Itinerary

Münsterland round tour for connoisseurs

Rivers, castles and sandstone architecture

8 days / 7 nights |  Self-guided cycling tours

The route through the green park landscape of the Münsterland takes you along natural cycle paths lined with rampart hedges and gnarled pollarded willows. Alongside smaller Westphalian manor houses and old country estates, you will discover the most famous castles of the Münsterland on this tour: Nordkirchen Castle, Vischering Castle and Hülshoff Castle. On this cycle and hotel tour you will stay in a hotel for two nights each. Every two days you have time for a day‘s round trip or a rest day with sightseeing or just a short bike ride. Some of the most beautiful buildings made of the typical sandstone of the region are on the route.

Highlights of this bike trip

✔ Historic Old Town and Prinzipalmarkt in Münster

✔ Nordkirchen Castle, Westphalian Versailles

✔ 3-castle town of Lüdinghausen

✔ Longinus Tower in the Baumberge

✔ Hülshoff Castle, birthplace of Annette von Droste Hülshoff

✔ Pilgrimage town of Telgte on the Ems

✔ On the way on the 100 Castles Route


Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Münster

Overnight stay in Münster
Arrival in the cycling city of Münster and time to explore the old town for the first time.

Day 2: Circular route Münster – to the pilgrimage town of Telgte on the Ems (46 km/29 miles)
Boniburg Forest – Emsauen – Haus Langen – pilgrimage town Telgte – Pleistermühle

Overnight stay in Münster
Along the Dortmund-Ems Canal, the route leads through the Boniburgerwald forest to the Werse and the Emsauen nature reserve. If you want to enjoy the view over the green countryside, you can climb one of the lookout towers. Shortly after the Haus Langen watermill, you cross the Ems and cycle into the pilgrimage town of Telgte with small craftsmen‘s houses, a pretty market square and the baroque pilgrimage chapel. Time for an extended break and a stroll through the town with its small cafés, shops, restaurants and pubs. Take a look at „Paul“ bathing comfortably in the Ems from the Ems bridge or picnic in the park with a view of the mill, fish ladder and Clemens Church. The way back to Münster leads in a curve through the Emsauenpark and the Delsener Heide to the farming community of Kasewinkel. It is worth stopping at the historic Pleistermühle country inn with its beer garden before returning to the city of Münster along the wooded banks of the Werse. The way back can also be shortened by approx. 5 km. 

Day 3: Münster – Lüdinghausen: River, forest and castles (37–51 km/22–32 miles )
Werseradweg, Rinkerode, Davert forest, Ottmarsbocholt, castles in Lüdinghausen

Overnight stay in Lüdinghausen
Today you discover the green park landscape of the Münsterland: Via the Werseradweg you cycle along the romantic river bank to Albersloh. Shortly afterwards you branch off and cycle to Rinkerode, where you can marvel at the first Gräften houses. Through the rustic forest area of the Davert you reach the village of Ottmarsbocholt. Through fields, woods and pastures you cycle to Lüdinghausen, the 3-castle town. The picturesque Vischering Castle, not the largest but for many the most charming castle in the Münsterland, lies in the middle of a moat surrounded by old trees. End the day with a walk along the banks of the Stever or into the town centre of Lüdinghausen.

Day 4: Lüdinghausen circuit to the Westphalian Versailles: Nordkirchen Castle (28–54 km/17–34 miles)

Overnight stay in Lüdinghausen
With Nordkirchen Castle, one of the largest and most impressive castle complexes in the Münsterland is on the programme today. The day‘s tour takes you past Vischering Castle and along cycle paths through woods and meadows to Nordkirchen, directly into the extensive baroque castle gardens. Both the castle and the park have been declared worthy of protection by UNESCO as a „total work of art of international standing“. The palace park with its old avenues, water areas and flower borders invites you to take an extended walk. Treat yourself to a break in the castle café before heading back to Lüdinghausen or, with a loop of 30 kilometres, visit Westerwinkel Castle and cycle back via Südkirchen. 

Day 5: Münsterland facets: Wild horses, blue print and sandstone Lüdinghausen – Dülmen – Wildpark – Nottuln – Billerbeck
(46 km/29 miles)

Overnight stay in Billerbeck
Today you leave Lüdinghausen and cycle to Dülmen, famous for the wild horse sanctuary in the Merfelder Bruch. On Saturdays and Sundays, the wild horse track, located a little to the west of Dülmen, is open. But the wildlife park near the town is also a recommendation: an extensive landscape park based on the English model, where moorland sheep, fallow deer and red deer live freely. Continue north and you will soon pass Karthaus with its monastery tavern and former monastery church. The route continues through the fields to Nottuln along well-maintained paths. Nottuln shows its historic side at Stiftsplatz and the surrounding little houses. Discover traditional handicrafts in the blue printing works: linen and cotton are printed with wooden models and indigo dye. The last few kilometres lead through slightly hilly terrain and offer beautiful views of the Baumberge Soon the Billerbeck Cathedral appears on the horizon. At the picturesque Johanniskirchplatz you will find historic storehouses, inviting cafés and restaurants. Billerbeck is rich in sandstone architecture, typical of the Münsterland region.

Day 6: Billerbeck circuit on the Castles Route (45–50 km/28–31 miles)
Berkelauen – Münsterland Cycle Route – Darfeld Castle – Varlar Castle – Coesfeld – Gerleve Monastery

Overnight stay in Billerbeck
Today is all about castles and palaces. First you see the constantly bubbling source of the Berkel and follow the Berkel through
the meadows to Kolvenburg Castle. With a touch of railway romance, you then cycle along the first-class Münsterland cycle route to Darfeld Castle, an impressive castle complex made of sandstone and brick, surrounded by a park with old trees. Via the 100 castles route, you reach Varlar Castle, another example of a Westphalian noble seat. Continue on to Coesfeld. Here you can eat at the market in the town centre, visit the doll and toy museum or stroll through the castle park. The 100 castles route takes you out of Coesfeld and to Gerleve Abbey.

Day 7: Münsterland with a view: Longinusturm – Havixbeck – Hülshoff Castle – Münster Castle –Billerbeck – Münster
(36 km/22 miles)

Overnight stay in Münster
Today you have plenty of time to experience all the facets of Münsterland once again. From the Longinus Tower, built of typical Baumberg sandstone, you have a magnificent view over the Münsterland. The first stretch takes you on pättkes around the Baumberge to Havixbeck. Interested visitors can learn all about the stonemasons‘ craft in the Baumberg Sandstone Museum. You can see the quarry, sandstone path, sculptures and stonemasonry.
A few kilometres further on is the imposing Hülshoff Castle in the middle of a beautiful park, birthplace of the poet Annette von Droste-Hülshoff. The castle can be visited from the inside and in the castle courtyard good spirits will look after your culinary well-being. Haus Vögeding and Haus Rüschhaus are two other manor houses worth seeing on the route. At the end of the tour, another highlight awaits you in the form of Münster Castle. Built by J. C. Schlaun, it has housed the Westphalian Wilhelms University since 1954. Behind the castle are the Botanical Garden and the Schlossgarten Café.

Day 8: End of the tour after breakfast

Please note: All cycling distances stated above are approximate only.