2025
Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord

Cycle Tour through the Ruhr Area

On the road in the precinct

Herne Dortmund  Duisburg Herne

  • Industrial culture, winding towers and collieries
  • Including guided tours Skywalk Phoenix West, Nightingale Colliery, Industrial Museum Henrichshütte Hattingen, Zollverein Colliery and bicycle tour Landscape Park Duisburg-Nord
  • Daily routes ●●○○○, Altitude profile ●●○○○

Days
8

Ø km per day
40

Old collieries, winding towers and an exciting industrial culture – welcome to our cycle tour through the Ruhr area! Located in the heart of North Rhine-Westphalia, the area between the rivers Ruhr, Lippe and Rhine looks back on a long mining and iron industry history. In the Revier, as the region is fondly called, you will be riding on former railroad tracks and along flat river and canal bike paths. Along the way, you will pass former mines, coking plants and steel mills, and climb slagheaps that look like small mountains to round off the amazingly green landscape. Your bike tour through the Ruhr region begins and ends in Herne. On your average 40-kilometer daily stages, guided tours will give you insights into the world underground and views of the region from lofty heights. Whether it‘s at the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen, the Henrichshütte Ironworks in Hattingen or the Duisburg-Nord Landscape Park – you will learn more about the history of mining and the production of steel right on site. You will experience at first hand how the Ruhr region has undergone a remarkable structural transformation in recent decades, making it one of the richest cultural landscapes in Europe. The mostly flat route underlines the relaxed character of our cycle tour through the Ruhr area.

Itinerary

  • Booking code
    SW-RUHH7
  • Duration
    8 days / 7 nights
  • Arrival days
    on Sundays
  • Travel documents Languages
    German, English
  • Print version PDF
    incl. hotel examples
  • Parking information
    Free parking at and around the arrival hotel. Paid parking garages in the immediate vicinity. No reservation possible through Radweg-Reisen.
Map for the bike tour through the Ruhr area

Day 1: Individual arrival to Herne

Welcome to the Revier! Your bike tour starts in Herne, in the heart of the Ruhr area. After check-in at the hotel, grab your bike. Discover the Rhine-Herne Canal, the Teutoburgia coal mine settlement and the Strünkede moated castle. Are you interested in the history of mining? Then we recommend a trip to nearby Bochum. The Mining Museum there is the largest of its kind in the world and provides exciting insights into the coal and steel industry that has shaped the Ruhr region from its beginnings to the present day.

Strünkede Castle in Herne

Strünkede Castle in Herne

Day 2: Herne – Dortmund, approx. 50 km

You will spend the first kilometers of your bike tour through the Ruhr region on the Route of Industrial Culture bike path. It takes you along the Rhine-Herne Canal to the Henrichenburg ship lift. Now an industrial museum, it once served as a 14 meter elevator for ships. This was considered a masterstroke over 100 years ago. Continue along the Emscher Cycle Path in the direction of Dortmund. On the way, detours to the Hansa coking plant and the stadium of the Borussia Dortmund soccer club are worthwhile. Another highlight of the day is a guided tour (included) on the Skywalk Phoenix West. Walk across the steel walkway of the former steelworks and learn more about the region's past on a tour.

View of Dortmund and Phoenix Lake

View of Dortmund and Phoenix Lake

Day 3: Dortmund – Hattingen, approx. 40 km

Today's stage of your bike tour through the Ruhr region takes you along a disused railroad line, first to the Nightingale Mine. The former coal mine and the surrounding Muttental valley are considered the cradle of Ruhr mining. Equipped with a helmet, you will take part in a guided tour (included) through the galleries of the mine and learn more about the mining of the black gold and the working conditions in the 19th century underground. On the Ruhr Valley Cycle Path you cycle past Lake Kemnader, one of six Ruhr reservoirs, and reach the half-timbered town of Hattingen.

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Hattingen old town

Hattingen old town

Day 4: Hattingen – Kettwig, approx. 40 km

Before you get on your bike, a guided tour (included) through the industrial museum Henrichshütte in Hattingen is on your daily program. Visit the oldest blast furnace in the Ruhr region, marvel at enormous gas machines and experience in the show foundry how the principle of forming from liquid iron works. The Ruhr Valley Cycle Path takes you through green landscapes to Lake Baldeney, where a longer break is worthwhile. Visit the Villa Hügel built by industrialist Alfred Krupp with its extensive landscape park - impressive! Continue along the Ruhr River to your overnight stop in Kettwig.

