Burbach-Köllertal loop

We start directly at the forest pond and cycle through the green Burbach valley toward Riegelsberg. Below Von-der-Heyt, we meet the orange-red signage of the Velo visavis main route, which we follow from here to the Köllertal. Initially, it goes along quiet forest paths next to the peacefully babbling Burbach, gradually steepening up to Riegelsberg. Up here, you can shorten the route by following the yellow side route logo and cycling directly through Riegelsberg into the Köllertal. However, then you miss two highlights of the route, the Viktoria slag heap and the Saarland Watch Museum.

The main route therefore continues through the forest, skirts the small district Ritterstraße, and runs very attractively above Engelfangen, directly at the foot of the Viktoria slag heap.

The Viktoria slag heap is accessible via a spiral path. It is 403.5 m high, carries a summit cross, and offers a magnificent panoramic view over the Köllertal. Ahead is a long descent over small side streets through Engelfangen to Köllerbach. Shortly before meeting the main road, the next attraction awaits.

The Saarland Watch Museum, located in the "Watchmaker’s House," displays about 650 interesting exhibits, many old rural furnishings, and an original preserved watchmaker’s workshop.

For the next 3 km, the route continues on a particularly attractive path along the Köllertal cycle path directly along the stream through open meadow landscapes. A newly established picnic area invites you to take a break before the next climb begins in Walpershofen. Attention: Here, we leave the Köllertal cycle path and follow the Velo visavis route towards Schwalbach-Elm. First through the village, then on an increasingly scenic route past a pond, it climbs to the ridge above Herchenbach. Wide views over the gently rolling landscape reward the effort. Over the Hof am Forst, it runs along the height above Rittershofen until, upon crossing the country road between Schwalbach and Köllerbach, we turn right onto a quiet small side street down to Schwalbach-Elm. At the former Elm shaft, our path branches left and runs invitingly over open meadows into the village. 

Those who want to extend the tour to two days can spend the night here in the dedicated Bett&Bike accommodation and already end the day in the beer garden, which opens from 5 pm.

Next, a short section towards Bous, before we follow the junction that appears immediately ahead to Völklingen. About 80 meters of elevation await us until we meet the Velo visavis main route again at the top of the forest, which we follow fast down to the Köllertal to the Wackenmühle. We are back on the Köllertal cycle path, which runs beautifully to Völklingen on an old railway track. From here, it is especially important to pay attention to the signage that leads us on the best route through the city, unfortunately sometimes also along the main roads.

We reach the main entrance to the Völklinger Hütte World Heritage Site, the European Center for Art and Industrial Culture. The tour through the old ironworks is an adventure: numerous exciting, well-marked paths lead through the enormous raw iron production facilities. Down deep it goes into the dark corridors of the Möller hall, and high up is the climb to the viewing platform on the blast furnace.

We cross the Saar and meet the Saar cycle path, which we follow completely flat and very comfortably back to Saarbrücken. We have to be careful near the former Burbach hut because our path turns right here through the underpass under the motorway. Always follow the signs to Burbach, crossing the Saar again on an adventurous steel grid path at the railway bridge near the Saarbrücken exhibition grounds, and then cycling over the Saar terraces into Burbach. To finish, from the town’s edge, the path runs attractively along a combined walking and cycling path through the lower Burbach valley directly back to the forest pond, the starting point of this eventful bike ride.