Schwalbe Bicycle Park: Tour de Eckenhagen

This 25 km circular route covers an elevation gain of 550 m. The tour leads through charming nature park scenery, past a juniper heath, through idyllic villages, and offers many sights that invite you to linger.

The bike tour starts and ends in Eckenhagen, at Rodener Platz. At the beginning, there's a 12% incline towards the Blockhaus winter sports area. Getting off your bike here is perfectly acceptable. The effort is rewarded with a fantastic view in the village of Blockhaus. On clear days, you can enjoy a panoramic view stretching as far as the Siebengebirge hills, and sometimes even to the Eifel region (approximately 130 km away).

We follow the signs to the left towards the hedge. After approximately 500 meters, there is an opportunity to take a short detour into the Branscheid juniper conservation area. Information about juniper is available at the Reichshof tourist information office.

Back on the cycle path, follow the signs towards Hecke through the Spichertal valley. The route now descends. The hamlets of Hecke, Branscheid, and Hahnbuche, with their half-timbered houses, invite you to linger. In Hahnbuche, cross the K 50 road. After about 1 km, the hamlet of Schmittseifen lies on the right.

Back on the route, the terrain remains level for a while before a left turn leads uphill (over 10%) towards Hüngringhausen. After leaving this hamlet, fantastic panoramic views open up, and the route descends towards the Steinaggertal valley through Ersbach and Mittelagger. Here in Mittelagger, you cross the Steinagger stream and then climb via Schönenbach and Wald to Sinspert. The cycle route then runs parallel to the motorway through Blankenbach and Lepperhof back to Eckenhagen.