Ride from the bike shop into nature – day Tours in NRW

This tour is one thing above all: typical Pott! And hardly anything stands more for this region than the bygone era of mining. Although the last mine was closed in 2018, you can find relics from this time all over the Ruhr area. Some of these are in very good condition and can be viewed. And it is precisely these contemporary witnesses who are the main characters on this 63-kilometer tour around Essen. It's best to plan a little more time than usual, because it's worth taking a closer look here and there.Before you discover the first mining highlight, you can first enjoy another specialty of the Pott: lots of green and wonderfully quiet, traffic-free bike paths, which often run over former railway lines (which, incidentally, also come from mining). Shortly after starting at Fahrrad Schlitzer, you turn onto the Gruga-Trasse, which you can use to roll onto the banks of the Ruhr without any motorized traffic. On the beautiful Ruhrtalradweg you follow the river for a while until the route to Essen Kray bends. From here you can head for the first major highlight via the Kray-Wanner-Trasse and the Zollvereinweg, completely traffic-free: the UNESCO World Heritage Site Zeche Zollverein in Essen. You should really plan some time here. You can take a guided tour, visit the Ruhr Museum or enjoy the magnificent view from the roof of the former coal washing plant - there is really a lot to discover here.It continues: Via the Nordsternweg - another former railway line - you continue to Bottrop, where the well-known tetrahedron invites you to take a rest. The drive up to Bottrop's landmark is a little strenuous, but it's worth it: the view from the platform is simply breathtaking.Now it's getting idyllic again. You cycle back to Essen through the beautiful Hexbachtal. Shortly before Essen Frohnhausen you will reach the Gruga cycle path again, which crosses the RS1 here. "RS1" stands for "Radschnellweg 1" - probably the most ambitious cycle path project in the Ruhr area. The section between Essen and Mülheim is already finished and if you still have the time and inclination, it is worth following the beautiful, wide cycle path for a while. You can also use the RS1 to go directly to the train stations in Essen or Mülheim if you want to take the train home. Otherwise, just follow the Gruga cycle path and drive back to the starting point of the tour in Essen Rüttenscheid in a relaxed manner.This tour starts and ends directly at the Giant Test Center of Fahrrad Schlitzer in Essen Rüttenscheid. Since the route leads through the middle of the Ruhr area, you can just as easily set off from various other places: Whether from Gelsenkirchen, Bottrop, Oberhausen, Mülheim or simply from Essen main station - the route is easily accessible and getting on and off from anywhere is easy possible.The perfect bike for this tour: Giant Explore E +
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At 111 kilometers, this lap is quite a board. But don't worry: the route is so beautiful that time flies by. In addition, the tour is designed in the form of a figure eight, so that - if it is too long for you in one piece - you can easily split it into two wonderful individual tours or spontaneously shorten it on the way.It starts at Fahrrad Schlitzer in Essen Rüttenscheid. From here you roll straight in the direction of the Ruhr and thus also in the direction of green - there really is no faster way out of the city. It takes less than three kilometers until you have a great view of the Baldeneysee and the cozy Essen district of Werden from the impressive weir. This idyll will stay with you for a while: You cycle on the Ruhrtalradweg directly along the banks of the Ruhr to Essen Kettwig. Kettwig has a really beautiful old town - it is worth taking a break in one of the numerous cafés not far from the Ruhr.If you liked the route this far, you will love the next section: Now you turn onto the panorama cycle path between Kettwig and Wülfrath, which bears this name for a reason. Far away from any traffic, you drive for the next twenty kilometers over a former railway line, from which you can always enjoy magnificent views.If you think there is no better way, look forward to the next section of this tour. It begins in the beautiful half-timbered village of Gruiten, from where you can drive straight to the world-famous Neandertal. Pure idyll awaits you here. Over lonely roads and beautiful forest paths you follow the course of the Düssel until the path spits you out directly at the place where the Neanderthal man was found.You will now drive back to Essen Kettwig via quiet roads that run over wide fields and through shady forests. Here you follow the Ruhr again, but this time to Mülheim. You will finally come back to Essen via the RS1 rapid cycle route. Here you can get off at the main train station or continue to the starting point of the tour.Tip 1: You can easily adapt this tour to your needs. For example, you can travel by train and join the group in Essen, Mülheim or Erkrath. If the whole tour is too long for you, you can shorten it in several places. A look at our map shows you where this is easily possible.Tip 2: If you want to see where your Giant bike comes from, this is THE opportunity. Shortly before the highlight "Tour de France-worthy ascent shortly after Erkrath" is the Giant Germany headquarters on the left.The perfect bike for this tour: Giant Fathom E +
