The land of 1000 hills — road cycling in the Sauerland

This short road bike tour from Willingen is conditionally rather simple, but still offers you full program in terms of scenery and experience.You start in Willingen and follow the federal highway for a while. You destroy some of the altitude and enjoy the thrill of speed through the forests of the Sauerland. This is followed by the "Mountain Rating" of this tour: Rauf on the Buttenberg you can expect gradients up to 13 percent, which are rewarded with great views of the Upland and the Diemelsee. By the way, if you are wondering what this Upland is: The term comes from the Westphalian Low German and means nothing more than "highlands" - why this area is so called here, therefore, explains itself.About halfway there follows the highlight of the tour: You cycle around the Diemelsee, which offers excellent for a break. Here it is simply beautiful and here there are no end beautiful pauses and the one or other snack. Well-fortified you can tackle the long but moderate climb back to Willingen.

This short, relatively simple tour is a piece of Sauerland at its best. You drive through typical Sauerland small towns with their rural charm, beautiful old half-timbered houses and down-to-earth gastronomy. You drive through idyllic valleys in which nothing is more, except the rushing forest and a babbling brook. And you're grazing the Biggesee, enjoying the view on the cool water and maybe even a jump in it. Highlights include some completely new cycle paths that have sprung up along the route in recent years.This tour is a wonderful "Sauerland Warmup": It is relatively short and the slopes are manageable. Normal fitness is enough to fully enjoy the tour and everything on its way. By the way: If you want to garnish the ride with an entertaining and exciting stop, we can recommend the Atta cave in Attendorn.

Short but crisp: This tour starts in Bestwig and leads you over minor roads once up high: Through the beautiful Sorpetal you reach the highlight of this tour at 714 meters altitude. If you have the feeling that you want more than that, you should think about adding a little detour: Before the descent starts, just turn towards Winterberg and you'll be on your way to Kahler Asten, the most famous mountain in the Sauerland with which you can pack another 120 vertical meters on top. The reward is a great view and an even longer descent.This descent is really breathtaking. It leads you through the beautiful Sorpetal and a low-traffic branch line directly into the small spa town of Bad Fredeburg, which offers itself in about halfway great for a little break. The idyllic ambience of the small old town with its picturesque half-timbered houses and small cafes could not be more beautiful.It continues: Another remarkable increase and you have made it. From now on enjoyment is announced. The starts with a rapid descent into the Hennetal, which leads you to the beautiful Hennesee, which you can really enjoy on the newly paved bike path of the "Sauerland Nordschleife". This bike path joins the Ruhrtalradweg, which brings you far away from the main road back to the starting point to Bestwig.

This tour is with its 116 kilometers already a small challenge. Thanks to a manageable number of climbs, it is absolutely feasible with normal racing bike fitness. The route takes you through the northern Sauerland, highlights on the route are the two well-known Sauerland dams Möhnesee and Sorpesee.Start and finish is the Möhnesee. Here it is not only beautiful in the landscape, there are also plenty of opportunities to strengthen yourself after the tour and to regain your strength. Incidentally, the same applies to the Sorpesee, also here you will find some opportunities for a rest with the best lake view.Otherwise, this tour is "typical Sauerland": In addition to the beautiful dams with relaxed roads and roads along the banks, there are some crisp climbs, wonderful forest roads, sleepy villages with picturesque half-timbered houses and great views from fast descents. About halfway there, we've built a small break-out station for you in a somewhat hidden café that serves home-cooked food far from the usual bakery charm.

No, we do not want to advertise beer. Call it a tour of (industrial) culture. After all, here in the Sauerland, not without reason, the logos of two well-known brews are displayed at every restaurant and every economy. The thing you "drive" on the today's round once on the reason. And you'll wonder what sleepy but really beautiful nests two real world brands come from.You do not have much time to drink today anyway. Because 126 kilometers and over 2,000 vertical meters occupy you for a while today and already represent a very nice challenge. The tour is characterized by much "up and down", especially the first third through the "Land of a thousand mountains" is very varied. From Freienohl you can breathe a bit in the beautiful Ruhr Valley before it continues in the usual style. Shortly before the end, the highlight of the day awaits you: Along the Hochsauerland Höhenstraße you climb the 640 meter high Rimberg, which follows a wonderful descent with a few tiny small climbs back to Bestwig.A beautiful tour is behind you and now you have - if you like - also earned a little refreshment. How about a cyclist? In this sense: "cheers"!

This route is beautiful but also quite demanding. After all, 157 kilometers and 2,760 meters of altitude are on the program today. For a beautiful road bike day tour just right, for beginners with a basic condition, there are more appropriate, shorter tours through the Sauerland. If you are fit, this long lap will definitely inspire you.You start in the most famous resort of the Sauerland, in Winterberg. This is a really beautiful city, which is best suited as a base camp. Here it is beautifully landscaped, there are endless accommodations for all tastes and you have the full range of what to do after the tour: restaurants abound. Incidentally, in Winterberg (or in a wooded area on the outskirts of the city), the Ruhr springs - if you're ever here and still have some time, you can easily pass by here.But go now. The tour starts with a long descent on a quiet branch line in the direction of Bestwig. It follows an ups and downs with sometimes quite steep climbs, then you are warm in any case. For relaxation, the round then follows along the banks of the Hennesee - a clear highlight in the landscape. Passing Schmallenberg, the longest climb of the day awaits you. At the top of Jagdhaus, you have already left 90 kilometers behind and deserve a break in the beautiful Schäferhof.Now you roll rapidly in the direction of "borderland" between Sauer and Siegerland and in Bad Berleburg also between North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse. You see, today you get around right! And get something to see. Whether Sauerland or Siegerland - the view is always intoxicating.On the way back, a special highlight awaits you in Züschen. Here the Linspher Cycle Path was recently completed, which lets you enjoy the tranquility and the beautiful landscape of the Sauerland far away from the road and brings you back to Winterberg with a typically gentle railway track gradient.

This big round shows you the Sauerland in all its facets. But it is clear: This is a very nice chunk. To drive 244 kilometers at over 3,800 meters in one day is an announcement. That's why we have limited ourselves to the essentials when choosing the tour highlights. After all, we know exactly how it works. That's why you get a rich selection of suitable food stations, where you can properly strengthen yourself with regional specialties. In addition, we have all sorts of "points of interest" in the form of bakeries, supermarkets and even a bike shop integrated into the route, so you are prepared for all eventualities.Apart from that, the enjoyment of the Sauerland results entirely by itself. You will drive on wonderfully quiet roads through vast forests, always strip a lake or a dam, enjoy rapid descents and master long driveways, which offer you a fantastic view of the Sauerland. Dreamy villages, bustling tourist strongholds and well-known spots like the Bruchhauser stones or various observation towers line your journey, which starts and ends in Meschede.Of course you can split this big tour into several stages. Again and again you pass villages that are optimally furnished for guests, especially cyclists. It is therefore no problem at all to set up milestones. Thus, a sporting challenge easily a wonderfully enjoyable tour of the whole Sauerland.