Route der Industriekultur
The German former industrial powerhouse, the Ruhrgebiet, boasts a dense network of bicycle paths and routes called: Industriekultur per Rad. You can follow two long distance cycling routes: the RuhrtalRadweg (240 kilometers) and the Römer-Lippe-Route (400 kilometers), but in between these long distance cycling paths there is a Dutch inspired bicycle junction network - "ein modernes Knotenpunktsystem nach niederländischem Vorbild" - which brings the total amount of bicycle paths to 1200 kilometers. However, there are many more dedicated routes. Just the Römer-Lippe-Route crosses over twenty other signed bicycle routes.
I cycled part of the Emscher Park Radweg - yet another long distance (230 kilometers) route part of the Industriekultur per Rad. Starting point was the UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex.
Zeche Zollverein Schacht XII is probably the most famous coal mine shaft. Designed by architects Fritz Schupp (1896-1974) and Martin Kremmer (1894-1945) in typical style of das Neue Bauen. It was finished in 1932.
Radschnellweg RS1, the first 'Autobahn' for bicycles in Nordrhein-Westfalen.
Der RuhrtalRadweg (240 kilometer)
I cycled part of the RuhrtalRadweg in the first weekend of August. Starting point of this long distance cycling path is Duisburg and the world's largest inland port. The next metropolitan area is Mühlheim an der Ruhr, then the route follows the Ruhr towards the source of the river in Winterberg, 240 kilometers further upstream and uphill.