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This beautiful tour is a real Ruhrpott classic and its name says it all: You start in Hattingen an der Ruhr - the river that gave its name to an entire region. After a while you leave it and instead cycle mostly on remote railway cycle paths through the wonderful, green idyllic Ruhr area. Finally you get back to Hattingen and thus back to the Ruhr. A simple concept that is a lot of fun and presents the Ruhr area from its calm, green side.So that you can get to the start of the round quickly even without a car, it is located directly at the Hattinger S-Bahn station, which can be reached in no time from Essen, Bochum and Witten. From here you roll downhill a bit and head straight for the first big highlight of the tour: the impressive Henrichshütte with many relics from the region's coal age. A view of the Ruhr meadows from the old blast furnace is highly recommended. (If you come by car, you can park easily here.)Now you follow the Ruhr partly on old towpaths that were once used to pull small cargo ships upriver with horses. Today they offer you wonderful views of the river, the banks of which you often follow directly. After you have circled Lake Kemnader (in summer you can treat yourself to a delicious ice cream here), the next highlight is already waiting for you: the small Ruhr Valley ferry, which takes you electrically and silently to the other bank and thus directly to the cradle of Ruhrpott mining , the Muttental, promoted. Immediately afterwards, two more eye-catching contemporary witnesses await you: the Nachtigall and Theresia collieries.In Wengern you leave the Ruhr and turn onto the brand new railway cycle path, which follows the course of the former Elbschetalbahn. With the exception of a small connecting piece that is not yet finished, you drive here completely traffic-free through the beautiful nature - and this is exactly how it continues until the end of the tour. Because there are two more railway cycle paths to follow: the old coal railway from Silschede to Schee and the Hattinger coal railway. In between, the "Café Kännchen" is a really nice place for a short break. In the lovingly furnished café with garden, there are homemade cakes and all kinds of drinks.At the end of the round, the Schulenberg tunnel is another exciting highlight. When you have arrived back at the Hattingen S-Bahn station and still have the time and inclination, we can recommend a detour to the old town of Hattingen. It is considered one of the most beautiful in the Ruhr area and in its narrow streets between historic half-timbered houses all kinds of restaurants and cafés are waiting to pamper you.The perfect bike for this tour: Giant Explore E +
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This tour is almost 56 kilometers long and runs almost without interruption directly on the Rhine and offers you wonderful views of the river and its beautiful surroundings. At the turning point of this tour, a very special highlight awaits you: the Feste Zons, where you can experience a real medieval feeling.The tour starts in the middle of the city of Düsseldorf at the large Giant Store in the Friedrichstadt district. From here you first drive a dangling to the beautiful Düsseldorf harbor, before you cross the bank of the Rhine over the Kardinal-Frings-Brücke and slowly cycle south on the beautiful river-side bike path. A great mix awaits you here: Interesting buildings keep attracting your attention. They stand in an impressive contrast to the idyllic floodplain landscapes of the Uedesheimer Rheinbogen and the Zonser Grind.When you arrive in Zons, you should definitely take a detour to the old town. The small town is located almost exactly between Cologne and Düsseldorf and has a unique and well-preserved medieval town center. After this excursion into the Middle Ages, the adventure continues when you take the ferry back to the other bank.Past the impressive Benrath Castle and through the picturesque meadow and willow landscape of the Himmelgeister Rheinbogen, you will now drive back to Düsseldorf. If you feel like it, you can look for a nice place on the water here and relax a bit while you watch the ships on the Rhine as they slowly pass you. It's only a few kilometers back to the starting point of the tour.Tip: You can easily reach this tour by train. Düsseldorf Central Station is only a few hundred meters away from the Giant Store. It is definitely more relaxed than driving into the city.The perfect bike for this tour: Giant Explore E +
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On this round, the Rhine awaits you in all its facets. You enjoy wonderful views of the raging stream, drive over impressive bridges, through idyllic meadows and stop in beautiful historic old towns. The approximately 63 kilometers are almost flat and fly by.After starting at the Giant Store in Friedrichstadt, you cross the Rhine directly and enjoy the fantastic view of the NRW state capital from the bridge. Past the Rhine meadows you now follow the river bank for a while until the route bends west. You drive through Meerbusch, leave Kaarst on the left and instead roll through the middle of the small Meerbusch district of Osterath, which invites you to take a break with its neat windmill, a historic train station and a church that is well worth seeing.Now it's back to the Rhine, which you follow over the beautiful Rhine Cycle Path to the outskirts of Krefeld. In Krefeld harbor you cross an ancient swing bridge - it is an exciting spectacle when it is operated to let the ship traffic pass. A little later you have reached the turning point of the tour with the Uerdinger Bridge.From now on, the way back is only directly along the Rhine. If you feel like taking a break, Kaiserswerth is a must. In the historic city center there are a few restaurants and cafés waiting for you and it is worthwhile to roll through the narrow streets. The St. Suitbertus Basilica on Stiftsplatz and the picturesque ruins of the "Kaiserpfalz", an old fortress, are particularly worth seeing.Now it is not far to the starting point of the tour. Before you come back to the Giant Store, you can take a break on the Rhine promenade - provided you feel like a little hustle and bustle. In summer, people from Düsseldorf stroll here or look for a place on the meadow directly on the Rhine to treat themselves to a snack or a drink. A short break here is definitely a nice end to your tour on the Rhine.The perfect bike for this tour: Giant Explore E +
