Kreuzau: Rur, Heath and Cycling Routes

For a trip to Kreuzau, it is worth organizing excursions by landscape and activity. Cycling routes along the Rur, Obermaubach Reservoir and the trails in Drover Heath offer different highlights. If you are looking for hotels in Kreuzau, this distinction can help you decide which destinations you want to shape your stay first.

Cycling routes along the Rur

The Water Castles Route follows the Rur from Kreuzau through Nideggen to Heimbach within the Düren district. It thus identifies three places along one route. In Obermaubach, the Rur Riverside Cycle Route runs along the reservoir for its entire length. The route descriptions have different reference points: the Water Castles Route follows the sequence Kreuzau–Nideggen–Heimbach, while the Rur Riverside Cycle Route follows the shore of Obermaubach Reservoir. Check local trail conditions before setting out on a cycling trip.

Obermaubach: Reservoir and village character

The Obermaubach Reservoir Circular Trail [43] is a 7-kilometer circular hiking trail around the reservoir. Rowing is also available at the reservoir; local rules may apply. Obermaubach can be reached from Düren or Heimbach by the Rur Valley Railway. Check the current timetable before planning your journey around it. The village has retained its historic character, with numerous half-timbered houses, and lies in the scenic surroundings of the North Eifel Nature Park.

Nature and regional character

Drover Heath is a 670-hectare nature and bird sanctuary of European significance. A network of hiking trails with color-coded posts offers routes to suit individual preferences. There is also an accessible circular trail and accessible access to the viewpoint hill. Check trail markings and access conditions locally before your visit. The winemaking tradition adds another distinctive feature: the centuries-old tradition of viticulture in the Rur Valley has been revived in Kreuzau.

Düren as a wider travel destination

The wider Düren travel destination offers other places with different thematic perspectives. In Inden, the 36-meter-high Indemann stands on Goltsteinkuppe, which, at just under 150 meters, is the highest elevation in the municipality of Inden. Its viewing platforms offer views of the Inden open-cast mining landscape; visitors can also walk along the sculpture’s outstretched arm. The Citadel of Jülich is an almost entirely preserved and restored fortress with a ducal palace in the Italian High Renaissance style. It is considered the oldest complex of its kind north of the Alps and can be explored independently or as part of a guided tour. Check the current opening arrangements in advance.

Burgau Castle in Düren also offers a distinctive glimpse into history: it was destroyed in 1944, remained a ruin until 1975, and was restored in 1998. The permanent exhibition at the Düren Paper Museum focuses on the many facets of paper, the city’s history, industrial and cultural history, and traditional and modern papermaking.

Discover more destinations: Obermaubach, Thum, Jülich, Inden, Linnich, Merzenich, Heimbach, Nideggen.

Back to the wider travel overview: Düren.