Discovery tours in the Ruhr area - canal bank paths north of Dortmund
Cycling by the water - for many, this is the epitome of a cycling holiday. This circuit takes you to the canals north of Dortmund. The starting point is Gneisenau Park directly in front of the colliery of the same name. There is parking on the street and the Dortmund-Derne train station is right next door. With the extraordinarily beautiful colliery scaffolding of the Gneisenau colliery, there is the first photo motif right at the start of the tour.
Seafaring romance while cycling along the canal
You'll start your journey north along the Gneisenau Trail . This railway cycle path, away from road traffic, leads to the Preußenhafen ( Prussian Harbor ) in Lünen. The cycle path then continues west along the Datteln-Hamm Canal . The passing coal barges evoke a touch of maritime romance and wanderlust. The canal path isn't always in the best condition, but generally, you can make good progress. Of course, you'll encounter other cyclists and pedestrians, but it's far less crowded than the popular Ruhr reservoirs to the south.
Important: Don't miss the left-hand detour before the Budde-Rosanowski campsite, otherwise you'll encounter a small bridge with steep steps. The detour will quickly lead you back to the canal, and shortly afterwards you'll reach the junction with the Dortmund-Ems Canal.
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Further informationCycle through an old lock chamber
A short stretch of the tour takes you alongside the Dortmund-Ems Canal, though the vegetation obscures much of its presence. Next comes a passage through Datteln, which, while not particularly charming, offers the opportunity to stop at the supermarket or grab a bite to eat at one of the snack bars. After crossing the Rhine-Herne Canal, which begins here , you'll encounter the Henrichenburg ship lift , passing through the old lock chamber. The route then follows the canal back towards Dortmund. The path quality varies and is often poor. However, beautiful views of the canal, lined with magnificent avenues, compensate for any shortcomings.
Through the nature reserve back to the starting point
Shortly before the port of Dortmund, the route branches off to the east. It goes for you through the beautiful nature reserves Grävingholz and Süggel. Here you can once again breathe in the wonderful forest air before heading across the fields to the old ventilation shaft of the Minister Stein colliery. A not-so-nice road follows before you finally get back to the premises of the Gneisenau colliery.
Note on the discovery tours in the radrevier.ruhr
This tour is one of the discovery tours in the Ruhr cycling region. This means it also takes you along cycle paths that aren't among the region's most popular routes. Accepting compromises in cycle path quality, however, also means being able to experience "undiscovered" tours away from the popular and often heavily frequented cycle paths. Is good path condition important to you? Then you should check out our 17 Ruhr region routes instead!
