Railway-free! Cycle tour on old railway lines through the Bergisches Land region

Deep in the west, where the sun is dusty," sang Herbert Grönemeyer in 1984, describing the veil of grey that once covered Germany's industrial regions. Of course, the Ruhr region comes to mind first and foremost. But the metropolitan area south of the eponymous river between the cities of Düsseldorf, Wuppertal and Leverkusen is also one of the oldest economic centres in the world. The Bergisches Land region is synonymous with metalworking, toolmaking, mechanical engineering and the textile industry.

Bonjour Tristesse? By no means!

So what can I expect here? Bonjour tristesse? Cycling between factory halls and through dull urban canyons? Not at all. From our start in Wermelskirchen, we've been cycling along the Balkan route through a tunnel of lush greenery. Nature instead of a veil of grey. The cycle path is one of numerous routes that criss-cross the Bergisches Land on former railway lines. With moderate gradients and away from the hustle and bustle of the city and busy roads. Until the early 1980s, the Balkan Express puffed through the hills here, so called because the sparsely populated section between Leverkusen and Lennep probably reminded people of the mountains of the same name in south-east Europe. A good pinch of wanderlust may also have played a part, we don't know. What is certain, however, is that after just a few kilometres we are already enthusiastic about this carefree way of cycling. On the one hand, the old railway embankments bear witness to the decline of rail transport, especially in structurally weak regions. On the other hand, when they are reactivated, they become part of an environmentally friendly transport system of the present and future. My cycling partner Klaus, who lives in the neighbouring Ruhr region, also reports on numerous wonderful cycle routes through his home region.

The most beautiful pictures from the cycle tour through the Bergisches Land

Almost unnoticed, we have now approached Remscheid, the third largest city in the Bergisches Land region, on the Balkan route. At the railway station in the district of Lennep, we turn off the cycle path for a coffee break and park our e-bikes on the picturesque market square. Lennep, once even a Hanseatic town, was located on an important long-distance trade route and was of great importance as a centre of the cloth industry. The circular old town centre, which is a listed building, is a Bergisch gem. The slate-panelled houses with green-painted windows and doors are packed closely together in the narrow streets around the town church. We don't have enough time to visit the Röntgen Museum, as we still have a good 50 kilometres to go to our first destination for the day. Between Lennep and Wuppertal, the cycle path curves around the still intact railway line. We cycle through farmland, idyllic lowlands and along babbling brooks. Here the route lets us feel the hilly topography of the Bergisches Land. One more rushing descent through the Marscheid forest and we are suddenly at the gates of Wuppertal. Surprise, surprise! Once again, the electric motors help us up to the Langerfeld district, where we join the Schwarzbahn railway line. The section was only opened in 2020 and leads in a large S to the legendary northern railway. A first spectacular viaduct gives a foretaste of the next few kilometres. With its elevated route, the Nordbahn is at least as unique as the city itself. Due to the impassable landscape in the narrow river valley, the Rheinische Eisenbahngesellschaft realised this unprecedented project in 1879. For almost a hundred years, freight transport ensured prosperity, and yet the economic decline was ultimately unstoppable. After the last train rattled over the bridges and through the tunnels in 1991, the railway line fell into a deep slumber. It was not until 15 years later that the city and the Wuppertalbewegung association changed their minds. Today, cyclists, skaters, joggers and walkers glide over the city's rooftops at dizzying heights. We make a stop on the Steinweg viaduct and enjoy the panorama. Deep below us, motorised traffic pulsates through the multi-lane arteries of the metropolis. A juggernaut. And yet we are already looking forward to tomorrow, when we will be immersed in the hustle and bustle at the end of the second stage.

The next day. The route of the Niederberg railway spits us out on the banks of the Ruhr. Its course will take us the next 35 kilometres upstream to Hattingen. The Ruhr Valley cycle path may not be an old railway line, but it has no less exciting stories to tell. Because it's hard to believe: Where people spend their leisure time today, where nature is bursting at the seams, the industrialisation of the region once began. In the 16th century, it was discovered that the horizontal coal seams on the steep slopes rose directly to the surface. These were ideal conditions for the convenient extraction of the coveted raw material. It was only when the coal reserves on the river were exhausted that today's Ruhr region with its underground mines developed to the north. We pass a testimony to this past at Lake Baldeney, where the green winding tower of the Carl Funke colliery greets us from the other bank. From 1897 to 1973, hundreds of thousands of tonnes of coal were extracted from the shafts there. But nature has long since reclaimed the site and retired the colliery. Or to put it in the words of Klaus: "Anyone who wants to see soot and smoking chimneys has come to this region 30 years too late."

"Authentic towns and exciting industrial culture every kilometre. This cycle tour through the Bergisches Land is hard to beat for variety." Matthias Rotter, MYBIKE author

We continue to follow the loops of the Ruhr, past the conglomerate of cities between Essen and Bochum, which is hidden out of sight behind the high banks. The contrast between green and grey is rarely greater. Our flying visit to the Ruhr ends in Hattingen, and we steer our electric train onto the route of the former coal railway, which connected the Ruhr region with Wuppertal until 1984. A prime example of the railway engineers' construction skills. The cycle path climbs 180 metres in altitude with a maximum gradient of just two percent. The highlight of the route is the 700-metre-long Scheetunnel, whose frosty tunnel gives you goose bumps.

