HARZ
The Harz Mountains are the highest low mountain range in northern Germany and therefore the first port of call for all bikers above the Torgau, Halle, Göttingen and Ruhr area. Its extent in west-east direction: about 100 kilometres between Seesen and Lutherstadt Eisleben. North-south: approx. 35 kilometres between Bad Harzburg and Bad Lauterberg. And since reunification, the entire area has been open for unrestricted touring fun. The border once ran west of the Brocken, which at 1141 metres marks the highest point in the centre. The numerous mines that provided income for the population between the 16th and 19th centuries have long since been closed. The reservoirs around Clausthal-Zellerfeld - now criss-crossed by beautiful single trails - are evidence of this. The eastern part of the mountain range is generally quieter, apart from the overcrowded Brocken summit. The latest achievement for bikers: the signposted route network and the race park in Schulenberg.
WESERBERGLAND
In the triangle between the Ruhr area, Minden and Göttingen, there are several small mountain ranges and low mountain ranges that geologically belong to the Weser Uplands. The largest of these is the Solling between Höxter and Northeim. The Hochsolling, which is between 400 and 528 metres high (Große Blöße), even has a small fun park near Merxhausen and a mapped network of MTB trails.
This also includes the Weser Mountains between Porta Westfalica and Hanover, which are around 400 metres high and have suffered greatly from commercial stone quarrying. And the Deister, a small mountain range south of Hanover (Bröhn, 405 metres).
TEUTOBURG FOREST
Between Osnabrück and Bielefeld runs the narrow ridge of the Teutoburg Forest, famous for the battle of the same name during the Roman Empire. According to the latest research, however, this battle is said to have taken place in the nearby Wiehengebirge. Both mountain ranges are not only popular and rewarding touring areas for bikers in the region (e.g. the ridge trail in the Wiehengebirge or the Hermannsweg in the Teutoburg Forest).
SAUERLAND
The Sauerland is part of the catchment area for bikers from the Ruhr region. The region around Winterberg with the highest mountain (Kahler Asten, 841 metres) is actually called the Rothaargebirge. Willingen (BIKE Festival: 2-5 June), twelve kilometres away, is already in Hesse. Compared to the Ruhr conurbation, the Sauerland is very sparsely populated - perfect touring territory! And it has even been fully signposted for a few years now. To the south-west are the Ebbegebirge mountains, followed by the Bergisches Land region near Cologne.
RUHR AREA
You really can't talk about mountains in the Ruhr region. Nevertheless, it never ceases to amaze how many good mountain bikers come from this region. This is due to the many natural and man-made trails. What the Alps are to the Bavarians, the fun parks of their spoil tips are to the Ruhr Valley bikers. The area around Lake Baldeney is mainly home to touring bikers. Anyone doing their laps there for the first time will be surprised at how green the supposedly sooty Ruhrpott is.
SIEBENGEBIRGE
Why is the Siebengebirge called that? Scholars argue about this. One possibility is that it has seven (main) peaks. All old volcanoes, between 321 and 461 metres high (Oelberg). What is undisputed, however, is that the mountain range may be small at 15 by five kilometres, but it is not bad for biking. Between Bonn and Bad Honnef on the right bank of the Rhine.
THE "LIFT" OPPORTUNITIES
Resin:
Bike & Guide, www.mtb-harz.de
Bike Tours Harz, www.bike-touren-harz.de
Fröhlich Harz, Tel. 05327/2420, www.froehlich-harz.de
Harzagentur, Tel. 05323/982460, www.harzagentur.de
Fun management, Tel. 04382/920867, www.spassmanagement.de
Sports-in-Team, Tel. 02204/201474, www.sportsinteam.de
Ruhr area:
Bikeride MTB school run by Manfred Stromberg, Tel. 02302/941848, www.bikeride.de (riding technique courses and free guided tours in the Ruhr region)
Sauerland:
Büscher MTB Reisen, Tel. 0234/5891898, www.buescherreisen.de (including the Sauerland crossing)
The mountain biker, tel. 02357/171890, www.der-mountainbiker.de (Ebbegebirge, NRW/Sauerland)
Lüneburg Heath:
Northern lights biking, tel. 04186/895235, www.nordlichtbiken.de
THE BEST SIGNPOSTS
Resin:
1,400 kilometres of marked bike tours show the way in the Harz Arena. 47 routes (15-56 km and 354-1,778 metres in altitude). Info www.volksbank-arena-harz.de . Literature: Circumnavigation of the Brocken, BIKE 9/02. A tour near Seesen, BIKE 2/03 as download at www.bike-magazin.de
Sauerland:
The Bike Arena Sauerland boasts 1,700 signposted kilometres (34,000 m elevation gain). Info with GPS data: www.bike-arena.de. Literature: Mountain Bike Guide - Bike Arena Sauerland, ring binder with maps.
Solling:
The tour network of 760 km and 17,000 metres in altitude at a glance: MTB map set Solling-Vogler Nature Park, info www.hochsolling.de . Plus: a tour, BIKE 3/03.
Ruhr area:
2 tours, BIKE 3/05 for download at www.bike-magazin.de . A freeride tour near Ratingen and Essen, BIKE 3/01. Ruhrpott-Spezial, BIKE 3/99. Book: MTB-Touren rund um Essen.
Siebengebirge:
3 tours near Bonn, BIKE 10/01.
Bergisches Land:
3 tours around the Dhünntalsperre, BIKE 2/06 as download at www.bike-magazin.de
Lüneburg Heath:
2 tours, BIKE 1/03 as download at www.bike-magazin.de
Ebbegebirge:
A tour near Werdohl, BIKE 4/99.
Teutoburg Forest:
Mountainbike Active, Weserbergland/Teutoburg Forest, www.mountain-bike-aktiv.de .
THE TOP FIVE
Crossing the Harz Mountains
Germany's northernmost low mountain range offers enough "food" for hungry kilometre eaters. The best thing to do is pack your rucksack and set off for a few days in Transalp style. Thanks to the new signposting, everyone can put together their own individual tour.
Around the Brocken (Harz/Braunlage)
Two Brocken tours that are worthwhile: One over the summit (44 kilometres, 1200 metres in altitude) and one on great single trails around it (60 kilometres, 1700 metres in altitude). Both roadbooks in BIKE 9/02.
Wilseder Berg (Lüneburg Heath/Upper Haverbeck)
You can't bike in the flatlands! The "mountain" is only 169 metres high, but there's great scenery and single trails (31 kilometres, 284 metres in altitude). Roadbook in BIKE 1/03 for download at www.bike-magazin.de
Hermannsweg (Teutoburg Forest/Rhine - Bad Meinberg)
One of the most beautiful mountain trails in Germany stretches for 156 kilometres over the entire ridge of the Teutoburg Forest. Marked throughout with a white "H". Tip: It's better not to cycle in the high season. Info: www.hermannsweg.
Wren tour (Sauerland/Winterberg)
Difficult tour over the highest mountain in the Rothaargebirge (Kahler Asten). Peppered with the numerous climbs typical of the low mountain range (70 kilometres, 1,200 metres in altitude). Signposted tour (no. 24). Info www.bike-arena.de .
Downloads:
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
