Mining has profoundly shaped the region and us Ruhr locals. The many pithead towers still stand as reminders of this important era. The miners' way of life is also evident in the region's many beautiful workers' settlements. The best way to explore these settlements is by bicycle. This classic day trip, covering around 50 kilometers, isn't one of our recommended tours. RevierRoutes and it doesn't just run through the node system, but it's still a really beautiful one discovery tour, showcasing the typical Ruhr region. Besides the settlements and headframes, several fascinating exhibitions also tell the story of life and work here in the Ruhr region.
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We start at the train station in Herne.
The journey can be made easily by train, as the tour starts directly at the train station in Herne. There is also a large parking lot to the south, so arriving by car is also an option. The sun is shining and Sandra And I happily hopped on our bikes. Yes, we were using our e-bikes, but basically, with only 240 meters of elevation gain, the tour is quite easy. Most of the highlights are right at the beginning of the tour; towards the end, the focus will be more on the cycling itself.
Through the city garden to the Mont-Cenis Academy
I'm always fascinated by how quickly you can find yourself surrounded by greenery, even in the city. Just a few pedal strokes through city traffic, and we're already cycling through the city park, which leads us to the Mont Cenis colliery site. Remnants of the former mine are scattered throughout the parkland, and information panels explain its history. Today, the Mont Cenis Academy, one of the most important training centers in North Rhine-Westphalia, stands on the site. The striking, Mediterranean-style architecture particularly captivates many visitors.
Beautiful living in Teutoburgia
Sandra and I cycle around the perimeter of the site, then continue directly to the first workers' settlement. We quickly reach the beautiful Teutoburgia mining settlement. We cycle slowly past the houses. It's wonderful to see how lovingly many residents have spruced up their homes and decorated their front gardens with flowers.
The settlement also includes the headframe of the Teutoburgia mine. It lies, seemingly enchanted, in the middle of the forest. Mystical sounds emanate from artificial fountains with seating. We found it rather eerie, but the Teutoburgia forest is certainly a photogenic spot.
Surrounded by greenery: the Erin coal mine
This tour is really fast-paced; after just a few minutes, we're standing in front of the next headframe. The Erin coal mine stands majestically in Castrop-Rauxel, nestled in a beautiful park landscape. We have a fantastic view from a small spoil heap.
The tour takes us briefly into the city center of Castrop-Rauxel, but we're immediately surrounded by greenery again. We're certainly cycling through some of the best residential areas. The route climbs steeply until we reach Bockenfelder Straße. There's a short stretch here that's not very bike-friendly, but we're lucky and only a few cars pass us.
The Castle of Work: the Zollern Coal Mine
Finally, we reach the "Castle of Labor," the beautiful Zollern Colliery in Dortmund. Anyone with time should definitely visit. permanent exhibition The exhibition focuses intensively on the living conditions of the miners. While many things are romanticized in retrospect today, here at Zollern one also recognizes the difficult living conditions under which the miners had to toil for many decades.
At the Pferdestall restaurant we enjoy a delicious currywurst before setting off by bike through the surrounding settlement "Kolonie Landwehr" towards Bochum.
By bike to Bochum to the Dahlhauser Heide housing estate
From the Lothringen spoil tip, we enjoy the brisk ride along the railway line of the same name. On Hiltroper Straße, be sure not to miss the small left turn. Passing through the grounds of the Constantin colliery, shaft 6/7, of which little remains, the route descends into the Grummer Bach valley. Several small ponds lie like pearls on a string, and the gentle downhill slope makes it a cyclist's dream.
In Bochum, the tour leads through the Dahlhauser Heide mining settlement before we head towards the ore railway route to go. Actually, it stands for relaxed cycling on railway lines We're in the Ruhr area, but a proper thunderstorm is brewing behind us. It's getting darker, and the rumble of thunder is growing louder. Sandra and I are happy that we're practically cycling away from the storm until we reach the Grimberger Sichel, above the Rhine-Herne Canal, and seem to be standing right on the weather divide – absolutely impressive. Too bad the tour isn't leading us towards the sun, but straight into the dark thunderstorm.
It quickly started to rain, and we unfortunately had to forgo visiting the "Unser Fritz" colliery tower. As a cultural center, Unser Fritz is definitely worth a stop, and the beer garden by the canal is really lovely in good weather. But we were still hoping we could make it to Herne train station before the apocalypse...
A thunderous finale
Well, it was a miscalculation. Somehow, my tours always seem to end with something annoying, like my flat tire on the... RuhrAroundChallengeWe were completely soaked by the time we reached the canal. In the pouring rain, we decided to skip the worthwhile detour through the castle park of Strünkede Water Castle in Herne. The castle impressively demonstrates that the Ruhr region also had a fascinating history before industrialization. With its permanent exhibition "Land and People" and changing special exhibitions, the water castle is actually the perfect place for a pleasant end to this tour.
Sandra and I, on the other hand, are standing soaking wet at the train station in Herne. But despite the weather, we agree that this tour is a really beautiful day trip for cyclists in the Ruhr area, which very effectively explains life and work in a mining region. A definite recommendation from us! So: hop on your bike and follow along!
