Sauerland-Runde: Düsseldorf through the land of 1000 mountains

Route details

A 363 km Tour from the Rhineland to the Hochsauerland. The route leads through the Märkisches Sauerland, over the Kahler Asten near Winterberg and back to Cologne via Plettenberg.

The Tour starts in Düsseldorf and initially leads northeast through the Ruhr area via Duisburg. Up to Arnsberg, you can expect mainly main roads and Country roads, some with moderate traffic. From Arnsberg onwards, the character of the route changes: the Hochsauerland region begins with its typical motorcycling characteristics - winding roads, moderate gradients and wooded low mountain ranges.

The section between Arnsberg and Winterberg is one of the more interesting shares in terms of riding. The region around Winterberg lies at an altitude of around 700 to 840 meters. The route leads close to the Kahler Asten, at 841 meters the second highest mountain in North Rhine-Westphalia. The ascent has a few Hairpins, but is easy to master on well-maintained roads with a good grip. At weekends, you can expect increased tourist traffic, especially in the Winterberg area.

From Winterberg, the route heads back towards the Rhineland via Plettenberg. Plettenberg lies between the Lennegebirge mountains in the north and the Ebbegebirge mountains in the south - the route leads through four river valleys (Lenne, Else, Grüne, Oester). Side roads and Country roads alternate here. The width of the roads varies: In some places you can expect narrow roads without a central reservation, occasionally with patches or an older surface.

The last section of the route leads from Plettenberg via Wipperfürth and the Bergisches Land to Cologne. This section runs on a mixture of main roads and Country roads with increasingly heavy traffic close to the city.

Overall, the Tour offers a good cross-section of the western low mountain range: no extreme riding demands, but enough curves and differences in altitude for a varied day. Road conditions are mostly good, but there are some repairs or older road surfaces in places. Suitable for beginners, experienced riders will appreciate the winding sections in the Hochsauerland. Wet conditions can cause the shady forest sections to remain damp for longer.