All right, we still haven't been to Kiel. And yes, the Harburg mountains in the south of Hamburg also have great trail potential. The coastal forests of Rostock are also home to a creative dirt community. We know that. But for our area guides, we always try to find three tours that are different in terms of riding technique and scenery - and at least a few hills are good for that.
That's why our top 5 selection of the north starts at Bad Salzdetfurth in Lower Saxony. Almost 20 years ago, a local bike scene started to create a small cross-country paradise in the 360 metre-high mountains on the Innerste river. The German Championships can now even be held here. In stark contrast to the Deister near Hanover. More trails meander over the 400 metre high ridge of this mountain range than in many an Alpine region. And it should really have been at the top of our top 5 list. Unfortunately, however, the organisers of the Deisterfreunde association are currently in trouble with the authorities in Hanover. That's why we'll look at this advert separately once the dust has settled and will keep our fingers crossed until then. But now it's curtains up for our five tour favourites in the north! Our Top 5 from the centre and south of Germany will follow in the next issues.
1st Harz / Goslar: The reservoir circuit
- Length: 49 kilometres
- Uphill: 1060 metres in altitude
- Pure journey time: 3.5 hours
- Difficulty: medium
Northern Germany's first and highest low mountain range doesn't have its trail jewels in the centre, as you might expect, but rather on its steep northern flank. A dense network of trails branches out here from Goslar via Bad Harzburg and Wernigerode to Thale in the eastern Harz. Unfortunately, this tour can only reveal a fraction of this treasure, as the metres in altitude quickly add up to the length. Fortunately, there are also views of reservoirs, an impressive canyon and some favourite trails of the Gosla locals. We start in the medieval market square of Goslar. Shortly afterwards, the first trail eight winds its way over the Steinberg. A short break on gravel, then the next trail leads to the Granetal reservoir. A rhythm that leads up to the only long climb to the Bielstein. A five-kilometre-long dream trail awaits here with a great view down to Lautenthal. The last 20 kilometres involve two more climbs, but the reward follows immediately. Particularly fun: the flow trail from Steinberg back to the town.
Highlights of the tour
Goslar's historic old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is worth a visit anyway. Directly behind it, the first 600 to 700 metre-high peaks of the western Harz rise abruptly from the North German lowlands. What we particularly like about this tour is that it includes several kilometre-long trail sections through a renaturalised mining area and offers great views of the reservoirs and a kind of mini-canyon.
Key points
Right at the start, a few uphill trail ramps await at Steinberg. You should also save some energy for the last two climbs of the tour (again on the Steinberg). Although the trails are rooty, they are generally flowy.
Accommodation tip
Hotel Schiefer in Goslar: time-honoured, but modern inside. Good cuisine and chef Alex is a biker himself. www.schiefer-erleben.de
Info
www.goslar.de
2nd Harz / Thale: Devil's Wall
- Length: 48.9 kilometres
- Uphill: 796 metres in altitude
- Pure travelling time: 5 hours
- Difficulty: medium
Although the peaks in the north-east of the long Harz range are only half as high as those at the gates of Goslar, the little river Bode has gnawed its way through a winding gorge here, which also makes for an exciting backdrop. Nobody really knows who or what created the other scenic spectacle of this region. The fact is that some of the scenery is more similar to Moab than to Goslar, which is only 45 kilometres away as the crow flies. The best way to recognise it is on the Devil's Wall Ride through the rather flat Harz foothills: the tour starts on the northern outskirts of Thale. Heading towards Quedlinburg, you pass the Devil's Wall on a trail. A monster of a rocky ridge that juts out of the otherwise gentle hilly landscape like a primeval foreign body. Trails along the Bode lead to the next highlight: the Thekenberge (230 m). A sandy, never-ending flow trail leads up to the gates of Langenstein. There, the route turns back towards the Harz Mountains and climbs gently towards Blankenburg and then more steeply towards the Teufelsmauer. Another tricky trail finale of six kilometres!
Highlights of the tour
The locals from the Bode Valley may forgive us for not choosing their reservoir tour in the mountains, but this long tour, which mainly winds through the flat Harz foreland. But 25 per cent trail share on a route of just under 50 kilometres is a compelling argument. We were almost more impressed by the bizarre rock formations of the Devil's Wall, the Theken Mountains reminiscent of Moab with their ten-kilometre-long sandy path up to the Gläserner Mönch rock tower. You can't get much more of a scenic surprise, including extra-large trail content.
Key points
All the trails on this loop are easy to ride. Only the long staircase at the Gläsernen Mönch is better ridden by pushing. The final trail at the Teufelsmauer contains a few tricky root carpets.
Refreshment tip
Vincent cheesecake bakery in Quedlinburg. A must!
3rd Rothaargebirge: Trans-Sauerland
- Length: 152 kilometres
- Uphill: 2780 metres in altitude
- Pure travelling time: 3 stages
- Difficulty: medium
Three days of intensive Sauerland: This tour from Brilon to Dillenburg is one of the most beautiful low mountain crossings in Germany. Above all because of its great trail content, but also because of its variety - and this long before the "Green Trails Project" was launched in the Sauerland. A project that is set to grow into Europe's largest interconnected trail network in the near future. Until then, you can still make do with this stage tour along the signposted Rothaarsteig trail. The route starts at the trail centre in Brilon and works its way along forest paths to Willingen. Many a summit cross, including views, are taken along the way. This includes the Langenberg (843 m), before you ride into Winterberg after 42 kilometres. Stage two climbs on sandy paths through the Hochheide up to the Kahler Asten (840 m) and then balances over the backbone of the Rothaargebirge. An up and down that takes a lot of energy. That's why you're glad when the Landhaus Zum Rothaarsteig appears shortly before Zinse. At 62 kilometres to Dillenburg, the third stage is the longest, but has even more trails, a castle hill and the most metres of descent to offer.