The third stage once again pulls out all the stops in terms of the contrasting programme. We start in Wuppertal, our heads still full of impressions of this fascinating city. The numerous districts are strung together like a string of pearls over a length of around 15 kilometres. The suspension railway forms the string of the chain, an ingenious idea of the historical transport planners. In Sonnborn, its railcars rush over our heads one last time. Then we join the corkscrew line, whose curves take us via Gräfrath and Solingen to the last major highlight. Or rather, underneath it. Because the tracks over the Müngsten Bridge are still part of the active railway network. And that's probably for the best, considering the frightening height. What's more, the perspective from below provides spectacular insights into the labyrinth of steel girders. However, the height of the bridge only really becomes noticeable when we have to climb up from the valley of the Wupper to the level of the railway line a few kilometres further on. One last time, we are grateful for the motorised assistance of the e-bikes. But the view from Schloss Burg over the green hills of the Bergisches Land is a worthy finale to our eight kilometres.

What awaits you on the bike tour

The entire figure of eight is 166 kilometres long. Although there are hardly any inclines or gradients on the routes, there are still around 900 metres of elevation gain. This is mainly due to the transfers between the routes, where you can feel the extremely hilly topography of the Bergisches Land. The best example is the Wupper valley, which is almost 200 metres deep and has to be crossed south of Solingen. Most of the paths are tarmac, except for a short section with a natural surface between Hattingen and Wuppertal (stage 2).

The route runs chronologically from Wermelskirchen along the following cycle paths: Balkantrasse // Nordbahntrasse Wuppertal // Niederbergbahn // Ruhrtal Radweg // Glückauf-Trasse // Nordbahntrasse Wuppertal // Korkenziehertrasse

GPS data for the cycle-track tour in the Bergisches Land region

You can download the GPX track for the cycle tour in the Bergisches Land download here for free or find them in the MYBIKE Collection "Bahn frei im Bergischen Land" on komoot.

Information about the cycle tour on railway lines through the Bergisches Land

Stage and accommodation tips

We completed the tour with e-trekking bikes in three stages.

The greater urban area offers numerous accommodation options along the routes. Special information on all bed + bike establishments at www.bettundbike.de

Day 1 Wermelskirchen (or Lennep railway station) - Heiligenhaus (60 km/320 m)
Hotel zum Schwanen Wermelskirchen, www.zumschwanen.com
Bicycle-friendly hotel with a regional touch. Single room from 55 euros incl. breakfast.

Day 2 Heiligenhaus - Wuppertal (65 km/250 metres altitude)
Waldhotel Heiligenhaus, www.wald-hotel.de
Very quietly located hotel in country house style. Single room from 104 euros incl. breakfast.

Day 3 Wuppertal - Wermelskirchen (41 km/330 m)
Vienna House Easy Wuppertal, www.viennahouse.com
Modern city hotel in the heart of the city centre. Single room from 95 euros incl. breakfast.

Arrival

We parked our car in Wermelskirchen, around 40 kilometres from Cologne, conveniently located on the A1 motorway. If you are travelling by train, Remscheid/Lennep station is the ideal starting point for the tour. The station is located directly on the Balkantrasse cycle path.

Food and drink

Traditional mountain cuisine served down-to-earth, simple dishes that had to satisfy a labourer quickly and sustainably. Expensive meat was rarely served. The so-called Bergisch coffee table, where savoury and sweet dishes are mixed, is popular. The offerings range from sultana bread, rusks and rice pudding to Kottenbutter, slices of black bread topped with smoked mettwurst sausage. The coffee table is a kind of historical brunch. And don't forget: Currywurst fries on a flying visit to the southern edge of the Ruhr region, for example at Adrian's Trinkhalle on Lake Baldeney.

Sightseeing tips on the cycle tour through the Bergisches Land

Time tunnel WülfrathThe former limestone quarry is located directly on the route (first stage, last third) and combines industrial history with geological history in an unusual way. In the 160 metre long tunnel, which ends in the crater-like quarry, you walk along a timeline of 400 million years of our planet's existence. www.zeittunnel.com

Suspension railway WuppertalSince 1901, this unique railway has connected the city's neighbourhoods, which are strung together like a string of pearls. Due to the lack of space in the narrow valley of the Wupper, the railcars float on stilts, mostly above the river. The line between Oberbarmen and Vohwinkel is 13.3 kilometres long. Not only the railway construction itself is worth seeing, but also the stations in various architectural styles. The Werther Brücke station is particularly classically restored. www.schwebebahn.de

LVR Industrial Museum SolingenThe former Hendrichs drop forge in the knife-making town of Solingen is one of seven museums in the greater industrial area of the city triangle of Cologne, Dortmund and Duisburg. www.industriemuseum.lvr.de

Historic town centresEven if the industrial ambience dominates in many places, the Bergisches Land region is home to some very pretty towns. For example, Lennep, which belongs to Remscheid, and Gräfrath, a district of Solingen. At the level of these two typical Bergisch half-timbered pearls, it is definitely worth turning off the cycle path and taking a break on the market square. Lennep is at the start of the first stage, while Gräfrath opens the third stage.

Maps

Compass map 756 "Südl. Ruhrgebiet, Bergisches Land", 1:50,000, ISBN 978-3991212294, 12 euros, www.kompass.de

An overview map of the panoramic cycle paths with information on routes, sights and charging and service stations can be found at www.einfach-bergisch-radeln.de

Information on

Die Bergischen Drei, Kölner Straße 8, 42651 Solingen, Tel. 0202/881606999, www.einfach-bergisch-radeln.de