To be honest, when I first heard about a mountain bike trail in the Haard forest between Haltern am See, Oer-Erkenschwick, and Recklinghausen, I was initially skeptical. The word "mountain bike" is a combination of the English words "mountain" and "bike." The "bike" part isn't a problem for most mountain bikers, of course, but mountains in the Haard? Almost in the Münsterland region? "That can't be any good," I initially thought.

Let's go – dense forest, sandy soil, no cars

However, I'm an open-minded person. That's why I asked my best friend Florian if he'd like to join me inspecting "Haard on Tour" so we could form our own opinion. And so we did. About the ore railway route From Essen-Kray we go to the Halden past the Elbe River and Pluto towards the Rhine-Herne Canal. Hoheward dump Let's switch to the cycle path towards Recklinghausen and Marl. A short stretch along the A43 and we can already see the extensive Haard forest on the other side of the motorway. "Thanks to the excellent cycle path network in the Ruhr area, that was incredibly easy," I think to myself.

A short time later, we reach the parking lot at Brinkfortsheide and immediately see the first blue sign pointing us towards the Haard on Tour. After about 2,5 km, we can hardly believe that we were just in the heart of the Ruhr region. A dense forest, sandy soil, no cars – somehow idyllic. We spot the next sign right by the path. This time it's red. The blue signs point the way from the parking lot into the Haard forest, while the red signs mark the... Mountain bike trail even.

Whether an extended tour or an after-work ride on the mountain bike – fun is guaranteed.

The Haard on Tour is a circular route through the entire hairdFollowing this route offers hours of fun and provides advantages for almost all bikers. Those with plenty of time can ride the entire loop. The great thing is that you hardly need to stop. You can ride for hours without having to halt at a road or traffic light. For those who just want a quick after-work ride, the MTB trail offers several shortcuts, allowing you to ride different sections of the loop individually. In my opinion, it's a truly excellent concept.

Flo and I opted for one of the shorter loops because we were arriving by bike. From Brinkfortsheide, we followed the signs clockwise and took a shortcut via Recklinghäuser Weg. In just under 60 minutes, we were surprised by an 18-kilometer loop that offered a challenge not only in terms of fitness but also technical riding skills. The Haard, with its sandy terrain, is quite unique. Mountain bikers here certainly don't get anything for free. The lack of elevation gain is immediately compensated for by the rolling resistance of the sand. You often feel like you're actually riding uphill. The trails of the loop, however, flow beautifully, so Flo and I were both surprised by how entertaining and varied the first section was.

Experienced mountain bikers will get their money's worth.

Now we've got a taste for it. The shortcut takes us directly to Dachsberg near Haltern. From here begin what are probably the most challenging kilometers of the new mountain bike trail. They're not entirely unfamiliar to us, though. Several sections of this trail have hosted numerous North Rhine-Westphalia Championships, German Cups, and even the German University Championships in the past. I myself have won the North Rhine-Westphalia Championship, the German Cup, and the German University Championship here!

I love the cross-country races in Haltern, which are especially known for the Dachsberg climb with its 22% gradient, which has pushed many a biker to their limits. That's why I think it's fantastic that the Ruhr Regional Association (RVR) and the "Haardbiker," who are responsible for this course, have also included the tried-and-tested sections on the Dachsberg.

This section of the trail is particularly challenging for experienced bikers. It features steep climbs followed by flowing descents. Depending on your tires, it can become quite difficult in the rain. The mix of sand and clay makes the Haardboden a real slippery slope when wet.

Four hours, 95 kilometers and 1000 meters of elevation gain

Having now completed our loop around the Dachsberg, Flo and I stared in disbelief at our odometers. Four hours, a whopping 95 km, and almost 1000 meters of elevation gain were already logged. Thanks to the varied terrain through the Haard forest, the time flew by; we both had a blast and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. When we arrived back in Essen a good 90 minutes later, we were a bit tired, but above all, happy – and that's what mountain biking is all about.

Mountain biking in the Haard – My conclusion

The new "Haard on Tour" mountain bike trail is, for me personally, a fantastic addition to the existing legal trails in the Ruhr area. As a professional, I depend on these facilities to a certain extent. Thanks to the RVR (Regional Association Ruhr) and the "Haardbikers," we all now have a new mountain biking area at our disposal where we will all have a lot of fun. The Haard is a great opportunity for all competitive and up-and-coming athletes and will certainly be a great help so that, hopefully, in the future, even more mountain bikers like myself will have the privilege of preparing for the Olympic Games, World Championships, and European Championships.

Finally, I wish you all continued good health during this time of coronavirus and remind you of the applicable social distancing rules. Let's mountain bikers lead by example and, above all, protect those in society who currently need protection the most. Ride on!

An article by Ben Zwiehoff

Hello, my name is Ben Zwiehoff. I'm a professional road cyclist for the German World Tour team Bora-Hansgrohe, from the heart of the Ruhr region, specifically Essen-Steele, and I've been an official brand ambassador for radrevier.ruhr for several years. In my daily training, I often cover more than 100 kilometers of the Ruhr area's finest cycling routes and know the region like the back of my hand. As a former professional mountain biker, biking is, of course, still my great passion! I also enjoy combining my old and new jobs – and the result? The finest gravel tours in the Ruhr region.