Circular route Gangelt: In the Rode and Saeffeler Bach valley

The route runs entirely along the junction system in the Heinsberger Land (see also POIs "Junction").

From the Gangelt Infocenter ('Am Freibad 13'), cycle gently downhill in a southern direction to junction 51 (● KP 51) on the Rodebach. Here turn right and soon reach ● KP 52 at the wildlife park. Continue to ● KP 44 in Süsterseel and then northwards to ● KP 53. The next destination is ● KP 54 at the Breberen windmill. On the eastern edge of Breberen is ● KP 55, which points to ● KP 56 in Schierwaldenrath. From here, go to ● KP 57 and then back along the Rodebach to the starting point, ● KP 51 in Gangelt.

● KP 51 - ● KP 52 - ● KP 44 - ● KP 53 -● KP 54 - ● KP 55 - ● KP 56 - ● KP 57 - ● KP 51

You start at the Gangelt Infocenter ('Am Freibad 13') and cycle gently downhill in a southern direction to ● KP 51. The path to ● KP 52 takes you through the approximately 700-hectare cross-border "Natuur und Landschaftspark Rodebach|Roode Beek", which spans the area of the municipality of Gangelt and the Dutch locality Schinveld. It is characterized by the renatured course of the Rodebach/Roode Beek stream. Highland cattle graze the adjacent wet meadows.

In earlier centuries, water mills on the Rodebach were the economic foundation, used as oil and grain mills. The Brommler Mill near Mindergangelt and the Etzenrather Mill a bit further on are now inviting excursion restaurants.

If you want to experience animals up close, you should pause your bike ride at ● KP 52. Here lies the Gangelt Wildlife Park. During a walk through the forest area, you can observe wild boars, wolves, and bears, and learn interesting facts about owls, eagles, and their relatives during the birds of prey show.

Beyond the wildlife park, you leave the Rodebach valley and cycle via ● KP 44 in Süsterseel through an agricultural plain to ● KP 53 in the Saeffelbach valley.

The Hoengen and Saeffeler Bruch nature reserve is characterized by moist floodplain forests with alders, willows, and poplars and hosts a significant population of birds and amphibians. Conservation efforts focus on the permanent preservation of these rare wet habitats.

Near ● KP 54 stands the more than 150-year-old Breberen windmill. It is one of the few still functional tower windmills. In this mill type, the tower cap and sail cross are flexible and can always turn into the wind. The two-part streamlined sails with a movable tailpiece are completely optimized for efficient wind use – a technique adopted from aircraft in the 1930s.
Near the edge of Breberen and close to ● KP 55 lies Haus Altenburg, a former water castle dating to 1782. It is privately owned and only viewable from the outside.

In Schierwaldenrath, a visit to the Selfkantbahn near ● KP 56 is worthwhile. Not only a steam ride on the last narrow-gauge miniature railway in NRW (including bike transport), but also the stations, the vehicle hall with engine shed and workshop, as well as the historic vehicles all contribute to the charm of this railway museum.

Via Birgden with its striking large village green "Großer Pley" and across the open fields towards Stahe, the route leads down to ● KP 57 and back into the Rodebach valley.

The stream now accompanies you again on the route back to the first junction, ● KP 51. Going right uphill to the starting point, you can still park your bikes at the Infocenter, visit the restaurant, paddle a bit on the tree-lined Kahnweiher pond, or play mini-golf. Perhaps after the bike ride, you’ll also want to cool off in the

By Bicycle

Whether you are coming from Germany or the Netherlands, the cycling network in the Heinsberger Land is seamlessly connected through its junction points to all cycling networks of neighboring regions, allowing you to easily "cycle in" from all directions. Supraregional cycling networks allowing access to the region include the RurUfer cycle path, the Lower Rhine route, and the Green route. When traveling by car/train/bus and bike, you will find a convenient entry point to the route network from every station or tourist destination.

By Car

The Heinsberger Land is accessible via the federal motorways A 52 (north), A 46 (east), and A 44 (south) as well as the Dutch A 2 (west). The cities Aachen, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Duisburg, and Mönchengladbach, as well as Maastricht and Eindhoven on the Dutch side, are within 60 kilometers.

