Tobacco Cycling Route Bünde

The Tobacco Cycling Route is the second tour designed by the bicycle-friendly city of Bünde, alongside the Bauernbad Cycling Route. This slightly shorter route focuses on the development of the city of Bünde into a center of the German tobacco and cigar industry at the end of the 19th century. Along the route, there are some remnants of this economic heyday of the city, as well as visits to currently operating companies. Due to the theme, the circular route does not extend into very rural areas like the Bauernbad Cycling Route, but instead forms a tight loop around the city center through Holsen, Ennigloh, and Dünne.
The starting and ending point of the Tobacco Cycling Route is the train station in Bünde, allowing for convenient arrival by train. Additionally, at the bike station at the train station, bicycles can be rented. The route initially crosses the River Else into the center of Bünde, circling around the city center with its pedestrian zone and the Museum Island. Here, visitors can see the old tobacco warehouse, the monument to cigar pioneers Steinmeister and Wellensiek, their residences, the cigar factories August Schuster and Arnold Andre, as well as the German Tobacco and Cigar Museum. The route then follows the new course of the River Else out of the town center, passing by the Nienburg Water Mill, through Werfen, and on to Ahle. There stands an old cottager's house where cigars used to be handmade.
South of Ahle, there is an opportunity to take a short detour to reach Hücker Moor for a rest stop. Here, a beer garden and boat rental invite visitors to linger. The Tobacco Cycling Route continues northward to Holsen, where the former cigar factory Gustav Beinke is located. At Holsen, the northern section of the tour begins, with some minor ascents and descents that are easily manageable with a basic level of fitness. Passing by the birthplace of Tönnies Wellensiek, the route eventually reaches the Bünder district of Dünne, where the company buildings of the cigar company Villiger Söhne are located. From Dünne, the route continues fairly straight and downhill into the Gewinghausen Bachtal and back to the center of Bünde. Before reaching the starting point again, the tour passes through the so-called Türkenkostsiedlung and by the cigar factory Gerhardt & Dustmann.
Despite its more urban character, the circular route primarily follows asphalted side streets with very low traffic. The terrain is not as challenging as the Bauernbad Cycling Route, making the route suitable for less experienced cyclists. While the landscape surrounding this route is attractive, the main focus is on the tobacco theme, with the route oriented towards cigar factories as points of interest.
For more information on the route and waypoints, visit www.buende.de or the cycling leisure website of the Herford district: www.fahr-im-kreis.de. There, you can find maps, a brochure, and an audio guide available for download.