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This long bike tour presents you in a wonderful way the peculiarities of the region around Wegberg and also gives you a really great experience of nature. For around 82 kilometers you cycle past idyllic forest lakes, drive through nature reserves and national parks, keep passing picturesque windmills and even take a trip to the Netherlands: The turning point of the tour is the beautiful city of Venlo, whose urban area is directly adjacent to the German districts Kleve and Viersen border.The tour starts at the Giant Store in Wegberg. From here you cycle on beautiful bike paths and quiet roads through the idyllic landscape. Cycling is really fun here. Since the route is nice and flat, you make rapid progress. In between you drive through cozy towns or past old windmills. In other words, if you feel like taking a little break, there are plenty of opportunities to do so. You can reach one of the most beautiful resting places at the Krickenbeck lakes: just before Venlo, you can take a deep breath here and relax right by the water.In Venlo it will be much livelier. You roll through the city on perfect bike paths and if you have the time and inclination, it is no problem at all to linger here a little longer. From a short stop in a cozy old town café to a cultural program with museum visits, everything is included.After this urban interlude, the route becomes calm and contemplative again. You follow the Meuse for a part before you reach one of the most beautiful sections of the tour with the nature reserves Heidemoore and Brachter Wald. A wonderful heathland awaits you here, in which many rare animals feel comfortable. The last kilometers through the Schwalmtal are pure enjoyment, so that you arrive back at the starting point in Wegberg exhausted, but still relaxed.Tip: There is a train connection between Wegberg and Venlo. If you want to stay longer in Venlo, you can halve the route and take the train back.The perfect bike for this tour: Giant Fathom E +
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Idyllic lakes, historic watermills, palaces, castles and, above all, one thing: lots of nature. This long tour through the Maas-Schwalm-Nette nature park will give you a great day on the bike. Due to its length, it is quite demanding, but we promise you: it's worth it!Start and finish is at the Giant Store in Wegberg. From here you take a course to the picturesque village of Wassenberg and then to the gold and asparagus village of Effeld. The idyllic forest lake offers a first really beautiful backdrop for a short rest. Shortly afterwards you cross the national border, probably without noticing it, and you are now in the Dutch national park De Meinweg. In addition to the beautiful nature, you can also admire romantic castles here and there, which blend into the landscape like a fairy tale.You cycle back to Germany through the picturesque Schwalmtal. Ancient mills line the path and it is worth taking a closer look. The Hariksee is a great place for the next break. Here you can look for a quiet place on the bank or use one of the rest stops to strengthen yourself before you tackle the last few kilometers back to Wegberg.Tip: If you fancy a special nature experience, it is worth visiting the Wildenrath nature reserve shortly after the start in Wegberg. Old and rare local animal breeds live here, there is a nature trail and a courtyard café with delicious, home-baked cakes. You can find more information on this here: naturschutzstation-wildenrath.de.The perfect bike for this tour: Giant Fathom E +
giant-bicycles.com/de/fathom-eplus-ex-2021

This short, cross-border route takes you around 35 kilometers through the beautiful heather and forest landscape of the Maas-Schwalm-Nette nature park. The tour has everything that is so typical of the area here: You will pass ancient castles, picturesque windmills, idyllic forest lakes and cozy resting places for bicycles. If you don't have a lot of time and still want to have a good time on the bike, this tour is just the thing!The route starts and ends at the small Dalheim train station, which you can reach in a few minutes with the “Vias” regional train from Wegberg. Alternatively, of course, you can also drive directly from the Giant Store in Wegberg, which, however, means a few extra kilometers.From the train station it's straight to the "over": After just a few meters you are in the Netherlands and drive for a while along the border, which here follows the meandering Rothenbach stream. After a little detour through the De Meinweg National Park, you will pass the lovely Daelenbroeck Castle, whose restaurant entices you to take an early break. A little more down-to-earth things are a little later at the Effelder Waldsee: Here you can consume your own provisions on the beach or stop in the restaurant on the lake. You definitely don't have to go hungry on this round!Shortly after the asparagus village of Effeld you reach the Rur, which you follow through the nature reserve "Untere Ruraue" on a beautiful gravel path to Orsbeck. Another break is available in Wassenberg. It is worth taking a detour to the town center, which has a lot to offer with its historical buildings and remains of early medieval fortifications. The old Wingertsmühle is also definitely worth a short stop. Past the nature conservation station Haus Wildenrath (a short visit here is also worthwhile) you finally cycle back to Dalheim train station or alternatively to Wegberg.The perfect bike for this tour: Giant Anytour E +
giant-bicycles.com/de/bikes-anytour-eplus-2021