The best traffic-free bike rides around Rüthen

nice, long descent with little traffic

The Hachtor - We are writing the 14th century AD. Uncertain times reign on the outer borders of the Electorate of Cologne. The town of Rüthen must be fortified... If you enter the Rüthen town center coming from the north, you will pass through the Rüthener Hachtor, which is one of the town's landmarks and gives its name to the Hachtorstraße leading into the town. The Hachtor, built from Rüthener Grünsandstein (green sandstone), was built around the year 1300. According to tradition, the name Hachtor derives from the term Hagentor or Hafttor. The latter seems plausible when you consider that in the Middle Ages, external criminals were actually imprisoned in the upper floors of the Hachtor. In the outer blind arch on the north side of the Hachtor, you can still recognize today the place where the portcullis used to be. In addition, on the north side, you will find the two curtain walls, to which another barbican was directly attached to the north in earlier times. The main gate and this now non-existent barbican were previously connected by a drawbridge to the moats, still visible to the east and west. On the west side, you can very well recognize the seam to the former city wall, over three meters high, which led around Rüthen for about 2.7 kilometers and whose course you can still walk and enjoy today with its wonderful views. On the east side of the Hachtor, you can see a small wooden door at height, which probably used to offer access to the Hachtor via the city wall. On the west side, too, with closer observation, you can still recognize outlines that perhaps also represented such an access in earlier times. We have equipped the Hachtor for you with modern LED lighting from the inside and outside, which is capable of stylishly illuminating the contours of the masonry in the evening and at night with subtle, color-changing light. The Hachtor is the last of the formerly four city gates in Rüthen to have survived. The original four entrances to the old town of Rüthen all had strong gate towers and drawbridges. Perhaps you will find out during your exploration of the alleys within the city walls where the other three gates once stood. Here's a little tip: The names of the other three city gates were Österntor, Schneringertor, and Burgtor...

Directly on the Möhnetalradweg cycle path, an old railway carriage can be explored in Sichtigvor, which, along with an exhibition, commemorates the old train station. The two railway carriages represent the former passenger transport on the now disused railway line. From 1899 to 1960, there was rail traffic between Brilon, Belecke, and Soest. Four pairs of trains passed through the route daily. However, with the development of the omnibus, passenger transport was abandoned around 1960. Ten years later, freight transport was also discontinued. In 2004, the first carriage was placed there as a memorial, the second followed in 2009. Next to the exhibited carriages is also the building of the old train station, which is now used as a restaurant, for example by cyclists on the Möhnetalradweg, which leads from Brilon through the town of Warstein to Arnsberg. The lovingly designed model railway layout is worth seeing.

Beautiful place

A beautiful path starts here, running along the city wall. It's about 3 km long.

Teutoburg Forest in the Hochsauerland region?! Who didn't pay attention in geography class?

Here in the Möhnetal on the Möhnetal cycle path you can cycle very relaxed and through beautiful scenery.

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