Mützenich-Manderfeld and back along the B-D border 130 km

This bike trip takes you along the Belgian-German border between Mützenich and Manderfeld and back. Highlights are the endless woods, the Oleftal reservoir, the Our valley, the quiet countryside with excellent views, and the stretch of Vennbahn cycling path. The outward journey takes you mainly through Germany, and the return journey mainly through Belgium. In principle, the trip takes you on roads as close as possible to the border, but once and a while the border is crossed or more interesting roads are chosen. This trip is suited for the racing bike, although the forest roads around the Oleftal are partly on bad asphalt and include 300 m of semi-paved road. On the German side of the border you ride long stretches (30 km in total) on the B258 and the B265, which can be quite busy Bundesstrassen. It is therefore best to ride this stretch early to avoid most traffic, and enjoy the scenery more. The trip includes the easternmost point of Belgium. Near the Oleftal (still early in the morning) I saw wild pigs, roe deer, and what seemed to be a wild cat, so keep your eyes out for wildlife… In Mützenich the route connects to another cycling route along the Belgian/German border to the B-D-NL tripoint: https://nl.wikiloc.com/routes-fietsen/tripoint-nl-b-d-to-mutzenich-and-back-along-the-b-d-border-119-km-25574321.
The trip starts near the church in Mützenich, where there is some parking along the road. You ride a bit towards Eupen and then follow quiet roads down to Reichenstein abbey and the Rur river. You ascend to Kalterherberg and descend again to the Perlenbach valley. After again a climb you arrive to the B258 Bundesstrasse, which you follow south with nice views and through woods until you get to a turn-off for a minor forest road taking you down to the Oleftal reservoir. This forest road has some stretches of bad quality asphalt, and even 300 m semi-paved, but I would advise against avoiding this road, as I encountered wild pigs, roe deer, and what seemed to be a wild cat on this stretch, as well as tranquility and great views across the reservoir. At the reservoir the road follows the shoreline until the dam, and then descends to Hellenthal. In Hellenthal you follow the B265 which climbs to Hollerath (you see the white church from far). Here you leave the main road to descend to Oberpreth hamlet. You climb on an even smaller road to Ramscheid and shortly after join the B265 again. You follow the B265 for 18 km, clinging closely to the border (occasionally you see border stones). The road passes by Weißer Stein (highest point of the route close to 700 m), Losheimergraben, Losheim and the easternmost point of Belgium near Krewinkel. Just before you turn off towards Auw bei Prüm, your cross the North Rhein Westfalen-Rheinland Pfalz Bundesland border. Riding towards Auw bei Prüm you have great views of Schneifel, the Our valley and the quiet countryside far around. From Auw bei Prüm you descend to Verschneid in the Our valley, and then climb to Manderfeld in Belgium. From here you descend to the Our again and climb to Weckerath. Via Krewinkel and Afst you ride to the Our again. The route then mainly goes up, but occasionally also down to Hüllscheid, Merlscheid, to Lanzerath and the woods in which the Our source can be found. You cross on a viaduct across the Vennquerbahn, and ride on to Losheimergraben, and then Mürringen. Down and up you go to Krinkelt/Rocherath, and then ride around this village in a landscape with beech hedges. To the north of Rocherath you get close to the military training area in Elsenborn. Your ride to Elsenborn via Wirtzfeld, and then along the Lager (camp) to Sourbrodt. Here you enter the Vennbahn, a beautiful cycling path on a former railway between Troisvierges and Aachen. You follow this cycling path through the moors and woods and close to the Rur down to Kalterherberg, and then up to Monschau station. From here, it is only a short stretch back to the starting point in Mützenich.
You can find something to eat and drink in Mützenich, Hollerath, Losheimergraben, Losheim, Manderfeld, Elsenborn, and along the Vennbahn in Sourbrodt, Kalterherberg and Monschau.