Patinnen und Paten
Bekenntnisse zum RuhrtalRadweg
City of Winterberg
Michael Beckmann, Mayor of the town of Winterberg
"We are very happy that the Ruhrquelle is not only the official starting point of the RuhrtalRadweg for so many people of all ages, but also the starting point for unforgettable cycle tours. On the RuhrtalRadweg, friendship and family are lived. Due to its diversity, this cycle route is fascinatingly unique and an absolute highlight that has taken cycle tourism in NRW to a new level. We are very much looking forward to welcoming bike fans from all over Germany and beyond again in the coming years and seeing them off into the valley from the source of the Ruhr."
City of Olsberg
Wolfgang Fischer, Mayor of the town of Olsberg
"As the oldest Kneipp town in NRW and now a Kneipp spa, the town of Olsberg has long stood for health and well-being in a wonderful landscape. The RuhrtalRadweg has brought countless people closer to our town and its attractive health offers. The premium cycle path has thus become a "brand ambassador" for the town of Olsberg. I hope that many more people will discover how varied and beautiful the RuhrtalRadweg is - and our town of Olsberg."
City of Meschede
Christoph Weber, Mayor of the district and university town of Meschede
"Personally, as an enthusiastic cyclist for many years, I can say that there is hardly a premium cycle path in Germany that combines such a diverse and beautiful low mountain range landscape as the Sauerland with lively industrial history and urban culture in the Ruhrgebiet - and with plenty of gastronomy and a dense network of bike-related services. As mayor of the town of Meschede, I invite you to discover the approximately 15 kilometers on Meschede city territory between the towns of Wehrstapel and Freienohl - and perhaps make a stop in Meschede with its more than 1000 years of city history."
City of Arnsberg
Ralf Paul Bittner, Mayor of the town of Arnsberg
Since its opening in 2006, the RuhrtalRadweg has been a guarantee of tourist success for our region and our town of Arnsberg. This is due not least to the really good cooperation between the neighboring municipalities in the marketing and infrastructure working groups. The aim of these working groups was and is: "Not to rest on our laurels but to work continuously on the success and above all on the quality of the river cycle path!". The town of Arnsberg alone is responsible for a good 30 km of the cycle path, making it the municipality with the largest share of the route. Every season, Arnsberg looks forward to the revitalization of the town by numerous cycle tourists who like to make Arnsberg their first stage destination, starting at the source of the Ruhr in Winterberg. We look forward to continuing to contribute to the success of the RuhrtalRadweg.
Municipality of Ense
Rainer Busemann, Mayor of the municipality of Ense
"The RuhrtalRadweg is an enrichment for the municipality of Ense. The RuhrtalRadweg also offers smaller municipalities such as Ense the opportunity to reach the Ruhrgebiet and the Sauerland by bike. By working together with the RuhrtalRadweg cooperation members, an attractive cycle path with great views and a wide variety of experiences has been created in recent years. In the area around Ense, cyclists can experience tranquil villages, fields and meadow landscapes as well as the extensive Arnsberg Forest. We look forward to continuing to improve and maintain the RuhrtalRadweg in the future."
Municipality of Wickede (Ruhr)
Martin Michalzik, Mayor, Municipality of Wickede (Ruhr)
"As a municipality on the RuhrtalRadweg, Wickede (Ruhr) is looking forward to working with strong partners to introduce many guests to our beautiful landscape and attractive places. The renaturation of the Wickede (Ruhr) in the central town of Wickede this year and the redesign of the north bank for safe cycling and leisure on the river fit in perfectly with this. With this and the planned information center of a local world market leader for ergonomic cycling, we want to actively support the quality goals of the Ruhrtal Cycle Path."
City of Menden
Dr. Roland Schröder, Mayor of the town of Menden
"Menden is a proud part of the 240km long RuhrtalRadweg. 23 municipalities that pursue the same goal across borders: Cycle tourism! Last year, we achieved a lot together on the Menden section. We have gained a new cooperation partner directly on the RuhrtalRadweg. In addition, we followed the "1st tap water-friendly long-distance cycle route" award and built another drinking water fountain in Menden, also directly on the RuhrtalRadweg."
