Six hikes beyond the city limits

We present you six hiking tips - from a leisurely stroll to a challenging march.

A lot of nature awaits just outside Düsseldorf. Neighboring Ratingen, for example, has varied hiking trails that lead through gently rolling forests and along meadows and fields. You will often encounter the Anger and Schwarzbach streams along the way.

Circular hiking trail A 1 - Homberg

During the twelve-kilometer hike, you will have to overcome some sometimes more challenging climbs. You can expect the walk to take about three hours. You can start at the parking lot "Auf der Aue" near the Auermühle in Ratingen. The tour leads through the Schwarzbach, Anger and Homberger Bachtal. You walk a lot through the forest, but also along meadows and fields and pass some farms. In times without lockdown, you should plan a stop at the farm café Gut Ilbeck, where there are delicious homemade cakes.

Circular hiking trail A2 - On the meadow

The seven-kilometer hike includes about 140 meters of elevation gain. It will take you about two hours. The starting point is the parking lot "Auf der Aue" near the Auermühle in Ratingen - a great place to stop if there is no lockdown. Among other things, the loop takes you through the "Hasselbeck / Schwarzbach" landscape conservation area and is characterized by a high diversity of forest types, hilly terrain and numerous stream valleys.

Circular hiking trail A3 - Junkernbusch

This little hike is just under three and a half kilometers long and can be done in less than an hour. It starts at the water castle Haus zum Haus, which is worth seeing and dates back to the 13th century. From there you will walk around the Junkernbusch, a part of the Ratinger Stadtwald. If the loop is too short for you, you can add the adjacent A4, which is about four kilometers long.

Circular hiking trail A5 - An den Hanten

Expect to spend about an hour on this four-and-a-half-kilometer tour. It takes you through the forest around the Hülsenberg with only slight inclines. In addition to classic deciduous and coniferous trees such as alder, beech, pine and spruce, you will also encounter the heat-loving holly (ilex) or (holly) pod. It is from this tree that the Hülsenberg got its name. Starting point is the parking lot "An den Hanten".   

Circular trail A7

Nature and architecture - this seven-and-a-half-kilometer tour, which takes just under two hours to complete, offers not only 100 meters of elevation gain through woods and meadows, but also two architectural eye-catchers: the church of St. Christophorus, which has a striking red roof, and the moated castle Haus Linnep. The Hösel S-Bahn station is the recommended starting point.

Circular hiking trail A9 - Steinkothen

This is the high point: the hike, marked A9, covers 260 meters in altitude and leads past Ratingen's highest point, which is at exactly 179.70 meters. The ten kilometers take just under three hours. The trail starts from the "Steinkothen" hikers' parking lot in the Anger Valley. The small stream Anger, which flows into the Rhine near Duisburg, accompanies the tour for several kilometers. You also pass the "Sandgrube in der Bracht" nature reserve, which provides a habitat for amphibians and waterfowl.

Cover image: Peter H by Pixabay