General information about the Dortmund-Ems Canal (DEK) and DEK cycle path
The DEK runs between the Dortmund city harbor and Papenburg through the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony, past the "Henrichenburg" ship lift and the larger cities of Münster, Rheine, Lingen and Meppen. It was opened in 1899 and is approximately 225 kilometers long. The height difference is about 70 meters, there are three river crossings - Lippe, Stever and Ems. The canal can be crossed over numerous bridges. There are always rest areas and small town harbors along the canal. The Dortmund-Ems Canal cycle path mostly runs directly along the canal or later the Ems and is around 350 kilometers long. It connects the Ruhr area with the North Sea coast (Emden) and was opened in 1999. Along the canal it is almost free of gradients, with a few exceptions when there are interruptions caused by power plants, for example. The path is mostly gravel and partly tarred so that it can be easily driven even in rainy weather. Due to the numerous options for calling and staying overnight, it is very suitable for both a day or multi-day tour.