Witten: Castles, the Ruhr and Cycling Routes

If you’re looking for a hotel in Witten, the area’s attractions can help shape your trip: you might focus on cultural history, nature and relaxation, or cycling routes. The sights and activities range from the Muttental valley and Hammerteich pond to historic sites and designated cycling routes. Consider which of these interests you’d like to pursue during your stay.

Landscape, geology and relaxation

The Muttental valley is part of the Ruhrgebiet Geopark and is one of Germany’s 77 most significant geological sites. It’s a notable starting point for anyone interested in geology and landscapes. The listed Hammerteich pond offers a different kind of recreational setting: it’s a place to relax and is also used as a navigable waterway by local model boat enthusiasts.

At Hammerteich pond, you can go for a walk, hike to Hohenstein or visit the children’s playground. These options offer different ways to spend your time, without implying a particular length of stay: take a walk by the water, hike to Hohenstein or spend time at the playground. You can tailor your visit to your own interests.

Haus Herbede and historic sites

The history of Haus Herbede can be traced back to 1019. The listed building is now a public cultural and community venue. Its long history meets a present-day public use, making Haus Herbede a special destination for travelers interested in cultural history not only as the story of a building but also as a place where people meet today.

Schloss Steinhausen was first mentioned in 1297. It’s the only hilltop castle in the city and, alongside Haus Witten, is considered the most important castle site in the Witten area. The Hardenstein Castle ruins offer a different way to explore history: the site is a late medieval castle, and finds suggest that a castle already stood here in the 14th century. At the ruins, visitors can explore the legend of the dwarf king Goldemar and knight Neveling with virtual figures.

Cycling routes with different distances

Several routes of clearly different lengths are described for cycling travelers. The Rheinischer Esel cycling route follows a former railway line from Dortmund through Witten to Bochum. “From the Ruhr to the Ruhr” is a 57 km circular route through Hattingen, Sprockhövel, Gevelsberg, Wetter and Witten. A 9 km section of the Ruhr Valley Cycle Route is listed for Witten. The 57 km refers to the entire circular route, while the 9 km refers to the section that runs through Witten.

A place to go for cycling services is also listed: the Radstation in central Witten, at Bahnhofstraße 61, offers bicycle rental as well as cleaning and repair services. This information may be useful when planning a trip if you’d like to explore Witten by bike.

Crossing the Ruhr and stops at Hardenstein

In Witten-Bommern, you can cross the Ruhr on the RuhrtalFähre Hardenstein ferry. There are also stops for the RuhrtalBahn and the MS Schwalbe at the Hardenstein Castle ruins. The ferry and the stops are each linked to specific locations, but shouldn’t be assumed to form a single itinerary without further planning. If you’d like to use any of these services, check the latest schedules in advance.

More destinations in the Ennepe-Ruhr district

The wider Ennepe-Ruhr district also offers a range of activities and day-trip ideas. You can hike and jog at the Glörtalsperre reservoir; during the warm summer months, you can swim there in clean, natural water. Guided tours of the Kluterthöhle cave in Ennepetal are offered several times a day. On some days, physically challenging action tours are available; children’s groups can take part in a fossil workshop and visit the cave. Available public tours and events at Kluterthöhle can be booked online.

These regional attractions can provide another point of comparison when choosing your destination: Witten offers the historic sites, recreational activities and cycling route sections described above, while the activities mentioned at the Glörtalsperre reservoir and in the Kluterthöhle cave are in the wider Ennepe-Ruhr district. This lets you weigh up your interests without conflating regional activities with the city’s own attractions.

Discover more destinations: Herbede, Schwelm, Breckerfeld, Herdecke, Hattingen, Sprockhövel, Gevelsberg, Wetter

Go to the main travel guide: Ennepe-Ruhr district.