Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis – it’s green here!

In the southern Ruhr region, there is a spot of land covered in forests and lakes with a high recreational value: Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis. Here you will find everything that you would have to look a lot harder for in the rest of the Ruhr region: forests and hills, historic old towns and plenty of water far from the Ruhr. Perfect for the occasional short break and still not too far from the big city experiences in Bochum, Dortmund or Essen.

Tranquillity and picture-postcard medieval towns

Here there are places with tranquil town centres and cheerful half-timbered buildings. Hansestadt Breckerfeld, a state-approved resort, has a picturesque centre akin to the medieval Hattingen. That’s why it’s not only the Hattingen Christmas market that attracts numerous visitors every year! With an historic centre of slate and timber buildings, Schwelm can also entertain.

Water and Höhlenland

Rated particularly highly among water sports enthusiasts:Harkort and Hengstey lake and the Kemnader reservoir or the Glörtal reservoir, situated not far from the towns Wetter, Herdecke and Hattingen, invite you to go canoeing, paddling or to take a ride on a comfortable passenger ferry. In Ennepetal, you will find the Klutert cave, which leads you into the earth along serpentine paths. Pure adventure for young and old!

Pure recreation, but with history

Wonderfully walkable, Elfringhauser Schweiz, is situated between Hattingen, Sprockhövel, Velbert and Wuppertal. Do you want to go farther? Then walk along the Jakobsweg trail which passes through various towns, including Gevelsberg. If you want to dive deeper into the history of the Ruhr mining industry, a stop in Witten is recommended. At the Theresia and Nachtigall mines, which are often described as the birthplace of the Ruhr’s mining industry, you will learn about mining history on a lug underground! The Henrichshütte Hattingen Industrial Museum is where you can learn about the coke, iron and steel production in the Ruhr valley.