Biking on spoil tips in the Ruhr Region

There is an official network of mountain bike trails on the Hoheward dump in Herten. Information and the route can be found at: landschaftspark-hoheward.de/hoheward/aktiv/mountainbike.html.

But a trip here is not only worthwhile for this 6.5-kilometer cross-country route. The heap rises more than 100 meters above the surrounding area and the paths up are correspondingly steep. From above you have a fantastic view over the Ruhr area and the southern Münsterland. There is a large sundial and the Hoheward Observatory on the plateau of the heap, which, however, has not been open to the public since shortly after it opened due to construction defects. Enduro riders are out and about on the neighboring Hoppenbruch heap.

The Deusenberg in Dortmund Huckarde is one of the most popular addresses for bikers, especially in the eastern Ruhr area, with the EDG Mountain Bike Area. It can be used without prior notice and free of charge. From a training trail to demanding single trails, everything is available and some of the trails were only renewed in spring 2016! The dump does not have its origins in mining but is the old Huckarde landfill. It rises 55 meters above the surrounding area and from above you have a very good view of Dortmund.

You can find further valuable information here: halden.ruhr/deusenberg.html
Wikipedia: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deusenberg

The Halde cross is one of the largest mining dumps in the Ruhr area. On the highest point is a 30-meter-high steel column with light-emitting diodes, which is visible from afar, especially in the dark. The view goes over the eastern Ruhr area and the southern Münsterland. Immediately north of the heap beyond the railway line are the Halden Haus Aden 1 and 2. This heap is particularly popular with mountain bikers and is currently being partially converted into an MTB course (as of spring 2016)

The heap is one of the highest in the Ruhr area and rises 150 meters above the surrounding area. The wildly developed descents and single trails are sometimes tough and there have already been injuries - so be careful on the first descent! Unfortunately, there are still no official routes, although a non-profit association has been trying to get this done for years. This is why caution is always required, so that there are no unpleasant encounters with pedestrians or other cyclists, especially on weekends when the weather is nice. The view from the top is fantastic as the dump is surrounded by flat land.

The heap is now densely overgrown except for a small clearing on the summit plateau. But keep your eyes open: Small and single trails lead down to the left and right of the main roads. Partly unfortunately overgrown - but partly passable. Due to the vegetation you have almost no view from the top, but to the west the striking chimneys of the UNESCO world cultural heritage of the coking plant Zollverein can be seen among the trees - as well as the skyscrapers south of the main station of Essen.

The Schurenbachhalde in the north of Essen is the largest in the city. Once you have found your way up, numerous partly nicely groomed single trails go down. On the large summit plateau there is an upright giant slab as a landmark that can be seen from afar.

The view from above shows you a panoramic view of the heart of the Ruhr area. In the south is Essen with the many high-rise buildings at the main train station, in which there are corporate headquarters. In the east you can see the white roof of the Arena Auf Schalke and in the north and west the chimneys of the extensive industrial areas of Essen, Bottrop and Gelsenkirchen smoke on both sides of the Rhine-Herne Canal. Up here a Pils (you have to bring your own, you can't buy anything here) at sunset is pure Ruhrpott romance!

The road tempts you to drive fast, but be careful, the curves are tight and oncoming traffic is also possible.
brake yourself

The unused on the upper meters of the heap Rheinelbe in the south of Gelsenkirchen is like a lunar landscape and is therefore very popular among the dirt bikers. There is a lot to discover here: many of them lead very steep and challenging trails down into the woods at the foot of the heap. In a private blog, the heap is very beautifully described: meinmtb.de/touren/29-noch-viel-zu-lernen-halde-rheinelbe

On the summit there is the Himmelstreppe as a landmark and from the top you have a beautiful panoramic view over the middle Ruhr area. Especially at sunset, the panorama is wonderful!