Destination or start of the wonderful Ems Jade Canal Tour from the Dollart to the Jade Bay, or vice versa. A 90-kilometer route that is highly recommended.
It is a special experience to follow the entire course of a river from the source to the mouth. This is what the Ems cycle path offers, which runs from Hövelhof in the Senne to the mouth of the Ems in the North Sea in Emden.
From the source to the mouth: The Ems cycle path leads cyclists through idyllic landscapes, past towns, castles and forests to the sea.
The Ems is only passable for ships from the second half of the river. Cyclists, on the other hand, can follow the course of the river on a stretch of around 380 (189km in North Rhine-Westphalia) kilometers on quiet, asphalted paths from the source to the mouth. From the bike you can experience how the Ems grows from a narrow river to a stately stream on its way to the North Sea.
With almost no gradients, the river cycle path leads away from busy roads through the idyllic landscapes, repeatedly directly along the water, but also into the historic towns to the left and right of the Ems. The route is therefore suitable for cyclists with sporting ambitions as well as for recreational cyclists and families with children.
The route starts at the source of the river Hövelhof at the foot of the Teutoburg Forest through the Paderborn and Gütersloh regions. The sand dunes, pine forests and wet meadows characterize the landscape in the upper reaches, as do the historic towns and quaint half-timbered houses.
The route leads along the picturesque Ems floodplains through the park landscape of the Münsterland with its many moated castles. The equestrian town of Warendorf with the NRW State Stud and the pilgrimage site of Telgte are on the way. A detour to Münster, the city of the Peace of Westphalia, promises a varied cultural and historical program. Along the way, observation towers, footbridges and information boards inspire new perspectives.
The Ems finally reaches the green expanse of the Emsland, a region that combines nature and shipping tradition. Things get really maritime in East Frisia. Here, cyclists can already see the sea and almost smell the rough, salty sea air. Ports, locks and weirs can be found here, and from Papenburg impressive cruise ships leave the Meyer Werft for the world's oceans. At Emden the river finally flows into the Dollart and the North Sea - the crowning conclusion of a trip along and with the idyllic Ems.