„Germany's most beautiful hiking trail“

You probably already knew that the Rhineland is a wonderful place to hike. Now two hiking trails have even been nominated by Wandermagazin as „Germany's Most Beautiful Hiking Trail“. The „Bergischer Weg“ is up against strong competition from all over Germany in the „Multi-day tours“ category, while the „2-Lakes Circuit“ from the Lower Rhine faces strong competition in the „Day tours“ category.

„2-lake circuit“ offers nature and history

As the name suggests, this premium hiking trail connects two lakes, Hariksee and Borner See in the Brüggen district of Born, over a rather short distance of 6.4 kilometres. Despite its short length, the hiking trail offers a special variety: the Hariksee, which has been developed for tourism, has restaurants and a boat hire service, while the Borner See, created in the 17th century by peat cutting, is part of the Tantelbruch nature reserve and offers a special sanctuary for various water birds such as the kingfisher and the heraldic animal of the Schwalm-Nette Nature Park, the grey heron. You can also discover various species of geese and woodpeckers, dragonflies and beaver tracks along the banks of the Schwalm. The mills you encounter along the way bear witness to the past and the centuries of utilisation of the Schwalm. They are no longer active, but are still well preserved. At the so-called „Water.gazes“ - round metal plates embedded in the ground - you will find QR codes that you can use to find out more about the nature and history of the area.

Further information
Vote for the hiking trail now
Youth hostel nearby: Brüggen Youth Hostel (Distance to the starting point at Mühlrather Mühle: 5 kilometres)

„Bergischer Weg“: past castles, fortresses and bridges

The name doesn't necessarily say it all - after all, the „Bergischer Weg“ leads from Lake Baldeney in Essen to the Siebengebirge mountains in Königswinter on the Rhine. With a length of 259 kilometres and 14 stages, you can expect beautiful landscapes and cultural highlights such as the Müngstener Brückenpark, Schloss Burg in Solingen and the legendary Drachenfels. Picturesque views over the mountain ranges of the Bergisches Land give the „Quality Hiking Trail Wanderbares Deutschland“ its name. Don't miss the typical „Bergische Kaffeetafel“, the region's culinary flagship.

Further information
Vote for the hiking trail now
Youth hostels along the way: Essen Youth Hostel, Bad Honnef Youth Hostel