Ennepe-Ruhr District: Excursions and Stays
Accommodation in Ennepe-Ruhr District
When looking for hotels in the Ennepe-Ruhr District, you can base your choice on the places and themes you want to shape your stay: industrial heritage in Hattingen, guided tours of the Kluterthöhle cave or trails through the countryside. Each destination has a different focus and offers specific points of reference for planning your excursions.
Industrial Heritage and History in Hattingen
At the LWL Industrial Museum Henrichshütte Hattingen, the “Iron Trail” follows the flow of materials from ore, coke and lime to molten pig iron. This makes the sequence of materials the guiding thread of the visit. A glass elevator takes you up to the 55-metre-high “Giant”. From there, you can look out over the region’s past and present—a perspective that connects its history with views across the region.
At Hattingen City Museum, too, you can explore historical subjects in different ways: museum talks, workshops and activities also give you the chance to try out artistic techniques for yourself. At Blankenstein Castle, the tower platform offers views over the Ruhr Valley and Blankenstein’s historic town centre. Alongside a look at industrial processes, the focus is therefore also on the town’s history and a scenic viewpoint.
Kluterthöhle Cave: Guided Tours and Fossils
The Kluterthöhle cave in Ennepetal is designated both a National Natural Monument and a National Geotope. Fossils are exceptionally well preserved on its walls. Guided tours are offered several times a day; on some days, physically challenging action tours are also available. A fossil workshop and a cave visit are offered for children’s groups. The different options are thus clearly distinguished by format and target audience.
All available public tours and events can be booked online. For planning your journey, the Kluterthöhle is 1 km from Ennepetal (Gevelsberg) railway station, 300 m from Ennepetal bus station and 150 m from the Esbecke bus stop. These three distances give you specific reference points for planning.
Hiking and Nature Experiences
The Ennepetal Karst Hiking Trail is 11.5 km long, has 330 m of elevation gain and 49 stations; five stations have information boards. This gives you details not only about the route’s length but also its elevation gain and themed stopping points. The third stage of the Ennepe-Steig runs for about 14 km from the Ennepe Dam to the Kluterthöhle cave. You can distinguish between the two routes by their stated lengths; the start and end points are also given for the Ennepe-Steig stage.
You can hike and jog at the Glörtalsperre reservoir. In the warm summer months, it also offers the opportunity to swim in clean, natural water. Close to the destination, the 30-hectare Glörtalsperre reservoir and adjoining woodland lie within the area between Breckerfeld (Ennepe-Ruhr District), Halver and Schalksmühle (Märkischer District). The seasonal swimming season and the other activities offer different reasons to explore the area.
Discover more destinations: Witten, Schwelm, Herdecke, Gevelsberg, Hattingen, Breckerfeld, Sprockhövel, Ennepetal, Wetter.
Back to the main travel overview: North Rhine-Westphalia.
