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Germany

North Rhine-Westphalia

Rhein-Erft-Kreis

Kerpen

Stone Compass Rest Area – View of Hambach Open-Pit Mine loop from Buir

Routes

Germany

North Rhine-Westphalia

Rhein-Erft-Kreis

Kerpen

Stone Compass Rest Area – View of Hambach Open-Pit Mine loop from Buir

Hard

4.6

(16)

riders

Stone Compass Rest Area – View of Hambach Open-Pit Mine loop from Buir

03:40

51.2km

660m

Gravel riding

Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: July 11, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Naturpark Rheinland

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

20.7 km

Viewpoint

23.1 km

Stone Compass Rest Area

Highlight • Mountain Hut

In the case that the GPS hangs at Komoot, one can orient oneself here again ;-)

Translated by Google •

Tip by

23.7 km

Wild horses at Sophienhöhe

Highlight • Natural

A natural herd of Konik horses has been living on the Golden Aue since June 13, 2024.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

25.8 km

Sophienhöhe

Forest

27.6 km

View of Sophienhöhe and the Inden open‑pit mine

Highlight • Viewpoint

Fixed the Hambacher First: aktion.campact.de/kohleaus/hambach-appell/teilnehmen?utm_campaign=%2Fkohleaus%2F&utm_medium=recommendation&utm_source=rec-lc&utm_term=inside_flow

Translated by Google •

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28.2 km

View of Jülicher Land and wind turbines

Highlight • Viewpoint

View into the Rheinische Windradrevier

Translated by Google •

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29.2 km

Rest Area by the Pond in the Eifel

Highlight • Lake

Up here you do not suspect a small lake it is very nicely laid out with benches to rest! The view from up here is just as good 👍

Translated by Google •

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40.4 km

Forum :terra nova – View of the Hambach open‑pit mine

Highlight • Viewpoint

The Forum :terra nova is located directly at the Hambach opencast mine and offers a breathtaking view of the largest lignite mine in Europe. The facade represents the colors and structure of the layers of earth from the opencast mine. In addition to gastronomy, the forum also functions as an event location and offers, for example, concerts (“Music with a View”), exhibitions and readings. Thanks to the spacious outdoor terrace, playground and e-bike charging stations, it is ideal for a long break.

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40.7 km

Viewpoint Terra Nova – Hambach Open-Pit Mine

Highlight • Viewpoint

With an operating area of 4,380 hectares (2017) and an approved maximum size of the mining field of 8,500 hectares, Hambach is the largest lignite mine in Europe. According to RWE, an estimated 4,500 million tons of lignite were stored at a depth of up to 500 meters in the 1973/74 financial year. Around 2011, an estimated 1,772 million tons of lignite were still available for mining and around 40 million tons of lignite were mined annually on this area. The lignite originated from extensive forests and moors that developed in the Lower Rhine Bay between 30 and 5 million years ago. The geology of the Lower Rhine Bay is characterized by long-lasting subsidence movements over the last 30 million years. These have led to the deposition of a sediment package up to 1300 m thick through the North Sea and through many rivers. Today there are lignite seams up to 100 m thick.

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42.0 km

View of Hambach Open-Pit Mine

Highlight • Viewpoint

An amazing insight into the Hambach opencast mine.
More information: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagebau_Hambach

Translated by Google •

Tip by

46.0 km

Bürgewald Steinheide

Forest

51.2 km

End point

Train Station

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

36.9 km

7.24 km

5.37 km

1.54 km

< 100 m

Surfaces

25.2 km

18.3 km

5.01 km

2.53 km

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (270 m)

Lowest point (-10 m)

Weather

Saturday 11 July

32°C

15°C

-- %

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Comments

July 13, 2025,Dickbusch Sophienhöhe Wildpferde Buir

Great new paths and views, and a very nice enclosure for the windhorses and toads. Unfortunately, some paths are currently very sandy and constantly accompanied by horseflies.

Showing Translation

March 20, 2026,Kerpen Sophienhöhe links herum

After some gardening in the sun, I was drawn to the closed Terra Nova Speedway. I explored a bypass and then it took me over the Sophienhöhe. My favorite route was marked as RTF. The paths were prepared with a lot of new sand, some of which was unfortunately not yet firm enough. Currently you need a very wide, grippy …

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Stone Compass Rest Area – View of Hambach Open-Pit Mine loop from Buir

Stone Compass Rest Area

Wild horses at Sophienhöhe

View of Sophienhöhe and the Inden open‑pit mine

View of Jülicher Land and wind turbines

Rest Area by the Pond in the Eifel

Forum :terra nova – View of the Hambach open‑pit mine

Viewpoint Terra Nova – Hambach Open-Pit Mine

View of Hambach Open-Pit Mine

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