Probably one of the best routes in the radrevier.ruhr leads once around Gelsenkirchen on 30 kilometres.
This tour briefly presents almost everything the Ruhr region has to offer - from the former colliery to beautiful slag heaps, nice workers' settlements, great railway lines and a shipping canal. The tour is particularly family-friendly, as the route leads almost exclusively away from road traffic. And as a special highlight, the UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein in Essen awaits visitors.
The starting point
The famous coal mine is also the starting point for this cycle tour. By train, the area can be reached quickly from Essen's main railway station via tram line 107. Alternatively, you can take the regional train to Essen Zollverein-Nord station. Those arriving by car will find plenty of parking spaces around the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors can find a good rental bike at the RevierRad station almost directly in front of the striking double trestle.
Start of the tour
Junction 59 is located in the immediate vicinity of the 1/2/8 shaft. The tour leads directly past the striking Sanaa building, a large concrete cube. Here the route leaves the UNESCO World Heritage site via the Zollvereinweg, a former railway line. After just a few hundred metres, the route branches off to the right at junction 60. The Zollverein 3/7/10 colliery site is quickly reached. In the shadow of the pithead tower is the Phänomania Erfahrungsfeld, an exciting hands-on museum dealing with the laws of physics. The Phänomania is a worthwhile first stop, especially for families.
Bahntrassenradeln abseits des Straßenverkehrs
The tour continues along the Zollvereinweg in the direction of Essen-Kray. From here the tour follows the Kray-Wanner railway. The next destination is the Rheinelbe slag heap with the Himmelstreppe (Stairway to Heaven) by the artist Herman Prigann. The slag heap was filled with overburden from the mine of the same name until 1928. The top of the slag heap can be reached quickly by bike. At the top is the Himmelstreppe (Stairway to Heaven), from which a beautiful 360-degree panoramic view of the central Ruhr region is possible.
Büdchenkultur im Ruhrgebiet
Further along the Kray-Wanner railway, the next worthwhile stop awaits cyclists at the Erzbahnbude directly at junction 46. The kiosk at the triangle of paths between the Kray-Wanner railway and the Erzbahntrasse is one of the cult cyclists' meeting places in the radrevier.ruhr.
On weekends, live music is often played and a bicycle shop carries out free bike checks.
The Erzbahntrasse
From the Erzbahnbude, the route leads slightly downhill north to the Rhine-Herne Canal. Shortly before the canal, with a few pedal turns, you climb the small Pluto slag heap, which was filled from overburden from the coal mine of the same name. The ZOOM Erlebniswelt would be a longer stay, worthwhile especially for families. The architectural highlight on the canal is the strikingly curved bridge construction of the Grimberger Sichel. The bridge hangs from just one large steel pylon and won the European Steel Bridges Award in 2010.
Along the Rhine-Herne Canal
The route now leads directly along the canal. The old coal port of Bismarck is now a chic and modern marina with good gastronomy. The harbour entrance is spanned by a new bridge. The next destination for cyclists is then already the Nordsternpark in Gelsenkirchen. At the beginning, a large children's playground and a beautiful water playground appeal especially to families with children. The detour to the mine is worthwhile above all for the ascent to the viewing platform of the winding tower and a closer look at the "Hercules" by Markus Lüpertz.
The finishing grade
From Nordstern Colliery, cyclists quickly reach the approximately 50-metre-high Schurenbach slag heap with the large slab by artist Richard Serra on the slag heap plateau. From this slag heap, too, a great 360-degree view opens up over the central Ruhr area.
The last few kilometres take the route along the former Nordsternweg railway line past what is probably the world's only homing pigeon clinic back to the Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Zollverein World Heritage Site
At the end of the cycle tour, visitors should definitely take plenty of time to visit the Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monument trail provides insights into the history of the colliery, while the Ruhr Museum shows the history of the entire region. Visitors can learn a lot about the Route of Industrial Culture with its anchor points via the Portal of Industrial Culture. The Zollverein coking plant, the Red Dot Design Museum and several restaurants and cafés can also be easily integrated into a cycle tour.
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