Mountain biking in the Rureifel

From the narrow Rur valley, head east (clockwise) up to the edge of the Börde. From there, the route continues undulating to Hergarten. Different vegetation, wide forest paths, steep trails and several ups and downs make this tour a very long and varied, but moderately difficult panoramic ride. You can start from the parking lots at the Heimbach or Abenden national park gate stations, at the Eschauel bathing beach or north and south of the Schwammenauel dam.

From the narrow Rur valley along the wooded valleys of Kallbach and Schlehbach, the route climbs up to the windy plateau of Schmidt. In terms of riding technique, the route is suitable for everyone, as apart from a steep, long single trail between Zweifallshammer and Schmidt, the route is mostly easy. Here you are directly connected to the national park information point in Zerkall with a parking lot, but you can also easily travel by train to Nideggen-Brück station. Parking is also available in Nideggen at Zweifallshammer, at Schmidt-Scheidbaum, in Kommmerscheid or in Mausbach.

Apart from a steep climb out of the Rur valley, along the Buntsandsteinfelsen nature reserve, this route is easy to manage overall. The route mostly runs parallel to the banks of the Rur. Parking is available at the train stations in Nideggen-Brück and Abenden as well as the parking lot in the center of Nideggen.

This loop, roughly around Bergstein and the Krawutschke observation tower, is short and crisp in terms of fitness with a strong main ascent between the Kalltal valley and the high-altitude villages of Brandenberg and Bergstein. You cycle clockwise, first relatively flat through the Kall and Tiefenbach valleys, then steeply up to Brandenberg and later very steeply down again to Zerkall. Here you will find the national park information point, which is also the start and end point of the route. Alternatives are the train station parking lot or the parking lots of the church in Zerkall or the parking lots of the Krawutschketurm in Bergstein.

Steep descents and equally crisp climbs over several single trails require not only fitness but also technical skills. If that's not enough to exhaust you, you can clear your head on the windy plateaus of Schmidt and Hürtgenwald at the latest. Parking is available at the church in Vossenack and at the Zweifallshammer in Simonskall.

If you start at the parking lots of the train stations in Obermaubach or Untermaubach, you will quickly reach the Obermaubach reservoir (also a parking lot), where you can enjoy a wonderful view of the reservoir. This low-traffic loop is easy to cycle, but requires cyclists to be in good physical condition.

The undulating forest and panoramic trails around the Obermaubach reservoir require a relatively high level of fitness.

This tour is varied and only moderately challenging with a steep single trail north of Vossenack. It leads over gentle undulations and steeper climbs from the plateau of the Hürtgen Forest into the adjacent valleys. You can start the low-traffic circuit from one of the parking lots, e.g. in Vossenack (church) or Hürtgen (cemetery or sports field) or Germeter (parking lot at the edge of the forest, Zweifaller Weg).