The Kaiser route leads from Aachen about the Ruhr area to Paderborn and follows in the footsteps of Emperor Charlemagne. It runs past many castles.
Route profile
- Length: ~ 490 km
- Signposting: Hexagonal shield (on top a crown, below the lettering Kaiser-Route and Aachen - Paderborn as well as a bicycle) (Will not be renewed and possibly dismantled)
- Slopes: Partly very steep (e.g. in Arnsberg Forest Nature Park)
- Path condition: differently
- Traffic load: Partly not on a separate carriageway
- Suitable bike:
- Family suitability: e.g. in the Ruhr and Almetal, as well as in the Rhine plain
- Inline suitability: partly, for example on the Ruhr
background
The Kaiser route roughly follows the route that the Frankish army is said to have taken in 775 on their campaign to Saxony. The Frankish King Karl, who was crowned emperor by the Pope in Rome in 800, resided in Aachen at that time. The historic route opened in 1994 is no longer supported. But since it runs along the paths of the NRW cycle route network, it will still be possible to follow it.
preparation
getting there
Public transportation
By bicycle
In the street
Route description with sights
Aachen - Erftstadt: km
Erftstadt - Dormagen: km
Dormagen - Essen: km
Partly together with the panorama bike path Niederbergbahn. The section on the old railway line is not one of them, but in Düssel it forms a connection to the Ruhr Valley Cycle Path and thus an alternative.
Essen - Hengsteysee: 70 km
From Essen to Hagen, she mostly follows that RuhrTalRadweg
Hengsteysee - Möhnesee: 70 km
Until shortly after Unna-Geiseke, the route follows the Ruhr cycle path. Then she turns north over a railroad crossing and makes a detour over Ardey to get in Fröndenberg to reunite with the Ruhr cycle path. The two routes finally separate in Wickede. The Kaiserroute turns east-north-east, while the Ruhrtal-Radweg turns south-east. It now goes through forests and fields over the Haarstrang in the direction of the Arnsberg Forest Nature Park. The signposting is canceled at some point and until the next signage comes, the route symbols of the WestfalenWanderWeg of the Sauerland Mountain Association should be followed. The 
is crossed over a high bridge that gives a final glimpse of the Ruhr valley offers. Shortly afterwards you get a panorama over the Westphalian Bay. Now you can confidently follow the signs for the R8 cycle path. Occasionally the familiar symbol appears.
The next village is Bremennot to be confused with the metropolis at the end of the Weser! Shortly before this, the route is confusing. Comes to Bremen Oberense and then Unterense, where the Kaiser route joins the Möhnetal cycle path. Here it goes first over a small gravel path behind the Lidl until the road to the dam is reached. In addition to the left lane, there is a divided pedestrian / bike path that can be used in both directions. Along the Möhnesees the route runs on a separate bike path / sidewalk along the road.
You can relax and otherwise be active at the dam. For example, a trip on the excursion boat that has a small dinghy that takes a more detailed tour or in the rentable pedal boats. You can also find out about the eventful history of the lake, which originally served to protect drinking water, regulate the water level in the Ruhr and generate electricity.
Möhnesee - Paderborn: 81 km
The route runs from the Möhnesee to behind Rüthen on a railway cycle path (still parallel to the Möhnetal cycle path). Information boards along the route point out the region's industrial past. Shortly after Ruethen turn off Kaiserroute and R 8 from the former railway line and leave the R 47 and Möhnetal cycle path behind. The highest point of the route is approaching and in front of it comes a very steep stretch. As a reward, you can enter the mountain afterwards old Roman camp after it continues over the ridge and then again - briefly very steeply - downhill after Siddinghausen goes.
At the bottom of the valley you should take a good swing, because a short section of the route has to be cycled up on the other side. Now follow Sidagstraße to the next but one signpost and do not turn left to the church, unless you want to attend a prayer. The route is a bit confusing here. You have now arrived in the Almetal and are in the Catchment area of the lip, while before that one was still in the Ruhr area. There are a lot of bike paths here, such as the Auenroute, a circular route that also follows the Almeroute for a while, like us. Also important: the Paderborn Land Route - also a circular route.
So you now follow the Almeroute to Paderborn. First comes to Siddinghausen Wines and then the slightly bigger one Charges. Then it goes next to the former Almetalbahn, which was already visible before - for example through bridges and former train stations. Unfortunately, the level route is not passable, so we have to come to terms with the slightly more hilly bike path. In Brenken we leave the old rails again to go to the valley bridge on the other side of the river 
to paddle.
- Ahden
- Wewelsburg - village with the triangular castle of the same name, which Heinrich Himmler wanted to transform into the mythical center of the Third Reich
- Niederntudorf
- Alfen
- Gallihöhe
- Borchen
- Wewer
- Paderborn - end of the route at the cathedral
Other places to stay
security
trips
- On the Alme bike path to Brilon (Paderborn - Siddinghausen route splitting with Kaiser route)
- About the LandesGartenSchau route via Rheda Wiedenbrück and Hamm to Lünen
- About the BahnRadRoute Teuto - Senne direction Osnabrück (follow the red arrow)
- About the BahnRadRoute Weser - Lippe direction Bremen