City of Fröndenberg
Sabina Müller, Mayor of the town of Fröndenberg
"The RuhrtalRadweg runs a good 13 kilometers through Fröndenberg. These are 13 kilometers of varied routes between nature reserves, residential areas and inviting restaurants around the newly designed Fröndenberg market square. The RuhrtalRadweg Charter is a real service and quality offensive. It unites the project partners and one of its key objectives is to offer cyclists an eventful route from Winterberg to Duisburg. We are part of it - we live the RuhrtalRadweg!"
City of Iserlohn
Michael Joithe, Mayor of the City of Iserlohn
"The section of the RuhrtalRadweg in Iserlohn may only be around 3,000 meters long, but that is 3,000 meters of pure enjoyment of nature - from the Sieben-Zeichen bridge along the Ruhrauen to the wave pool. It is not only the symbol of successful inter-municipal cooperation, but also the ideal cycle tourism connection between the Ruhrgebiet and the Sauerland, combining the best of both worlds - nature and industrial culture - in a sporty way. Many cycle tourists have already found their way from the north of Iserlohn to the historic Maste-Barendorf factory complex, the city center or even to the south of Iserlohn via the connection to the RUHR-LENNE-Achter or the Baartal cycle path."
City of Schwerte
Dimitrios Axourgos, Mayor of the City of Schwerte
"I am very pleased that the twelve kilometers that the RuhrtalRadweg cycle path runs through the area of our city is part of the 240 kilometers of cycling pleasure between the Sauerland and the Ruhrgebiet. Schwerte benefits from this in terms of tourism. I expect further improvements from the RuhrtalRadweg Charter 2026 and the cooperation community that signed this charter in 2022 - as we all know, community makes strength. So that our RuhrtalRadweg remains an ADFC quality cycle route with four stars."
City of Hagen
Erik O. Schulz, Mayor of the City of Hagen
"In Hagen, we can not only see the continuously increasing number of cyclists on the RuhrtalRadweg in the regular evaluations, but also experience it every day on the banks of the Hengsteysee. The RuhrtalRadweg is therefore an outstanding example of successful inter-municipal cooperation and we are a proud partner of this cooperation. With the redesign of the Hengsteysee lakeside promenade, by participating in the various committees of the cooperation and by investing in bicycle-friendly infrastructure, we will leave no doubt that we will continue to write this success story together with the other partners in the future."
City of Dortmund
City Councillor Stefan Szuggat, Head of Department for Environment, Planning and Housing City of Dortmund
"The RuhrtalRadweg is a popular long-distance cycle route in Germany and has a high recreational value for our region, as it offers outstanding (industrial) culture and impressive nature experiences. The City of Dortmund is happy to be involved in the cooperation community for the implementation of the RuhrtalRadweg Charter 2026 in order to further develop this varied cycle path and ensure its long-term quality."
City of Herdecke
Dr. Katja Strauss-Köster, Mayor of the town of Herdecke
"Cycling enthusiasts appreciate the picturesque "Herdecke section" along the Ruhr. To further improve the quality, the narrow section below Zweibrücker Hof is to be optimized by separating the cycle and footpaths. In addition, the paths are to be widened and orientation areas created. New signage will make the route towards the Altstadt even clearer. Restaurants and retailers benefit enormously from cyclists who like to spend time in Herdecke."
City of Wetter (Ruhr)
Frank Hasenberg, Mayor of the City of Wetter (Ruhr)
"Discover the landscape and history by bike: The RuhrtalRadweg, which leads leisurely along Lake Harkort, through Schöntal and along the renaturalized banks of the Ruhr to Wengern, offers both. In addition to the beauty of nature, there are many exciting sights along the route. Whether following in the footsteps of the industrial pioneer Harkort in the Freiheit or the famous cookbook author Davidis in the historic village center of Wengern - Wetter (Ruhr) has a lot to offer: Come and visit us! "
City of Witten
Lars König, Mayor of the City of Witten
The RuhrtalRadweg is one of the most attractive long-distance cycle routes in Germany. The middle Ruhrtal and the Witten section with its course through the historically significant, exciting and varied Muttental and along the scenic Ruhrauen contribute to this. The town of Witten benefits greatly from the popularity of the RuhrtalRadweg for tourists. The RuhrtalRadweg is now also very important for everyday cycling in Witten and represents an important addition to the cycling network. We must therefore continue to invest in the quality of the route and in improving the connections to the city districts and the city center in order to meet the growing demands of cycling. The RuhrtalRadweg Charter symbolizes the strong cooperative community behind the Ruhrtalradweg. Together we want to improve the quality of the long-distance cycle route. The city of Witten will do its part.
