Bostalsee circuit

It starts southwards at the parking lot of the lake harbor on the western shore near Bosen. Large clear signposts of the Saarland and the Saar-Bostalsee bike route with the yellow and violet Saarland logos show us the way to Neunkirchen/Nahe. After a few hundred meters, we follow the Saar-Bostalsee bike route branching off to the right and initially go over a quiet local road and then through a small forest area around the village. We encounter a short section of country road, which we follow to the right for a few meters, but then immediately turn left towards Selbach.
An asphalted farm track leads up to the Irschberg, and we enjoy the view over the extensive meadows and fields of northern Saarland. In Selbach, we meet the source stream of the Nahe. Those who want can follow the corresponding sign to the Nahe spring. Back on our bike route, it goes through Selbach, and we cycle constantly downhill through the upper Imsbach valley almost by itself to the Imsbach estate.
Here the beautifully located restaurant with beer garden invites you to rest. It continues over to the Johann-Adams Mill. Here, too, there is a nice garden restaurant. Soon we arrive at Theley. Be careful at the turnoff when we meet the country road: here the Saar-Bostalsee bike route splits. We now follow the signs of the Schaumberg bike route through Theley until shortly before Tholey. About 50 meters of elevation need to be overcome here in total. We have to be careful again at the turnoff of the Schaumberg bike route to the Schaumberg adventure pool. Here we leave the bike route signage for a short time and go straight ahead until after a few hundred meters we reach the access road to the Wendelinus bike route on the left.
The perfectly developed Wendelinus bike route leads us on a former railway track through idyllic countryside, constantly slightly downhill to Oberthal. Several rest stations invite you to linger.
At the former Oberthal station, we leave the Wendelinus bike route and now follow the orange logo of the Saar-Nahe Heights bike route back to Bostalsee. Here it gets serious: about 100 m of height have to be overcome when climbing to the Oberthal marsh, the only steep ascent on our route. But this can be managed, and we are compensated with a particularly scenic route section near Nohmühle and the Elzenberger Mill.
Dreamlike beautiful meadow landscape of the Nahe accompanies us back to Bostalsee. The signage of the Saar-Nahe Heights bike route ends at the dam, and we simply follow the circular trail around the lake. Soon we reach the beach, which, in suitable weather, invites you to a refreshing swim in the largest recreational lake in southwest Germany.
It continues over the lake circuit back to the parking lot at the lake harbor. Shortly before, you can still enjoy a delicious meal in the huge beer garden next to the Bosiland playground.

Three smaller sections in the forest near Neunkirchen/Nahe, between the Imsbach estate and the Johann-Adams Mill and in the Oberthal marsh are not paved but easily passable with normal touring bikes.
The comparatively short route length of 29 km and the overall fairly moderate 210 meters of elevation gain can also be easily cycled by children almost everywhere. Only the 100 m ascent from Oberthal to the Oberthal marsh is quite steep. Well-filled water bottles and the prospect of a refreshing swim in Bostalsee or an ice cream from the kiosk at the beach encourage you to keep going.