RevierWater – experience rivers and lakes

The Ruhr and the Emscher play a particularly important role in the
development of the region. In addition, there are several man-made reservoirs
and also play an important role in the water management of the Ruhr area. This RevierRoute accompanies these important river courses and leads over a length of 62 kilometers to the important water management locations in the region.
The starting location
The route tour begins at Dortmund Central Station, which is well connected to the long-distance and regional rail network. If you are arriving by car, there are several paid parking spaces in the area. Alternatively, the Phoenix West site would also be suitable for parking.
start of the tour
From the main train station, the tour initially leads along city streets to the Emscher. Of course, there are a wealth of sights in the center of Dortmund. Whether it's the German Football Museum or the Dortmunder U, there's a lot to see here. From junction 49, the tour runs along the Emscher Weg, which is also signposted separately from the junction signage.
Like a Phoenix from the Ashes
The site of the former Phoenix steelworks has been given two new, completely different uses. In Phoenix West, the Skywalk entices visitors to take a tour up to the blast furnace. The Phoenix East site is now home to Phoenix Lake, a leisure paradise for cyclists and pedestrians, as well as water sports enthusiasts (with boat rentals).
The Emscher way
 The tour continues along the Emscher Weg. The stream becomes increasingly narrow and is often hidden under a dense canopy of leaves. In Holzwickede you then reach the Emscherquellhof, a beautiful half-timbered house with a pond.
 The tour then continues over the Haarstrang to Opherdicke with the beautiful Opherdicke moated castle. After a steep descent you reach the Ruhr Valley Cycle Path. 
The Ruhr Valley Cycle Path
The route is now signposted via the Ruhr Valley Cycle Path. The route leads through the Ruhr Valley to Schwerte. Here it is worth visiting the Rohrmeisterei, a formerly important pumping station for the drinking water supply, and the nearby mustard mill. Further downstream, cyclists reach the Ruhr reservoirs Hengsteysee and Harkortsee, which were important for the cleanliness of the river water. The Koepchenwerk on Hengsteysee was one of the first large pumped storage power plants in Germany and went into operation in 1930. For lovers of historical castles, a detour to Werdringen moated castle in Hagen is recommended.
Back to the starting point
At junction 10, the route turns off from the Ruhr Valley Cycle Path and heads for the nearby Wetter train station. From here, you can take public transport back to the starting point at Dortmund Central Station.