Wintery river rides – from the Ruhr to the Elbe

The air is so cold that you can watch every exhalation dance around your helmet. The ground beneath your tyres creaks, while every so often a mild splash reminds you of the river’s presence. As you cycle alongside once busy cycle paths, the peace is palpable, punctuated only by the occasional shriek of a bird overhead and the hypnotic song of flowing water. Out here, there’s nothing but you and the road—and there’s never been a better opportunity to bask in the beauty of the wintertime.

During summer, these are routes that many cyclists prefer to avoid because they are too crowded and busy. Bike paths that wind along rivers tend to be a magnet for those seeking some rest and relaxation, especially during the warmest months of the year. In winter, however, when the sun retires earlier and the temperature drops, these rolling river landscapes get to reveal their true face—raw and uninterrupted. And the result is truly mystical.

River bike paths are truly special in winter, which is why we put together this Tour for you. Being easy to follow, you can set the pace yourself and decide on how you complete the whole ride, whether that be in multiple stages or all in one go—especially if you’re up for a chilly challenge. If you’d prefer to take it easy, divide up the route into stages, take a break and consider booking a room overnight. Either way, we guarantee you will enjoy the experience—and leave feeling enriched because of it.

The Tour starts in the West on one of the most varied river bike paths in Germany: the Ruhrtalradweg. A mix of industrial heritage, urban attractions and amazingly pristine riverine meadows, the area is an impressive one to bike through, which makes it all the more fascinating to ride alongside the force that shaped the entire region. Heading east, you’ll follow several smaller rivers until you reach Thuringia, where you’ll make your first stop in the university town of Ilmenau. Once you get going again, the following stage will bring you right to the Saale river and—for those with some strength leftover—afford the opportunity to experience a truly unique highlight: an underground mountain bike ride through an old, disused mine. From there, the Saale Cycle Route will take you past castles, vineyards and historic brine works and bring you gently to another river: the Elbe. The finale of this Collection is then formed by two sections of the Elbe Cycle Path which, through the wetlands, will bring you safely back to city life and into the arms of Hamburg.

The nature of the trails on this Tour is very varied. You will cycle along many different paths and the occasional public road. You'll also be required to complete a few detours on gravel or forest trails, which might prove too much for your road bike. Therefore, we recommend completing this Tour on a gravel, cross or touring bike—and making sure to pack a few extra inner tubes.

Each stage starts and ends at a train station (with two exceptions where you have to pedal a little bit more). Therefore, you can always start and end each day by train if you’d rather complete each section as a standalone day trip, or reserve accommodation at any of the carefully selected selected stage destinations to make it a multi-day Tour. Duisburg and Hamburg are great and, above all, practical starting points that have great rail links to anywhere in Germany.