Last update: June 10, 2024, 09:49.

Enjoy the tranquility in the High Fens and surrounding areas, with 70% of the route on car-free paths!

From the parking lot of the former Roetgen train station, you ride along the Vennbahn until you reach Raeren in Belgium. Then, you'll cycle through forest areas to Eupen and descend steeply (10%) into the Weser valley for a short distance. After that, you will gradually ascend over nearly 16 km in several stages: First, you ride to the dam of the Weser Dam (the large parking lot at the dam is also a nice alternative starting point for this route), then through the High Fens along several paved roads that are closed to motor traffic. You will pass Haus Ternell and along the Spohrbach stream. Finally, you reach the summit of the Pannensterzkopf (approximately 660 meters high; the elevation profile in the link does not fully correspond with this route, as this route takes a different path into the valley of the Spohrbach after Haus Ternell). Caution: (1) while making a sharp right turn into the valley of the Spohrbach, there is gravel in the curve; (2) one kilometer below the summit of the Pannensterzkopf, the path is a (well-drivable) gravel road for a distance of 100 meters. The descent from the Pannensterzkopf has an excellent surface with magnificent views to the south and takes you to Küchelscheid.

Shortly after that, you go uphill again through the Küchelscheider Wald, then briefly, but fairly steeply (10%) descend into the Vennbahn valley (Caution: as often in the High Fens, there is some gravel on the median axis of the forest roads). Afterwards, you follow the Vennbahn heading north (in Küchelscheid, waffles are sold in a train compartment), and at Mützenich, you leave the cycle path. You could also ride directly to Monschau after leaving the Vennbahn via Walter-Scheibler-Straße and Bergstraße (where you will eventually descend on cobblestones in Monschau). The ascent to Mützenich is steep at times. North of Mützenich, you will pass the Venngasthof Zur Buche (at 59 km from the starting point in Roetgen). You then ride back to Belgium, following kilometers of car-free, paved forest roads through the High Fens. You leave the High Fens to ride south along the Vennbahn. An ascent takes you from the Laufenbach valley to Konzen, and then you ride along a quiet country road around the upper reaches of the Kall River towards Paustenbach. In Paustenbach, you leave the main road heading towards Lammersdorf to descend into the valley of the Heppenbach and climb back up here via a narrow path. In Lammersdorf, you return to the Vennbahn (Caution, you travel 20 meters against the direction of traffic here to reach the Vennbahn). The tour ends as you follow the Vennbahn downhill for 10 km back to Roetgen.

The route can be shortened by 9 km by skipping the ascent through the Küchelscheider Wald, and can be further shortened by 6 km by following the Vennbahn northward towards Lammersdorf at Entenpfuhl.