The Baldeneysee

The Baldeneysee

Day 5: Kettwig – Duisburg, approx. 25 km

On today's stage of your bike tour through the Ruhr region, there are only a few kilometers of driving ahead of you. In Mülheim, a longer break is worthwhile. The local Aquarius Water Museum provides multimedia insights into the world of water. From the water tower, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the region. Once in Duisburg, you will have ample time for a tour of Duisburg Harbor. The largest inland port in the world has 21 harbor basins and a shore length of 40 kilometers. The structural transformation of Duisburg that has taken place over the last few decades can be best appreciated during an evening stroll through the inner harbor.

The Salvator Church in Duisburg

The Salvator Church in Duisburg

Day 6: Duisburg – Essen, approx. 45 km

Your cycling day will first take you to the Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord. During a guided tour (included) by bike, you will get to know the 180-hectare site and its most secluded corners. It was created around a disused iron and steel works and, with its numerous recreational facilities and cultural events, is one of the best urban parks in the world. Continue along a disused railroad line to Oberhausen. Visit the nearly 120 meter high gasometer before cycling to Bottrop. From the abstract-looking Tetraeder, a walk-on observation terrace, you have a wonderful panoramic view. You will spend the night in Essen.

Duisburg-North Landscape Park

Duisburg-North Landscape Park

Day 7: Essen – Herne, approx. 40 km

With the guided tour (included) through the Zeche Zollverein your bike day begins today. Known as the Eiffel Tower of the Ruhr, you will get to know the once largest and most powerful coal mine in the world. With momentum, you continue by bike to the Hoheward spoil heap. Together with the Hoppenbruch slag heap, it forms the largest slag heap landscape in the Ruhr region. A special eye-catcher is the horizon observatory, from which you can watch the course of the sun, the moon and the stars. Across the Dragon Bridge it goes briskly to the starting point of your bike tour through the Ruhr area to Herne.

 Zollverein Colliery

Zollverein Colliery

Day 8: Individual departure

After breakfast your bike tour through the Ruhr area already ends. We would be happy to extend your stay in Herne with an extra night.

Hoheward slag heap with horizon observatory

Hoheward slag heap with horizon observatory

Dates / Prices / Services

Season times and Prices 2025

Arrival on Sundays from 13.04.2025 to 05.10.2025Early booking discount: -20 €

Bookable dates are displayed in the booking form. The day of arrival determines the season time.

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Season A
13.04. - 26.04.
28.09. - 05.10.
from949 €
Season B
04.05. - 18.05.
07.09. - 21.09.
from1099 €
Season C
25.05. - 31.08.

from1199 €

All prices per person in double room

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  • 7 nights with breakfast, national 3*  level
  • Luggage transport from hotel to hotel, max. 2 pieces of luggage per person, max. 20 kg / piece
  • Guided tour Duisburg-Nord Landscape Park
  • Guided tour Industrial Museum Henrichshütte Hattingen
  • Guided tour Skywalk Phoenix-West
  • Guided tour Nightingale Colliery Underground Museum
  • Guided tour Zollverein Colliery
  • Travel documents with maps (1 x per room)
  • Service-Hotline (7 days, 8 a.m. –  8 p.m.)
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Minimum number of participants: 2 persons

Not included is the city or visitor's tax (if payable).

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Children discounts

discount-icon discount-icon-baby

From 0 to 5 years

-100%

discount-icon discount-icon-lego

From 6 to 11 years

-50%

discount-icon discount-icon-football

From 0 to 17 years

-25%

Applies for accommodation in rooms with 2 full-paying guests.

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Additional services

Additional bookable services

Additional fee single room

299 €

All prices are per person

Additional nights

Room
Breakfast
Price
Herne
 DBL

79 €

 SGL

119 €

All prices are per person

Rental bikes

Rental Bikes

Rental Bike
Rental Bike
99 €
E-Bike
E-Bike
269 €

Types of rental bikes

  • 7-gear unisex / men's bike hub gears with back-pedal brakes
  • 27-gear unisex / men's bike derailleur gears with freewheel
  • E-bike bike hub gears with back-pedal brakes
Fittings

Pannier, bike lock, pump, puncture kit.
On request: mileometer, card holder (to be specified when booking)

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7- oder 27-Gang Mietrad

99 €

Elektrorad

269 €

All prices are per person

Route profile

  • Start / Destination
    Herne
  • Length
    approx. 240 km
    Daily routes ●●○○○
    between 25 and 50 km, Ø 40 km
    Altitude profile ●●○○○
  • Tour operated by
    Local cooperation partner
  • Mobility note
    The trip is only conditionally suitable for people with limited mobility. Please do not hesitate to contact us regarding your individual needs.

Days
8

Ø km per day
40