Highlights of the tour
The Rothaargebirge mountain range runs north-south through the Hochsauerland region. A mountain range over which the 152-kilometre Rothaarsteig, which is marked with a horizontal R, runs without gaps. You don't necessarily need a GPS track, but you definitely need to enjoy the trails, as the hiking trail often climbs in a single track over many mountain peaks and ridges with great views. If you want to increase the riding fun even more, you can also explore the trail potential in the Brilon trail centre and in the two bike parks along the route, Willingen and Winterberg.
The dates of the tour:
- Stage 1: Brilon - Winterberg, 42.5 km / 1044 m elevation gain / 856 tm
- Stage 2: Winterberg - Zinse, 46.6 km / 800 m elevation gain / 884 tm
- Stage 3: Zinse - Dillenburg, 62 km / 936 m elevation gain / 1300 metres per hour
Key points
Most of the trails are easy to ride, but you have to reckon with roots and off-cuts.
4th Teutoburg Forest: Iron Trail
- Length: 21.3 kilometres
- Uphill: 546 metres in altitude
- Pure journey time: 2 hours
- Difficulty: medium
A line in the landscape, this Teutoburg Forest: its narrow ridge is part of the Weser Uplands and runs diagonally between the cities of Osnabrück in the north and Paderborn in the south. The city of Bielefeld is located at a prominent notch in the middle of the ridge, which is a maximum of 446 metres high. And because the ancient Germanic tribes are said to have fought a battle with the Romans here in the year 9 AD, it is not only the huge Hermann monument that sits enthroned atop the 386 metre high Grotenburg castle near Detmold today. The ridge path over the entire mountain range is also known as the Hermannsweg. Our tour author travelled along the Hermannsweg for all three district guide tours in 2018. However, only to branch off from there onto the widely forked trail variants. A goldmine! But unfortunately - and here it comes: the trails in the Teuto were closed to bikers shortly afterwards. Anyone who wanted trails now had to switch to the rubble mountain near the Naturfreundehaus in Oerlingshausen. However, the MTB Bielefeld association is now in a promising dialogue with the authorities about a trail on the Iron Anton ("Iron Trail").
News about the tour
Attention, if you are caught in the Teutoburg Forest on a path that is closed to bikers, you will pay a fine of up to 100 euros! Why did we include this trail in the ranking anyway? Because we were particularly impressed by this route in 2018 and the dedicated MTB Bielefeld association is currently in the process of legalising this trail at the Eiserner Anton inn (a popular meeting place for bikers). The chances are good that this will happen in spring 2024. Whether the tour and GPS data of the track we recorded back then will still be correct is questionable. We are therefore not including them in the download link for the time being. Info The MTB Bielefeld e. V. association keeps you up to date on its website and Instagram: www.mtb-bielefeld.de
Schuttberg Trail
In the private forest of the Naturfreundehaus Bielefeld there is a well-maintained trail, albeit only 300 metres long, on which non-club members can also let off steam ("Monte Scherbelino").
5. Bad Salzdetfurth: Tosmarberg
- Length: 49 kilometres
- Uphill: 700 metres in altitude
- Pure travelling time: 4 hours
- Difficulty: medium
Around 30 kilometres before the Harz Mountains emerge from the lowlands of Lower Saxony, the mountains of the Innerste river undulate. Sauberge, Griesberg (highest peak at 359 metres) and Tosmarberg are the best spots for mountain bikers here and right in the middle: the cross-country stronghold of Bad Salzdetfurth. In this former mining town, the locals took care of their own area at winding tower 1 back in 2014. With built tracks, dirt jumps, a pump track and a clubhouse. The German Championships have already been held here twice. For a longer trail run, head over to the 320 metre high Tosmarberg: the tour starts in "Badse" at winding tower 1 with the Stelvio Pass of Lower Saxony, the winding flow trail ascent. Behind it, the ramps up to Tosmar get in the way. Take in the view from the summit cross and then head into the trail descent to Diekholzen - perhaps the best in the region (6 km). Field paths and trails lead to Hildesheim (the old town is well worth a visit!) before crossing the Galgenberg and Knebelberg, the hotspots of the Hildesheim bike scene, and returning along the Innerste.
Highlights of the tour
The tour over the nearby Griesberg has a larger proportion of trails, but you have to fight for the fun on the constant ups and downs. That's why we like the almost twice as long tour over the Tosmarberg to the west to Hildesheim a little better, because this is perhaps the longest pure trail descent to Diekholzen with a subsequent extension towards Söhre. Almost six kilometres in total! Then the Kammweg Schwarze Heide on the way to Hildesheim and after the sightseeing tour through the old town, the trails over Knebelberg and Galgenberg follow. In Hildesheim, it's worth stopping for a bite to eat in the historic Friesenstraße (kilometre 22)!
Key points
None. All trails are easy and can also be ridden by beginners.
General info
sportstadt.bad-salzdetfurth.de
GPS data for the MTB trails
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
