Willingen – Germany’s Mountain Bike Mecca
In the Willingen bike world, you can experience the entire spectrum of the sport of mountain biking – regardless whether it is a gentle tour of leisure, a challenging technical tour or an interesting family tour.
With its numerous signposted stretches, Willingen offers a wide variety for every taste. The portion of exciting and diverse single trails is extensive in Willingen, which always makes countless bikers catch their breath. In our bike station we furthermore offer guided tours as well as GPS tours.
Mountainous Trails with Breathtaking Views
What makes our area exceptional is the high number of trails with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains.
Eight mountains in the surrounds of Willingen rise up to over 800 metres and demand a great deal of strength, even of well-trained bikers. Located only 3 km away, Langenberg (843 m) is the highest mountain in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Up there, from either Burbecker Platz or Richtplatz, you have a terrific vista over the entire Sauerland. One should absolutely have one’s camera on hand in other spots! The Clemens-Kreuz Summit Cross on the Hochheide (High-altitude Heath), the High Eimberg Mountain, the Bruchhauser Stones, the fascinating Orenberg Mountain and the Eisenberg Mountain at the Diemelsee Lake – just as with many other mountains – amazing lookout points. Fun-filled downhill trails help you to forget the inclines quickly.
A beautiful destination of the day could be any one of the numerous huts in the vicinity, which serve food and drinks.
For example, there are the: Hochheide (High-altitude Heath) Hut, the Ettelsberg Hut, the Graf-Stolberg Hut, the Schweden Hut, the Vis-à-vis Hut and the fantastic Hebammen Hut. We would be more than happy to inform you of the exact locations as well as how to get there!
GPS Tours: Individual Tour Pleasure
You tell us, what kind of tour you would like to bike – duration, altitude, a guesthouse to stop in or a children’s playground along the way – …
— and we will gladly compile the entire route for you. Per GPS and with a small navigation device (which you can rent from us) you can then comfortably embark on your tour.
Of course, we have also put together our personal favourite tours, ranging from relaxed family tours to the more natural type trail tours.
In this way, the technology freaks or the trans-Alps bikers also really get their money’s worth. Because with us you’ll find plenty high altitudes, long distances and tricky single trails for your enjoyment.
Bike Park – Willingen: Bike Pleasure for Everyone!
For beginners and advanced bikers
As the festival organisers, we know how to get things done. In collaboration with trail builders, we’ve created exciting and wide-ranging stretches for all downhill bikers. In this way, the better bikers can test their limits on the World Cup Downhill Trail.
This stretch offers demanding trail passages, small and large drops and berms (banked corners) that a true downhiller simply must have biked at least once. For beginners there are more subdued alternative passages which nonetheless still convey the feeling of an authentic downhill stretch.
The World Cup 4-Cross Stretch, renowned for its thrilling duels over the curves between the best four-crossers, is a true experience for both freeriders and technically skilled tour bikers.
In the bike course behind the ice-skating hall one can practise all versions of trail biking wonderfully – berm (banked corners) riding, sitting position and braking. Here both beginners and better bikers can fine-hone their biking skills.
This is also made possible by the unique, 2 km long freeride stretch. For accomplished tour riders, it is a real joy to bike. Exciting variations, such as the north-shore elements, make it a real challenge for every freerider.
Quick and easy uphill: with the new Etterlsberg gondola lift.
The Ettelsberg gondola lift comfortably and rapidly transports you to all stretches (World Cup Downhill, Four-Cross and Freeride).
Opened only in December 2008, it is one of the most modern cable railways in Germany. In the cable cars, there is enough room for two bikers with two bikes each. Around 50 cable cars transport up to 2.400 persons in the hour. Consequently, waiting times are reduced to an absolute minimum.
At the valley station, you will furthermore find a bike rental company with a repairs service. The Ettelsberg gondola lift runs in both the summer and winter. A single ascent costs 5 Euros. Cheaper tickets can be procured by means of season- or group-tickets.
New trail ground offers great biking enjoyment for everybody
Three single-trail rounds, between 7 and 17 km distance, begin almost directly at the Countryside Inn Gruß, which one can reach by a direct path in 25 bike-minutes.
The stretches offer fun for everyone and, paired with it, a scenic experience with fantastic view over the Sauerland and the Brilon Plateau. The trails on the Hängeberg, Bilstein and Plattenberg mountains are suited not only for experts – here riding pleasure takes precedence over technical challenges.
Moderate ascents and flowing slopes are the distinguishing features, while steep uphill and downhill passages don’t exist here. In many sections the riding pleasure is increased by waves, berms (banked corners) and small kickers – the difficulty in the Brilon trail ground grows with the speed.
Tip from Michael Behle: When doing a day trip beginning in Willingen, climb via the Richtplatz up onto the Rothaarsteig (“Red Hair Climb”). On the technically challenging Rothaarsteig bike to the marvellous Hebammen (“Midwife”) Hut. There you can take some refreshment in order to get onto the trail ground 10 bike-minutes later. Afterwards, you head back to Willingen via Brilon Forest.
Tip from Michael Behle: When doing a day trip beginning in Willingen, climb via the Richtplatz up onto the Rothaarsteig (“Red Hair Climb”). On the technically challenging Rothaarsteig bike to the marvellous Hebammen (“Midwife”) Hut. There you can take some refreshment in order to get onto the trail ground 10 bike-minutes later. Afterwards, you head back to Willingen via Brilon Wald.
