Naturpark Hohe Mark-Westmünsterland

Naturpark Hohe Mark has become my favourite cycling area for a day trip or a weekender. The park is huge: 1040 square kilometers! Compare that to the famous Dutch park Nationaal Park De Hoge Veluwe, which measures just 55 square kilometers. It is no surprise the park has over 1000 kilometers of cycling paths. Many roads are closed for cars and motorbikes except local traffic (Anlieger frei), and therefor practically car free. Many cycling paths are dusty single tracks through forest or follow the path of railroad, the tracks removed since many decades.

When you start to know the area, you will learn to find the local Biergarten for an ice cold beer, or trout ponds selling smoked trout, still warm from the smoking chamber. In summertime Hohe Mark feels like heaven.

Angelparadies Schoel

Bicycling paths in Europe: most can be found in Vlaanderen, The Netherlands and Nordrhein-Westfalen.