besides passing through lovely parks, I also occasionally cycle alongside main roads, but always on bike paths away from car traffic. Only the road noise is a bit annoying, but as I said, I'm quickly back on smaller, quieter paths through nature.

Emscherbruch Nature Reserve

Nature becomes increasingly prominent, and at some point, I'm cycling right through the middle of the forest. Fresh air – simply wonderful! I'm in the Emscherbruch nature reserve and know that the Ewald coal mine isn't far away. A relaxed ride is in order. The beautifully situated Ewaldsee lake is perfect for a final break, and then I reach my starting point at the Ewald coal mine.

A reward is a must

If you're cycling the tour at the GRAVEL GAMES, you can expect a wide variety of culinary delights at the festival grounds. For me, during the test ride, the currywurst from "Moto59," a stylish American Airstream trailer, was waiting. And the Ewald Café, with its heavenly cakes, is always worth a visit.

My conclusion: Really fun and super varied.

This tour is truly one of my favorite tours with the Gravel biking in the Ruhr cycling regionSo many slag heaps in close succession, sometimes quick, sometimes tricky, and of course always with an industrial monument in view – I think that's really great. Perhaps you'd like to join me on the tour on September 25th? Then just come along to the GRAVEL GAMES. Or maybe one of the other guided tours appeals to you – there's a wide selection, so you'll be spoiled for choice. The final program will be available online shortly before the festival, but here's a first impression of what our GRAVEL GAMES Collection has to offer.

So, as always, have fun cycling along, see you at the GRAVEL GAMES!