Spoil tips - the mountains of the Ruhr Valley

They incisively shape the otherwise rather flat landscape of the Ruhr Valley. They have a long history and many feet have already stepped on them and many bikes have been ridden over them. They give you a wonderful panoramic view across the cities of the Ruhr Valley and its landmarks. Many of them have not only been made greener and restored to their original natural state, but also been adorned with a landmark or work of art. They are simply a part of the Ruhr Valley: Our “mountains”, the spoil tips. As "panoramic views", they are part of the Industrial Heritage Trail.

What are spoil tips?

Over 250 of them tell the history of mining and industrialisation in the Ruhr Valley. The artificially created “new mountains” of up to 140 metres in height, which resulted from the accumulation of spoil, cinders and rubble - or mining “waste materials” - have permanently changed the region. Many spoil tips were reshaped and restored to their original natural state. This made them fit for future use and created space for new applications and perspectives. 

today and tomorrow

You can explore many of the spoil tips in the Ruhr Valley on long hiking trails on foot, while jogging or Nordic walking. Even cyclists have long been conquering the spoil tips - the cycle routes on and around the spoil tips are included in the radrevier.ruhr . There are well-established routes and trails for mountain bikers. If you like to do something different, then you can explore some spoil tips on Segway tours or use them as a starting point for paragliding. Particular highlights include the artist-designed installations, parts of which can be walked on, that manifest as landmarks that can be seen from afar, giving the spoil tips a unique profile. By now they have become emblems of the new Ruhr Valley, while educational mining trails give you an insight into the former local mining industry.