Biking upper Ruhr valley

training stats
Th 02/08: easy jog, 10K, 1:10 hrs
We 01/08: touristic bike tour, 154K, 6:41 hrs

I took the train at 8am from Witten via Dortmund to Winterberg and arrived at 10.30am. There were two carriages provided for bicycles and both were crowded! People trying to enter later on the route faced problems to get in. The Ruhrtalradweg has been opened last year but is already one of Germany's most popular long distance bike routes. The complete distance from Winterberg to Duisburg where the Ruhr meets the Rhine covers 230K. I will go for the missing part on a separate day this month.

This is a small gallery of the day.

The Ruhr's source is done up to please the tourists.

The whole route is signposted perfectly. I got lost only twice, both times in Arnsberg, the biggest town during my part of the route.

Reservoir at the village of Olsberg, after 25K from Winterberg. There is a nice restaurant with a terrace overlooking the lake. But I found it too soon to have a rest.


The Ruhr is still a small stream.

Railway signal house at Nuttlar.


Short breakfast rest with a view of the village of Bestwig.


Quietly flowing waters in the valley at Meschede.

Underwater plants.

Don't be fooled. There were armies of bikers on the route.


Private water fowl pool.


Water sports arena at Wickede.


The Ruhr valley near Schwerte. Remember this is the valley what Germany's most industrialised area is named after.