Übach Palenberg - Aachen along the Wurm valley 28 km

Hike through the beautiful Worm (Dutch)/Wurm (German) valley from Übach-Palenberg station to Aachen. To get back you take the train from the Hauptbahnhof, a convenient connection about twice an hour, for about 6 € one-way. This hike takes you along a meandering Wurm river, through forests, to the largest abbey in the Netherlands, three castles, water mills, viewpoints, and into the center of Aachen with its world heritage Aachener Dom, Elisenbrunnen and Rathaus.
I started out early from the parking lot at the Übach-Palenberg station, and followed the Wurm towards castle/schloss Rimburg. On this stretch the stream is channelized. Halfway Rimburg you pass a border stone as the river becomes the border between Germany and the Netherlands. At the bridge in Rimburg you find some brass turtles and a monument against hate. The castle is privately owned and not accessible, so you only get a glimpse through the gate. You continue towards and into the woods on the east side of the valley. A bit further you follow a cycling route towards a cycling bridge across the river for about 2.3 km. The last km you follow the free-flowing river closely, and you will notice trees gnawed at by beavers. You cross the bridge into the Netherlands, and follow a muddy track on the river grazed by Galloway cows. This is a beautiful stretch of nature squeezed between Kerkrade and the German railway, with river bends, beaver tracks, and river birds (I saw a kingfisher and a gray wagtail – grote gele kwikstaart). At the end you cross a railway and a road and climb the hill on the west side (Beerenbosch). At the top of the hill you have a nice view across Herzogenrath, and you walk towards abbey Rolduc. You walk through the courtyard and then through the park at the east side with several ponds. You then walk back down to Herzogenrath and towards castle Burg Rode. You climb the little hill for a good look and then continue out of town towards the Wurm river. Between Herzogenrath and Aachen the Wurm river valley is beautiful and railways and villages are on top of the hills and not in the valley. You follow tracks through the valley and the woods and onto the slopes on the east side to get to Burg Wilhelmstein. There is a restaurant here and a view, and you the continue towards Alte Mühle, and then on to Pumpemühle. Near the riding school at Teutenhof you will see some chalkstone cliffs on the east side. From Teutenhof you follow the river on the west side on the edge of wood and meadow. Near Wolfsfurth you leave the valley and climb to the Buschweg, where you have views of Aachen, the waste water treatment with the curious egg-shaped buildings, and the Lousberg in the distance. You pass under the A4 highway and continue towards Soers. Here you follow a path next to the Wildbach to the Strüverweg. You follow this road towards the Kloster St. Raphael, walk around it and climb the Lousberg to the top. Here you will find the Drehturm Lousberg, a former water tower now converted to a panoramic restaurant with a circulating floor. You can have a coffee or a beer here with a nice cake (depending on the time), and get a good view of Aachen. You continue towards a viewpoint on the east side of the Lousberg with an obelisk. From there you descend via stairs towards the city center of Aachen. You pass by the Rathaus on the market square, the Katschhof between Rathaus and Aachener Dom, the Aachener Dom at the Münsterplatz and the Elisenbrunnen. There was a Christmas market on the day I did this hike, and after a glühwein on the Münsterplatz I walked to the main station (Hauptbahnhof). The Rathaus and Dom are well worth visiting, if you have not done so before. From the Hauptbahnhof you take a Regionalbahn train back to the starting point.
You will find something to eat and drink at Burg Wilhelmstein, Lousberg and the center of Aachen. In Kerkrade and Herzogenrath you will be able to find something as well, but not directly on the route.