City of Bochum
Thomas Eiskirch, Lord Mayor of the City of Bochum
"The RuhrtalRadweg is one of the most beautiful and popular cycle paths in Germany today. Bochum is right in the middle of it and the nine kilometers of the cycle path run through one of Bochum's most scenic landscape areas: the Kemnader See and the Ruhrtal. They are of great importance for local recreation and (cycle) tourism. We have already benefited greatly from the quality assurance for the RuhrtalRadweg cycle path, paths have been newly created, widened, equipped with rest areas or converted into cycle paths. We plan by bike and the RuhrtalRadweg is one of them."
City of Hattingen
Dirk Glaser, Mayor of the town of Hattingen
"The RuhrtalRadweg is consistently beautiful because all the neighboring municipalities work together on it. It is a trademark for Hattingen with its industrial culture and the Altstadt and is known far beyond thanks to the cooperation. Together with our neighboring towns, we are making the RuhrtalRadweg even more attractive for the future. However, we are not only working on the development of the route in terms of tourism, but also in terms of transportation, as it is an important component of the mobility transition."
City of Essen
Thomas Kufen, Lord Mayor of the City of Essen
"In Essen, the RuhrtalRadweg is the backbone of cycling tourism and local recreation. At over 30 km, my home town has the longest section of the 240 km RuhrtalRadweg. Users are offered a varied route: Industrial heritage with the Heinrich colliery headframe, the Heisinger Aue FFH area, Baldeneysee as the largest Ruhr reservoir, wooded hilly landscapes and pretty town centers such as Werden and Kettwig are all there to experience and discover. "
City of Mülheim an der Ruhr
Marc Buchholz, Lord Mayor of the City of Mülheim an der Ruhr
"It has developed into a real success story: Opened in 2006, the RuhrtalRadweg, one of the most popular long-distance cycle routes, runs 14 km through our city and is a real economic factor and image booster with tens of thousands of day tourists and overnight guests every year. That is why we as the city of Mülheim, together with Mülheimer Stadtmarketing und Tourismus GmbH (MST), have committed ourselves to further developing the RuhrtalRadweg and making it fit for the future. My special thanks go to Ruhr Tourismus GmbH, which is paving the way for this with the RuhrtalRadweg Charter."
City of Duisburg
Sören Link, Lord Mayor of the City of Duisburg
"The RuhrtalRadweg accompanies the Ruhr from its source near Winterberg to the Rhine Orange in Duisburg-Ruhrort. Cyclists have been able to experience (industrial) culture and nature on one of the most beautiful river cycle paths since 2006. Together, we will make this tourist highlight even more beautiful."
Hochsauerland district
Dr. Karl Schneider, District Administrator Hochsauerlandkreis
"The origin of the RuhrtalRadweg is not only geographically in the Hochsauerland district: in 2010, the Sauerländer Gebirgsverein (SGV) suggested the cycle path to the Hochsauerland district. Later, in close cooperation with Ruhr Tourismus GmbH (RTG) and the Ruhr Regional Association (RVR), the current route was defined, a feasibility study was carried out and then the RuhrtalRadweg was opened in April 2006. This concept has since developed into a showcase project among the 200 or so tourist river cycle paths in Germany. The low mountain range landscape in the Hochsauerland district is a paradise for cyclists. At the latest since the establishment of e-mobility in cycling, the bicycle has become a serious alternative to the car in the hilly Sauerland, even away from the Ruhrtal. Here, too, the RuhrtalRadweg fulfills an important connecting function for everyday cycling. A bike is only as stable as each individual spoke and the hub holds everything together! That is why the good cooperation with the local authorities and partners and the will to continue promoting this unique river trail are a very special part of this success story. A success story that also creates considerable economic benefits for hotels, restaurants and retailers."
