Imgenbroich-Vennbahn-45A-Einruhr-Imgenbroich 122 km

Beautiful cycle trip through the (German and Belgian) Eifel. The first half is largely on paved cycling paths on former railway tracks (Vennbahn and Vennquerbahn and Kyll Radweg) and therefore easy and with little ascent. The way back is a bit more strenuous on roads through the Eifel, but apart from the last stretch in the Rur valley, not difficult. Contrary to the Belgian Ardennes, there are not much small paved roads in the German Eifel, so on the way back the roads are larger and in some areas quite busy.
The route starts in Imgenbroich, just off the Aachen-Monschau road. You directly cycle to the Vennbahn (see waypoint, and website www.vennbahn.eu), and follow this cycle path all the way (about 23 km) to Oberweywertz. You pass through beautiful scenery, the Hohes Venn and quiet countryside, as well as past Sourbrodt station (see waypoint), where you can still see old buildings, railway cars and other rail relics. In Oberweywerz, you turn left on the Vennquerbahn or Ravel 45A (see waypoint) cycle path to Losheimergraben (see http://ravel.wallonie.be/opencms/opencms/fr/parcours/sections/L45A/). Near Bütgenbach you pass over a railway viaduct and then past the Bütgenbach reservoir. Unfortunately, the smooth asphalt turns into rough gravel just past the reservoir, and I took a detour on my racing bike, staying close to the cycle track. You pass through Büllingen and Honsfeld to Buchholz. I continued on the road towards Losheimergraben, but could only connect to the cycle path at Losheim (no level junctions). Later I learned the stretch between Buchholz and Losheim is asphalted, but I missed the connection at Buchholz. At Losheim, I connected to the Kyll Radweg (see waypoint), on the former Jünkerath-Weywertz railway junction. This cycling path is brand new with wooden fences to avoid you falling off the track. You cycle down all the way to Jünkerath, passing by the reservoir Kronenburger See. In Jünkerath the cycle path ends. Here you go uphill towards Dahlem (see waypoint). From Dahlem you go to the airstrip Dahlemer Binz and on to Schmidtheim. Here you go up another hill on the K61 towards Oberschömbach where you have a beautiful view across the Eifel. You descend towards Manscheid and then through the Reifferscheider Bach valley on a busy road to the Olef valley at Blumenthal. Here you find a cycle route which takes you all the way to Schleiden, along a still intact rail track and the Olef river. In busy Schleiden you take a winding road up to Herhahn (see waypoint). On former army training ground Vogelsang you follow a concrete road to the entrance of the former Nazi Ordensburg Vogelsang. Here you take the busy B266 road down to Einruhr (see waypoint) on the Rursee, where you can eat or drink something close to the lake. You continue on the B266 on a smooth climb before you get to the turn-off for the Rur valley on a smaller road. About 3 km past Hammel the road steeply climbs back to Imgenbroich, the starting point.
The entire route is suited for the racing bike. On a tourbike you do not need to avoid the gravel on the Vennquerbahn and you can follow the former railway track all the way to Losheim. Some of the roads in the Eifel can be busy with cars and motor bikes, especially the B266. You can eat and drink something in several places on the Vennbahn and Vennquerbahn, as well as in Dahlem, Schleiden, Einruhr and Imgenbroich (among others). Route Imgenbroich-Bôsfagne/Sourbrodt-Weywertz-Oberweywertz-Bütgenbach-Büllingen-Honsfeld-Buchholz-Losheimergraben-Losheim-Kronenburg-Stadtkyll-Jünkerath-Dahlem-Schmidtheim-Oberschömbach-Winten-Manscheid-Wiesen-Reifferscheid-Blumenthal-Oberhausen-Schleiden-Herhahn-Einruhr-Dedenborn-Hammer-Imgenbroich.