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Germany

North Rhine-Westphalia

Arnsberg District

Balver Cave

Caves

North Rhine-Westphalia

Arnsberg District

Märkischer Kreis

Balve

Balver Cave

Highlight • Cave

Balver Cave

Recommended by 206 mountain bikers out of 216

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for: Naturpark Sauerland-Rothaargebirge

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Location: Balve, Märkischer Kreis, Arnsberg District, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

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Best Mountain Biking Routes to Balver Cave

4.7

(153)

246

riders

1. View of the Sorpe Dam – Sorpesee loop from Affeln

49.2km

03:25

730m

Intermediate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

4.9

(27)

103

riders

2. Ostenberg – View of the Sauerland loop from Binolen

35.5km

02:51

530m

Intermediate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

4.8

(25)

riders

3. Ostenberg – Feldhof Cave loop from Balve

23.2km

02:06

480m

Intermediate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

Tips

Winhold

July 3, 2022

The Balver Cave is the largest open cultural cave in Europe with an entrance portal that is 11 meters high and 18 meters wide.
In the huge hall, which is almost 90 meters deep and splits into two arms after 54 meters, around 2,000 people can celebrate or experience the unique acoustics and atmosphere at concerts.

Caves only exist in limestone. This grew from dead corals in a warm sea around 360 million years ago. The enormous forces of the earth's interior fold, raise and lower the originally crack-free mass limestone. Penetrating water dissolves the lime, widens the cracks into crevices and cavities - this is how our cave was formed over tens of millions of years. During the ice ages 100,000 to 20,000 years ago, mud was deposited in the Balver Cave. The cave clay filled the cave almost to the ceiling. The farmers recognized the high fertilizer value of the phosphate-containing clay and brought it to their fields.
This is how the impressive cave space was uncovered - a rock dome.
During later excavations, skeletons of local animals, such as mammoths and cave bears, and around 40,000 artifacts were found.

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Mondraker Marc

November 6, 2022

cultural events are held regularly in the Balver cave

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Tomkaufen

August 20, 2024

Interesting place ✊

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Details

Informations

Elevation 220 m

Weather

Today

Saturday 25 October

9°C

4°C

100 %

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Max wind speed: 22.0 km/h

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Location: Balve, Märkischer Kreis, Arnsberg District, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

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Balver Cave

1. View of the Sorpe Dam – Sorpesee loop from Affeln

2. Ostenberg – View of the Sauerland loop from Binolen

3. Ostenberg – Feldhof Cave loop from Balve

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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