Cycling in the land of fairytales, from Northern Hessens´ low mountains to the Northern German mudflats. The Weser-cycle path is not only one of the most popular cycle paths in Germany, it is also one of the most varied; historically, culturally and with regard to landscape. Forts and castles, large forests, pastoral river landscapes, lanes filled with wooden framed houses, figures from mythology and fairy tales: these are only some of the impressions cyclists can collect along a tour along the Weser River. Cyclists will not be likely to meet Mother Holle, but perhaps they will be able to awaken Sleeping Beauty from her sleep or to follow after the pied piper of Hamlin – along the Weser the lines between literature, poetry, fairytale and reality blur.  

The Weser cycle path runs along 465 km through the German states of Hessen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Niedersachsen and Bremen and goes through at least as many different landscapes also. To the South where the Werra and Fulda Rivers meet at the baroque, Huguenot city of Bad Karlshafen, the Weser meanders through a narrow, forested valley between Solling and Reinhardswald, before the landscape opens out and the river widens and flows through the pastoral Weserbergland of the rat-catching city of Hameln and Porta Westfalica.

Where the Weser cuts through the mountain chain of the Teutoburg Forest and Wiehengebirge Mountains, it passes the "Westfälische Pforte", which has always been an important link between Northern Germany and Westfalen. During the Iron Age and in the Early Middle Ages the Wittekindsburg Castle was built, not far from where in 1896 the impressive Emperor Wilhelm monument was erected in honour of Emperor Wilhelm I. The view from the 88m high viewing platform along the Weser Valley and Minden and onto the Northern German low-lands is very impressive.

The region between Minden and Bremen is noticeably more scarcely populated than previously. Most of the towns are not located directly on the river bank which is framed by wide, marshy meadows filled with cows chewing grass in the sun. Nienburg and the equine town of Verden are two of the larger settlements in this quiet region. The contrast is all the greater then with the hustle and bustle of the harbours of Bremen and Bremerhaven. One could sit for hours on the quay and watch the large ships manoeuvre if it wasn´t for the tempting thought of the mudflats which lures you on northwards until you can´t go on any further.

We are looking forward to hearing from you!