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Cycling Tours with the little ones in tow – North Rhine-Westphalia
Bike Touring Collection by Milupa
20
Tours
29:52 h
257 mi
9,625 ft
Pack a trailer, child seat or cargo bike and off you go! There are many ways to take the youngest members of the family on a cycling Tour, even if the little ones may not yet be able to pedal themselves. Spending time together outdoors is good for your physical and mental health, as well as being environmentally friendly at the same time. All of this makes cycling the perfect means of transport for the whole family. You’ll experience unforgettable moments together in the saddle. For example, when your child romps around in the meadow at the first rest stop, gets to know the animals in the petting zoo or puts their little feet in the bathing lake.
SUITABLE BIKE TOURS WITH THE LITTLE ONES
In this Collection, we've put together 20 short cycling Tours that are perfect for young families. You can take your child on these adventures once they’re about one year old. These routes, which explore North Rhine-Westphalia, are 12 to 38 kilometres (7.5 to 24 mi) long. Often, you cycle along rivers, lakes and through woodland – beautiful playgrounds for little cyclists.
Since you are either travelling with a trailer, a cargo bike with a baby car seat or a child seat, we have placed special emphasis on ensuring that the Tours are mostly on flat paths. If you have an e-bike or strong calves, you can also tackle the longer Tours. This Collection mainly consists of one-way tours, but there are a few loops too. The advantage of the one-way tours with the same outward and return route is that you can turn back at any time if it gets too much for your child. Shortcuts and extensions are also possible on many of these rides.
As well as this, we’ve made sure that there are plenty of opportunities to rest and have planned interesting stops, such as an ostrich farm, giant excavators, petting zoos, adventure playgrounds and farms. Speaking of which, it's a well-known fact that fresh and local food tastes best. That's why we've picked out well-stocked and lovingly run organic food shops, farm-gate sellers and weekly markets that you can visit during the Tours. These stops are Ideal for filling your backpack ready for a delicious picnic at a scenic spot in the great outdoors.
All the Tours are accessible by bike, car or train. You’ll find more information in the individual Tour descriptions.
OUR TIPS FOR YOUR CYCLING TOUR WITH SMALL CHILDREN
Cycling with small children can be challenging, but cycling through nature with your little ones and spending hours together in the fresh air is simply priceless. To get you started on the right foot, we've put together five tips for your outdoor adventure.
1. Don't plan routes that are too ambitious. Venture out cautiously as a family and see what length and type of Tour suits you best.
2. If you’re travelling in summer, it’s best to start your Tour in the morning so that you are not out in the midday heat. You can then make the most of this time to take a long break.
3. You don't need any special equipment to feed your baby on the trail. Breastfeeding is the most practical as you don't really need to think about anything else. If you're bottle-feeding, that's easy too. Take enough clean bottles with you, fill small containers with the correct amount of milk powder from Milupa and fill two thermos flasks with water: one with hot, boiled water and one with cold water. On the way, use a small thermometer (a new, clean thermometer works perfectly) to find the right mixture of hot and cold. It's best to practise the mixture at home, then it’ll work even faster when you're on the road. If your little one prefers to eat milk porridge already, that's no problem either. Instead of bottles, fill small fresh-keeping tins with the right amount of Milupa milk porridge powder for one meal and pour on water during the snack break. Fresh fruit and vegetables from the markets or farm shops are also available for young and old. Of course, don't forget to pack plenty of water.
4. Make sure that, depending on the weather and season, there are suitable rest areas or inns along the way. Then you don't need to worry about a lack of refreshment facilities. Otherwise, no special infrastructure is necessary, especially in summer. If you are out and about with your child, any meadow can be used as a changing table. It's best to always have a cosy blanket with you.
