The train journey is full of lofty promises before the cycle tour gets underway. This time we combine both: diesel train and bike – a train journey into the blue with a cycle tour through the greenery. It's going to be beautiful on the Lower Rhine, we can already reveal that much. And our powers of imagination will be called for – in many places. So we grab the handlebars and head into the station. Roman-Lippe route: Here we come!
It's getting greener beyond the windows. Moers is followed by Rheinberg. The "berg" in the name is inexplicable, there is no sign of a summit, but on a slight rise we pass the power stations of the present day: a solar park next to wind turbines. Looks good – looks like the future. And now the timetable promises “Alpen”. Europe’s largest mountain range? Ok, got it. It's a nice little village with lots of functional buildings around the railway station. No mountains, flat as a pancake.
If you're on a short trip, it's best to stay overnight, it's worth it. Xanten is a pretty little town, with cafés where you can sit outside, small shops, lots of historic buildings and a wealth of history. In addition to the Romans, the Spanish were also here, and later the French, not always with good intentions. Then it went back and forth within the dukedoms and bishoprics. The city tours on offer are worthwhile, as is a visit to the cathedral. It is huge for this small town, which boasts two saints. St Norbert (who really existed!) once lived here, and St Victor, to whom the cathedral is dedicated, died here. Yet there’s another important historical hero who was – allegedly – born here in Xanten: Siegfried, the great protagonist from the Song of the Nibelungs. Right next to the cathedral, the Siegfried Museum commemorates this, providing an entertaining insight into the 2400 verses and devoting itself entirely to the 800-year-old work about Siegfried's death and Kriemhild's revenge.
Our cycle tour also starts with Kriemhild. This is the name of the real windmill in, or rather on, the medieval town wall. It still grinds today. And downstairs there are fresh pastries, fruit and snacks. Perfect for travelling. We’re stocked up with bread rolls and the tour navigation data is loaded onto our phones. We set off past the Südsee (the name of the bathing lake here) on the Roman-Lippe trail, the route that the Romans also took, heading east. But we soon deviate from the specified route, happy to add in an extra loop.
We’re headed to the pleasure dome of the Roman legions: the amphitheatre in the Birten district of Xanten. Wow! It is still (or more correctly, once again) in use as an open-air theatre for around 400 guests. But 2000 years ago, it could hold around 10,000 spectators. Hard for us to imagine with visions of the Colosseum in mind while staring at the tree-lined circle in front of us. This sight is located at the foot of the Fürstenberg. The Fürstenberg is a hill freshly sown with seed. Here, beneath the dewy tilled soil with an amazing view over the landscape, lie the remains of the Roman camp Vetera Castra, for 10,000 legionaries with "huge administrative and supply buildings", according to the information board. Unbelievable, we think, but "easy to understand" is what the board says, trying to convey the dimensions of the site on the sloping field.
Actually, we are now following the path the legionnaires took towards their downfall. The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest put an end to their drive for conquest. We, on the other hand, are not thinking about stopping for a long time yet. In the flatlands, we pass single-family housing estates, fields of grain and leeks, castles, forests and industry. In between are the Bislicher Insel island nature reserve with thousands of migratory birds, the LVR Lower Rhine Museum, which is well worth a visit, and the citadel in Wesel. Then suddenly the pretty ancient settlement of Krudenburg appears on the banks of the River Lippe near Hünxe.
Soon we're travelling along the banks of the Wesel-Datteln Canal in a dead straight line. This is a camping stronghold, with one site neighbouring the next. There’s not much going on on the cycle path so far. This changes abruptly at “anne Bänke”, a rest area, or rather beer garden, just before Dorsten. It’s packed and the atmosphere is great. So many people here right by the canal? A break is a must, this is where memories of this tour are made. A beautiful place. Then we move on.
With almost 50 kilometres under our belts and the sun setting at our backs, we stop in Dorsten. At the thirsty end of our cycle route, we can choose between a TV chef’s Michelin-starred restaurant, the usual burger joint and the catering on offer at the "Bürgerbahnhof". Bahn!Boom!Bang! naturally leads to the latter. Dorsten railway station building from 1876 shines as brightly as it did on the first day, and so do the surroundings. Everything is new and stylish! The menu has also been given a makeover. It’s all organic, fair, regional and delicious here. We’re convinced, and take a train later. The regional express 14 stops here and takes us back to the city, to Essen. It was beautiful – and definitely worth doing again!
The train isn't coming again? No problem, there's plenty to discover in NRW.
