Below you, the Biggesee lake sparkles in different shades of blue as you glide between shady trees on your bike. A former railway line leads through the picturesque landscape on wonderfully quiet, smooth asphalt. This is the Ruhr-Sieg Cycle Path, a 113-kilometre (70 mi) route that connects two rivers and takes you through the beautiful low mountain range of the Sauerland.

In this Collection, I’ve divided the route into two stages, each around 60 kilometres (37 mi) long with 600 metres (2,000 ft) of elevation gain. The cycle path is ideal for an active weekend trip, which gives you enough time to relax and enjoy. Of course, you can ride the route in one go if you prefer.

You start in Meschede in the Sauerland and follow the course of the Ruhr River before joining the Sauerlandring railway line. The route leads along the Bigge and the Lenne rivers to the Hanseatic town of Attendorn on Biggesee lake. Here, you’ll find various accommodation options, from luxurious castle hotels to campsites on the lakeshore. It’s well worth taking a dip; you’ll pass directly by the lido. The second stage takes you along the beautiful Biggesee, on former railway lines and follows the Asdorf river until you reach your final destination in Kirchen (Sieg).

The starting point in Meschede is easy to reach by train. For example, you can travel from Dortmund or Hagen by regional train without switching trains. Alternatively, you can change in Schwerte (Ruhr) from Cologne or Münster. From Kirchen (Sieg), you can take a direct regional train to Siegen in just 15 minutes or to Cologne in just over an hour.

I look forward to your feedback and wish you a great bike trip!