Major federal roads running north-south are the B 221 and B 57; east-west run the B 56 and B 56n, the latter connecting the A 46 and the Dutch A 2. A dense network of state, district, and municipal roads serves regional traffic. Pay attention to the local tourist signage—it will surely guide you to your tourist destinations.

By Airplane

From the internationally significant airports Düsseldorf International and Cologne-Bonn Airport, the Heinsberger Land is reachable by car in approximately 45 and 60 minutes respectively. The Airport Weeze at the northern Lower Rhine and the airports Eindhoven Airport and Aachen-Maastricht Airport on the Dutch side are also about one hour's drive away.

By Train

The Heinsberger Land is connected to the German rail network via three train lines.

The Aachen – (Heinsberg) – Düsseldorf line provides access via the stations Übach-Palenberg, Geilenkirchen, Lindern, Brachelen, Baal, and Erkelenz. From Lindern, it goes to Heinsberg (HS) through the stations HS-Randerath, HS-Horst, HS-Porselen, HS-Dremmen, HS-Oberbruch, HS-Kreishaus.

The greater Wegberg area is accessible via the Dalheim – Rheydt/Mönchengladbach route (stations: Dalheim, Arsbeck, Wegberg).

There is also a connection via the Aachen – Eindhoven line to the Dutch stations Roermond and Sittard. www.bahn.de

By Bus

The bus network in the Heinsberger Land is operated by WestVerkehr GmbH and is connected to the Aachen Transport Association (AVV). AVV tariffs apply. More information and timetable information: www.avv.de
Furthermore, the so-called MultiBus is available throughout the district. It is an on-demand service by WestVerkehr GmbH. The passenger simply calls about 60 minutes before the planned departure and then receives information on when the MultiBus will pick them up at the next MultiBus stop (Tel.: +49 2431 886688). More info: www.west-verkehr.de

Train & Bike

Traveling with train and bike is generally unproblematic. The Deutsche Bahn timetable shows which trains include bike carriages. Since spaces for bicycles are limited, groups should register with the railway in advance. www.bahn.de

Bus & Bike

Bicycles can be taken on line buses in the Heinsberger Land from Monday to Friday after 7 p.m., Saturdays after 3 p.m., and Sundays and holidays all day. A maximum of 2 bicycles can be transported per vehicle.

By Bus and Bike through the Heinsberger Land – the „Fahrradbus Region Heinsberg“

During the season, the „Fahrradbus Region Heinsberg“ takes excursionists with and without bikes to the start points of their routes and picks them up again afterwards on all Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. While you sit comfortably in a west-MultiBus, your bicycle is safely transported in the attached bike trailer. The buses have seating for 7 people. The attached bike trailer can accommodate up to 16 bicycles. By the way: If you arrive by train, the bike bus will also pick you up directly at the stations in Heinsberger Land.

The bicycle buses operate between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. and serve numerous stops. They do not follow a fixed route or schedule but can be pre-ordered via the MultiBus control center for the desired time and stop. To book a seat on the west bicycle bus for your desired date, contact the MultiBus hotline 02431/886688 (at least one day before the tour).

Whether cycling or hiking, with the bicycle bus you can conveniently reach the most beautiful routes in the Heinsberger Land and enjoy a relaxed start or end of your tour. A fare overview and special offers for groups can be found at www.west-verkehr.de

The Selfkantbahn,

the only and last narrow-gauge steam miniature railway in North Rhine-Westphalia, is not only a popular excursion destination but is still available as a means of transport today: passengers and their bicycles are gladly taken aboard. It usually runs from Easter to the end of September on Sundays and holidays between the stations Gangelt-Schierwaldenrath and Geilenkirchen-Gillrath. www.selfkantbahn.de

WFG for the Heinsberg district mbH
Heinsberger Land
Tel.: +49 2452 131415   Fax: 131419
E-mail: info@heinsberger-land.de
Website: www.heinsberger-land.de

Information about Gangelt:
Infocenter Gangelt
Am Freibad 13
D–52538 Gangelt
Tel.: +49 2454 936341
www.gangelt.de

Guided tours:
www.westblicke.de

Highlight websites:
www.rodebach.eu
www.wildpark-gangelt.com
www.muehlenverein-selfkant.de
www.selfkantbahn.de