Hikes in Erkelenz

Discover the diversity of the Schwalm-Nette Nature Park in a fairy-tale setting.

A small route with many highlights for the eyes

Through the Valley of the Niers to its Source The Niers is a right tributary of the Maas, stretching over 100 kilometers from its source area near Erkelenz to Gennep. As a typical lowland river, it has a slight gradient of about 70 meters from the source to the mouth and a moderate flow velocity. In the area of the Erkelenz district of Kuckum, the Niers had several source rivers, all of which have dried up today due to the Garzweiler brown coal open-pit mining. To prevent a further drop in the water level, the Niers is supplied with water in the source area via pipelines using sump water from the open-cast mine. In the more distant future (around 2080), the Niers is finally intended to be fed by water from the lake created by the open-pit mine, filled with Rhine water. The lake itself will then be one of the largest in Germany, with a depth of 185 meters.

Beautiful, easy hike from Hetzerath to the blue flowers near Doveren. Also very nice for children.

This tour is not for hikers looking for a relaxing outing in nature. The Garzweiler open-pit coal mine is causing massive changes to the landscape and threatening people’s livelihoods—yet it also provides jobs for many. The artificially maintained source of the Niers River, the abandoned houses in Keyenberg, and the deconsecrated Holy Cross Church give one pause for thought.> From the Mönchengladbach-Wickrath01 train station (parking available), we cross Poststraße onto Quadtstraße and stroll through the pedestrian zone. At the Löwen Pharmacy, we follow Hochstadenstraße to the left to the roundabout, where we enter Wickrath Castle Park. It was laid out in the shape of a pentagonal count’s crown.We walk straight ahead past the castle fountain to Wickrath Castle02, which we can choose to walk around either clockwise or counterclockwise. This Baroque moated castle was built in the mid-18th century under Imperial Count Wilhelm Otto Friedrich von Quadt after the previous castle was destroyed by fire. We cross the Kronenbrücke and immediately turn right. We walk westward between the Schlossteichgraben and the Wickrather Flutgraben. Remnants of a swamp forest along the Niers form a tiny nature reserve. After crossing the Niers, we turn left.On Wickrathberger Straße, we follow the bike path sign for “Wickrathberg 1.8 km,” which takes us across the river again. After passing the car dealership, we turn right (R/square; bike path sign). At the skate park, we keep to the right and take the bike and pedestrian path at the “Landschaftsschutzgebiet” sign. Now we stay along the Niers and walk south until we reach Wickrathberg. Here, we make our way through a few backyards, follow the “Erkelenz 11 km” bike sign, and walk west along Niersstraße. Next to the Wickrathberg03 bridge over the Niers, a beautiful half-timbered house catches our eye. After the bus stop, we turn left: Quastenhofweg takes us back to the Niers. We hike through the Finkenberger Bruch nature reserve. Here grow sedges that have already gone extinct elsewhere, marsh irises, irises, and other plants that depend on moist soil. Unfortunately, however, the Finkenberger Bruch is drying up more and more. The reason is the Garzweiler II open-pit mine: to extract lignite, water is constantly being pumped out, causing the water table to drop over a wide area.At a T-intersection, we turn right, then head left along the edge of the forest. Before we walk under the A46 highway, we spot an artificial water inlet into the Niers04. Such facilities are intended to compensate for the water loss caused by the open-pit mine.After passing through the highway underpass, we follow the edge of the forest in a southwesterly direction. After about 650 m, we turn left. At a rest bench, we cross the Niers, which is just an inconspicuous stream here. On Wanloer Plattenstraße, which we follow to the right, houses are lined up in a rather peculiar way, one after another. After passing the row of houses, we turn right onto Schweinemarkt and head left toward the Catholic Parish Church of the Assumption05.We continue south to Kuckumer Straße, which we follow to the right. After passing the small St. Joseph’s Chapel, we turn left and walk south between the fields. Before that, we walk a few meters along the road to take a look at the Wildenrath Manor06. The historic grounds are used by the Mönchengladbach-Wanlo Golf Club; hikers are warmly welcome at the golf bistro (Mon–Sun from 9 a.m., Tel.

Castle Wegberg - Balkhoven - Beeck - Uevekoven - Watern - Bissen - Castle Wegberg Molzmühle      Holtmühle     Ölmühle      Tüchenbroich Castle

A small tour in a very beautiful and varied landscape that you wouldn't expect here.

"Schmitze Jrön Hiking Trail" to the Blue Flowers He was not only active in the carnival club: Jakob Schmitz from Doveren was also a member of the Eifelverein. He was a hiking leader for almost 30 years. In 2009, he received the Golden Badge of Honor from the Lower Rhine Association and was appointed honorary hiking leader in the local heritage association of the Erkelenz region. With perseverance, tireless ambition, and his unique persistence, he ensured that a WDR hike to the Blue Flowers near Hückelhoven-Doveren was conducted jointly with the local heritage association. This hike, with more than 400 participants, remains the most successful hike of the heritage association in terms of participant numbers. It was a joy for Jakob Schmitz to bring the landscape, nature, and culture closer to other interested people. If he was not leading the hike himself, he was known to be mostly the last in the hiking group. Some would then inform him when they left the path briefly. He would wait at crossroads and forks in the trail to show the one who fell behind the right way. He almost considered this his duty, which he approached with his own humor. The hiking friends who walked with Jakob Schmitz still think of him very often. His full name still comes up occasionally in conversations during some hikes. But his nickname "Schmitze Jrön" is also heard. To keep it that way, the Eifelverein Erkelenz local group named this hiking trail after Jakob Schmitz: Jakob Schmitz Hiking Trail. Or, to make it a nice proper name with his nickname: "Schmitze Jrön Hiking Trail" So, on May 1, 2017, the Eifelverein Erkelenz hiked for the first time, almost as an inauguration of this hiking trail, to the Blue Flowers on the "Schmitze Jrön Hiking Trail" Jakob Schmitz, born September 5, 1932, died March 9, 2015

Hiking route from the Schwalm spring along the Schwalm to the gold village Brüggen-Born.

gemütliche Rundtour zum Wald der blauen Blumen von Kirche in hetzerath