5. In principle, cycling Tours with children, whether with a trailer or a child seat (front seat), are only possible from the age of 10 to 12 months, when the child can sit upright safely. Alternatively, a trailer with a baby hammock can be used earlier. A cargo bike with a baby car seat is another option. Your child will sit safely and comfortably and you can keep an eye on him or her the whole time. You can rent such bikes from many bike rental companies. Last but not least, we give you a tip for longer Tours with a trailer: if it has two seats, one bigger child can take care of the smaller one - so it's guaranteed that boredom won’t take over on the road.
If you’re well prepared, you can fully enjoy the surroundings and have a wonderful outing in the countryside with your little ones. We wish you lots of fun and you’ll see that along with your children you’ll get to know the natural world in a whole new way and collect unforgettable memories.
The contents of the cycling Collection were provided by komoot.
On The Map
Tours & Highlights
- 02:1217.5 mi8.0 mph475 ft475 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
From Reken, this 28-kilometer cycle tour takes your offspring to the Sondermann goat cheese dairy and Lembeck Castle. In the cheese dairy, you can not only visit the animal residents of the farm, but also stock up on some delicacies.
After a detour to the castle, where you can have a great picnic, you…
by Milupa
- 02:4823.8 mi8.5 mph1,875 ft1,875 ftExpertExpert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
If you want to embark on a little cycling adventure as a family, then the Kinderland trekking route is just right for you. Easier trails, playgrounds, nice rest areas, places to stop for refreshments and streams to cool off round off the tour into an eventful all-day tour. Start and finish is Schmallenberg…
by Milupa
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- 01:009.97 mi9.9 mph300 ft300 ftEasyEasy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
This relaxed bike tour takes you and your offspring from the train station in Meckenheim to the Meckenheim Apple Route, which is part of the Rhenish Apple Route. Depending on the season, you cycle along wonderfully blooming fruit trees or thousands of red apples. For a picnic on an idyllic meadow, you…
by Milupa
- 01:2914.4 mi9.7 mph400 ft400 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
Out of Bielefeld, into the countryside: you and your children cycle 23 kilometers from the district of Senne through the two nature reserves Hasselbachgraben and the Rieselfelder Windel. Here you can stop on the way and you can look out for local animals together.
Then it goes on to the Senne museum farm…
by Milupa
- 01:5820.6 mi10.4 mph400 ft400 ftEasyEasy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
From Telgte, this tour takes you over flat land, first through the beautiful Emsauen to Eine. You cross the Ems and cycle on to Everswinkel. The hands-on museum "Up'n Hoff" is already waiting for you and your offspring there.
If you want to visit the hands-on museum together on the tour, register your…
by Milupa
- 01:5314.4 mi7.7 mph275 ft275 ftEasyEasy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Especially in summer, lakes are the perfect destination for a bike tour with children. This almost gradient-free tour takes you over a good 23 kilometers from Dinslaken to Heidesee and Elsbachsee and back again. On the way, trees of the Kirchheller Heide provide shade, because bathing is not allowed in the two lakes.
