Hückelhoven: Cycling, Nature and Mining History

Hückelhoven lies in the Rur lowlands. Cycling, observing nature and exploring mining history offer different ways to shape a stay: sometimes a ride on two wheels takes centre stage, sometimes a walk with a view or a glimpse into industrial history. When looking for accommodation, consider which of these experiences you want to shape your daily itinerary.

Cycle paths for short outings and longer tours

Hückelhoven has a well-developed network of cycle paths for both short outings and longer tours. The flat stretches along the Rur are considered family-friendly cycling terrain. Cyclists can use the numbered junction system to plan their tours and incorporate routes such as the NiederRhein Route or the RurUfer Cycle Route. This makes it easier to decide whether a shorter loop or a longer tour suits your planned stay.

Halde and lake: two reasons to spend time outdoors

Millicher Halde is a recreational area in Hückelhoven, with views across the town, surrounding settlements and the wider landscape. You can reach the Himmelstreppe viewing platform via a walking trail of about 1.7 kilometres from the entrance on Gronewaldstraße. This makes it easy to plan the viewpoint as a specific walking destination. A guided hike, “Die Schöne,” on Millicher Halde is offered for groups of six or more. Adolfosee is a popular spot for walks and observing nature. At the Halde, the focus is on the viewpoint and the trail destination; at Adolfosee, it is on walks and observing nature.

Experience mining history

Schacht 3 is an industrial monument and a landmark of Hückelhoven’s mining era. In the wider destination of Heinsberg, visitors can go underground at Schacht 3 to learn how hard coal was mined at the former “Sophia-Jacoba” colliery until 1997. You can visit the Barbarastollen as part of a guided tour; groups of ten or more can also join a tour by prior arrangement. The Mineralien- und Bergbaumuseum offers guided tours and microscopy evenings for children, young people and adults by prior registration. The Mineralien- und Bergbaufreunde association is dedicated to minerals and fossils. Mining history thus encompasses everything from the history of extraction to minerals and fossils.

Architectural heritage and the history of the settlement

Hückelhoven’s Protestant parish church also brings together different periods: it is a Neo-Gothic brick hall church dating from 1890/91. Its protected organ case dates from the first half of the 18th century, making it considerably older than the church building. The Auf dem Hansberg settlement also tells the story of the mining industry. The former Sophia-Jacoba colliery began building this miners’ settlement around 1920. The church and the settlement thus offer two different ways to explore the town’s history.

More landscapes and culture in the wider destination of Heinsberg

The wider destination of Heinsberg includes woodland and heathland in the Schwalm-Nette Nature Park, which has certified premium hiking and walking trails. Teverener Heide is a 450-hectare nature reserve spanning areas of the municipality of Gangelt and the towns of Geilenkirchen and Übach-Palenberg. Four circular hiking trails are 5.8, 6, 7.1 and 9.4 kilometres long; their starting points are at designated car parks in Scherpenseel, Grotenrath and Hohenbusch. In the Meinweg area, woodland, heathland and moorland connect the districts of Heinsberg and Viersen in North Rhine-Westphalia with the Dutch province of Limburg. The National Park region offers circular hiking trails there at various levels of difficulty, ranging from 5 to 13 kilometres. Options include mill walks, a smuggler route and town walks focused on cultural history, food or nature. BEGAS HAUS in the town of Heinsberg adds a cultural highlight: visitors can discover four generations of the Begas family of artists. The collection is displayed in a historic ensemble of buildings dating from the 16th to 18th centuries.

Discover more destinations: Waldfeucht, Holzweiler, Gangelt, Erkelenz, Bocket, Tüddern, Heinsberg, Wassenberg

Go to the overview of the wider destination: Heinsberg.