Märkischer Kreis
Marco Voge, District Administrator Märkischer Kreis
Märkischer view of the RuhrtalRadweg The RuhrtalRadweg is one of the most beautiful river cycle paths in Germany. The 240-kilometre route connects the Sauerland with the Ruhrgebiet with a unique combination of nature and industrial culture. The RuhrtalRadweg also touches the northern edge of the Märkischer Kreis with Iserlohn and Menden. If you want to explore a piece of the Märkisches Sauerland with its sweeping landscape and idyllic valleys of the Lenne, Baarbach, Oese and Hönne, you can take a short detour from the RuhrtalRadweg via the Ruhr-LENNE-Achter. Special eye-catchers along the way: the Pater and Nonne rock towers in Letmathe and the Dechenhöhle cave with the German Cave Museum in Iserlohn. And of course there are other points of interest along the way, such as the Sauerlandpark and Felsenmeer Hemer or the Altstadt in Menden. So a bike tour is worthwhile!
Soest district
Dr. Jürgen Wutschka, Head of Regional Development, District of Soest
"The RuhrtalRadweg is an excellent themed route in the southern district of Soest. It opens up the extensive offer of the ADFC-RadReiseRegion Hellwegbörde to guests, with 460 kilometers of themed routes on 960 kilometers of designated cycle network. Premium themed routes "QuerFeldLand", "MöhnetalRadweg" and "WasserWegeWinkel" connect the RuhrtalRadweg with the "Römer-Lippe-Route" in the north of the RadReiseRegion. The combination of these offers makes the RuhrtalRadweg particularly attractive for cyclists here."
Unna district
Mario Löhr, District Administrator of the District of Unna
"I am delighted that we have developed the RuhrtalRadweg into a relevant tourist flagship in North Rhine-Westphalia. This cycle path is of great importance in the district of Unna, because cycling is a high priority in our region. The successful cooperation enables us to benefit from each other and to live up to our claim of maintaining a permanently attractive RuhrtalRadweg so that we continue to be perceived as an attractive cycling region. I am grateful for the many years of good cooperation and look forward to many more successful years. "
Ennepe-Ruhr district
Olaf Schade, District Administrator of the Ennepe-Ruhr district
"The RuhrtalRadweg is in the same league as the top river cycle paths in Germany - something that was unthinkable for a long time has long since become reality. The starting signal for this episode of inter-municipal cooperation, which has been a great success for everyone involved, was given in 2006 at the Nachtigall colliery in Witten. Three more of our towns, Herdecke, Wetter and Hattingen, are located along the Ruhr Valley Cycle Route. Like all 23 neighboring towns, they benefit in many ways from tourism on two wheels."
Sauerland-Tourismus e.V.
Dr. Jürgen Fischbach, Managing Director of Sauerland-Tourismus e.V.
"The development of the RuhrtalRadweg was also the start of cycling tourism for the Sauerland. Hardly anyone would have thought that the Sauerland, as a low mountain region, would be suitable for this theme. Today, we are not only one of the most popular destinations for sporty cycling, but also a very attractive touring cycling region. The RuhrtalRadweg is our top product for this. However, this is also associated with the great responsibility of maintaining the quality of the RuhrtalRadweg at a correspondingly high level - we want to work on this together and sustainably in the coming years."
Ruhr Tourismus GmbH
Axel Biermann, Managing Director Ruhr Tourismus GmbH
"For me, the RuhrtalRadweg means, above all, active cooperation! At Ruhr Tourismus GmbH, it has been a daily pleasure for us since the start of the RuhrtalRadweg (2006) to consolidate the tried and tested for and with this strong project community and to develop new exciting projects around the RuhrtalRadweg. Working together on an equal footing with all members of the cooperation is of crucial importance for the continued success of this quality route! Cooperation couldn't be more exciting!"