by Milupa
- 01:2411.5 mi8.2 mph725 ft725 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
From Belecke out along the Wäster via Warstein to Körtlinghausen Castle: In the Arnsberg Forest, this tour offers you a great opportunity to cycle with your children in the middle of nature. Appropriately, there is not only a lot to see at the castle, but also a Demeter farm shop. There you are guaranteed…
by Milupa
- 01:2411.1 mi7.9 mph825 ft825 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Leave the city quickly and get a breath of fresh air in nature: On this 17-kilometer bike tour, you can implement this plan wonderfully with your offspring. With a moderate incline, it goes from Aachen West train station via the Bioland-Hof Paulinenwäldchen, where you can stock up on snacks for your…
by Milupa
- 01:4012.9 mi7.7 mph700 ft700 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
With a picnic blanket, snacks and enough water, you cycle with your offspring from Erkrath to the Eller Forest on this bike tour. Not only is the path itself a great way to get away from it all, in the Eller Forest there is also a great forest path waiting to be discovered by little adventurers. After…
by Milupa
- 01:118.16 mi6.9 mph75 ft75 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
After a leisurely bike ride on the Erftradweg from Neuss to the Erprather Mühle, you can visit the Neuss children's farm with your offspring on this tour. There, animals can be observed up close and even stroked. There is also a courtyard café where you can recharge your batteries in the form of cake…
by Milupa
- 01:5315.4 mi8.2 mph175 ft175 ftEasyEasy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
With a stop at Stelten's farmer's shop, you cycle on this tour from Moers to Elfrather See. Due to the almost gradient-free route, the tour is ideal for a family outing with children. At the Elfrather See you will find wonderful picnic spots. The Schwafheimer Meer is also on the way. The start and end…
by Milupa
- 00:577.30 mi7.7 mph325 ft325 ftEasyEasy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
If you fancy a short excursion into nature with plenty of time for breaks and discoveries, then this bike tour is just right for you and your family. The way there and back is a good 12 kilometers long and takes you via the beautiful historic gardens of Kleve and the Donsbrügger Mühle to the Hofcaf…
by Milupa
- 01:1710.1 mi7.8 mph450 ft450 ftEasyEasy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
A family bike tour and bathing fun? You can combine both on this route from Wetter (Ruhr) to Hengsteysee. The tour, which is a good 16 kilometers long in total, always takes you along the Ruhr and the Harkortsee to the family pool at Hengsteysee. What's better on a sunny day than cooling off while touring?
by Milupa
- 01:1712.6 mi9.9 mph375 ft400 ftEasyEasy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
In the middle of the Ruhrpott just with the kids on the bike in nature? This green tour along the renatured Boye awaits you and your offspring between Bottrop and Altenessen. Since 2018, the river has been freed from concrete, pollution has been removed and the water body has been revitalized. Today…
by Milupa
- 01:128.30 mi6.9 mph950 ft950 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
From Wiehl to Nümbrecht and back again: this 13 km long, slightly hilly bike tour in the Bergisches Land is a wonderful weekend ride with the kids. The Wildpark Wiehl, Homburg Castle and the center of Nümbrecht with cafés and restaurants are on the way and offer many nice resting places for young and old.
by Milupa
- 01:3013.3 mi8.9 mph200 ft200 ftEasyEasy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
The Hiller Torfmoor is probably one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the north of North Rhine-Westphalia, where there is a lot to experience, especially for children. From Lübbecke you first cycle in an arc via Isenstedt to the small self-catering shop of Krögers Hof and stock up on provisions…
by Milupa
- 01:1411.8 mi9.5 mph550 ft550 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Cycling in and around Ibbenbüren is always a blast due to the well-developed cycle paths - a great cycling area, especially for tours with children. On this approximately 19-kilometer tour, you first drive along the shore of the glittering Aasee, then head in the direction of Dörenthe to the summer toboggan…
by Milupa
- 01:1111.7 mi10.0 mph200 ft200 ftEasyEasy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Animal park, castle ghosts and finally a visit to the lake: This tour from Boisheim to Brüggen and back has everything you need for a successful family bike trip. The bike tour is almost 19 kilometers long and takes you through a meadow and field landscape on the edge of the Brachter forest without any significant climbs.
by Milupa
- 01:1111.2 mi9.5 mph175 ft175 ftEasyEasy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Hamm is green. You can see that especially when you ride your bike along the Dattel-Hamm canal and through the Lippeauen with the kids. Wet meadows, small streams, meadows and flowers characterize the landscape in the east of the city.
The bike tour takes you to Maximilianpark in the Werries district…
by Milupa
- 01:1010.7 mi9.1 mph225 ft225 ftEasyEasy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
It is idyllic on the edge of Haltern am See. In addition to pretty towns and historic buildings, the seaside resort of Haltern is a worthwhile destination on warm days. This 17-kilometer bike tour combines all of this into one wonderful excursion.
In the small village of Stockwiese near Sythen Castle…
by Milupa
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Collection Stats
- Tours20
- Distance257 mi
- Duration29:52 h
- Elevation9,625 ft
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