The old canal avenue – cycling along the German–Dutch border

Along the German–Dutch border, relationships and businesses have always been closely intertwined. People live, work and cycle together with their neighbours. In the Dinkelland municipality in the Netherlands and the city of Nordhorn in Germany, this is the case too. They’re only a stone’s throw away from each other and have always been closely connected. The two towns are joined by the Almelo–Nordhorn Canal, opened in 1904, and linked through the textile industry.

We’re pleased to breathe new life into the old shipping route this year with the opening of the Alte Kanalalee Cycle Route. Around Almelo, Nordhorn, Denekamp and Beunigen, there are wonderful cycling and hiking possibilities. The nature is lush: you cycle past whispering lime trees, blossoming water lilies and marsh carnations. Along the canal, you hear bluetits, yellowhammers and warblers singing.

As you follow the towpath, you spot an old customs house, locks, mills and a historic peat barge. The historic towns are worth seeing too. The best thing about this route, is that you can enjoy all these wonders in a completely relaxed way. Just get on your bike and choose one of the three Tours in this Collection. Cycle from Germany to the Netherlands and back – or the other way round!

You can easily split the two loops of the Alte Kanalallee into a northern and a southern route. They’re well signposted so, with a little extra help from komoot, it’s easy to find your way. You can freely combine and split up the Tours as you find plenty of accommodation en route. You can also choose different start and end points to suit you. On both the German and Dutch sides, there are several places to park your car. If you want to travel by train, Almelo in the Netherlands and Nordhorn in Germany are good bases.

The Alte Kanalallee project is supported by the European Union, the state of Lower Saxony, the Provincie Overijssel, the municipality of Dinkelland, the city of Nordhorn and the district of Grafschaft Bentheim.