Through the Land of 1,000 Mountains – road cycling in Sauerland

Road Cycling Collection by Martin Donat

Tours

41:42 h

505 mi

41,100 ft

Germany’s Sauerland is known for a few clichés. The first things that spring to your mind probably have nothing to do with cycling – caravans with yellow number plates, Father’s Day tourists and ‘that’ Sauerland song. Sure, you can find all of these things here, but the Sauerland has another, somewhat quieter side. This is a region with glittering lakes, fragrant meadows, thick forests and mysterious valleys – it’s the land of 1,000 mountains. And, it’s a land made for discovering magnificent nature on a road bike.

I’ve put together seven Tours that’ll let you experience the beauty of the Sauerland and prove to you how versatile this region is. There’s everything from an easy road bike Tour that anyone can do to a sporting challenge that demands everything from you. All the routes lead along small, beautiful country roads and wonderful cycle paths that are relatively new and great for road cyclists.

You can pick one or more Tours from this Collection and enjoy a relaxed cycling weekend. Or, you can take the entire programme and have enough material for a great Sauerland holiday. If you fancy a little adventure, I have another special idea up my sleeve: the ‘Challenge’ Tour is a big loop through the Sauerland that crosses all the other Tours, thus connecting them together. If you plan to stay in the start/finish towns, you can find information on suitable accommodation here: bettundbike.de/en.

Whatever you decide – I wish you a great ride through the Sauerland!

On The Map

Tours & Highlights

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Warmup to Diemelsee – road cycling in the Sauerland
Intermediate
02:10
27.3 mi
12.6 mph
2,175 ft
2,175 ft
Intermediate road ride. Good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
This short road bike tour starting from Willingen is rather easy in terms of condition, but still offers you a full program in terms of landscape and experience.

You start in Willingen and follow the main road for a while. You destroy a lot of altitude and enjoy the intoxication of speed through the forests…
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Short Biggesee circuit – road cycling in Sauerland
Intermediate
02:33
30.5 mi
12.0 mph
2,075 ft
2,075 ft
Intermediate road ride. Good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
This short, relatively easy tour is a piece of Sauerland at its finest. 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 where there is nothing but the rustling forest and a babbling…
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Mountain, valley, lake – road cycling in the Sauerland
Difficult
03:53
48.9 mi
12.6 mph
3,500 ft
3,500 ft
Expert road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
Short but sweet: This tour starts in Bestwig and takes you up high on side streets. You reach the highlight of this tour at 714 meters through the beautiful Sorpe Valley. If you have the feeling that you want more right here, you should think about making a small detour: Before the descent starts, simply…
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Great Lakes Tour – road cycling in the Sauerland
Difficult
05:39
71.4 mi
12.7 mph
4,875 ft
4,875 ft
Expert road ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
With its 116 kilometers, this tour is a bit of a challenge. Thanks to the manageable number of climbs, however, it is absolutely doable with normal racing cyclist fitness. The route takes you through the northern Sauerland. Highlights along the route are the two well-known Sauerland dams, Möhnesee and…
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Tour de Bier – road cycling in the Sauerland
Difficult
06:37
78.4 mi
11.8 mph
6,975 ft
6,975 ft
Expert road ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
tour de beer? – Let's call it a tour of (industrial) culture. After all, it is not without reason that the logos of two well-known brews are emblazoned on every restaurant and every pub here in the Sauerland. You'll get to the bottom of this on today's lap. And you'll be surprised what kind of sleepy…
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Great Grenzlandrunde – road cycling in the Sauerland
Difficult
08:14
96.0 mi
11.7 mph
9,075 ft
9,075 ft
Expert road ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
This route is beautiful, but also quite demanding. After all, 157 kilometers and 2,760 meters in altitude are on the program today. Just right for a nice road bike day tour, for beginners with basic fitness there are more suitable, shorter tours through the Sauerland. If you are fit, this long loop will…
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The challenge – road cycling in the Sauerland
Difficult
12:36
153 mi
12.1 mph
12,450 ft
12,450 ft
Expert road ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
This big round shows you the Sauerland in all its facets. But it is also clear: This is a very nice chunk. Riding 244 kilometers at over 3,800 meters in altitude in one day is quite an announcement. That's why I've also refrained from great highlights here, but instead included a rich selection of suitable…
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