Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis: Between Cologne and the Bergisches Land

Getting your bearings: towns and travel

Rail-based local public transport is available in Leichlingen, Bergisch Gladbach, Rösrath and Overath, with connections from there towards Cologne. These four towns give you a concrete starting point for planning your journey by train. Check the current timetables separately before choosing your connection.

During the season, the WanderBus route 267 runs in Wermelskirchen and Odenthal for hikes on the Dhünn plateau. The Bergischer Fahrradbus, which has a bicycle trailer, runs along the Balkantrasse; since 2019, it has also provided a connection to Bergisch Gladbach via Odenthal. Its seasonal service runs from Easter to the end of October. Before travelling, check whether the service you want operates on your chosen date.

Choose hiking trails and tours

The Bergbauweg, trail #15, is a moderately difficult themed circular route covering 12.06 kilometres. It starts and ends at Hoffnungsthal station in Rösrath. At 244 kilometres and twelve stages, the Bergischer Panoramasteig is a longer circular trail through Bergisches Land Nature Park. Stages 3 and 4 pass through Biesfeld in Kürten and Dhünn in Wermelskirchen. This lets you choose between a single described circular route and a trail made up of several stages.

The Bergischer Weg also runs through Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis. It is certified as a Quality Trail Wanderbares Deutschland and is fully signposted in both directions. Signposting is also a useful guide on the :aqualon loop: it is fully signposted, and the recommended direction runs from Wermelskirchen via Hückeswagen and Odenthal-Altenberg to Burscheid and back to Wermelskirchen.

Nature, culture and museums

Wahner Heide is one of the major nature reserves in Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis. For cultural experiences, the Expedition Heimat event series takes you to places around the district, showcasing the unexpected right on your doorstep. Each year, Expedition Heimat 2.0 focuses on a central theme in one of the district’s municipalities. Altenberger Dom is another attraction in Bergisches Land Nature Park; it is located in Odenthal-Altenberg.

In Bergisch Gladbach, the LVR Industrial Museum at Papiermühle Alte Dombach combines the history of paper-making with hands-on experiences: visitors can see historic machinery, make a sheet of paper themselves and watch a paper laboratory machine in operation. The Paper Festival takes place every year in May or June; check the event dates when planning your trip. Also in Bergisch Gladbach, the Kunstmuseum Villa Zanders offers around 1,000 square metres of exhibition space across three floors. Its collection includes about 500 works of paper art by around 150 international artists.

In Bensberg, a district of Bergisch Gladbach, the Bergisches Museum für Bergbau, Handwerk und Gewerbe focuses on historic craft techniques and the history of regional ore mining. Events, workshops and guided tours are offered there year-round; craft demonstrations take place on Sundays from April to November. The Schulmuseum Bergisch Gladbach presents the historic world of schools through old materials, classrooms and teaching practices. During demonstrations in the historic classroom, visitors try writing with a stylus in Kurrent script on a slate and doing arithmetic with an abacus.

Discover more destinations: Bergisch Gladbach, Wermelskirchen, Overath, Burscheid, Rösrath, Kürten, Odenthal, Leichlingen.

For the overview of the wider region: North Rhine-Westphalia.