Grafschaft (county) Bentheim

Cycling in the most bike-friendly county of Niedersachsen

You can hop on your bike in the north of the Grafschaft (county) Bentheim, the “Holland of Niedersachsen” and discover the land of the pioneers, who once cultivated the moor. The community of Uelsen is nestled in rambling heaths. In the south, the light hilly region stretches to the impressive Fort Bentheim. Situated on several hundred kilometres of cycling tours are lively towns like Nordhorn and Bad Bentheim, historic gems like Schüttorf and places to dream in like the village of Herrlichkeit Lage.

Furthermore, a detour to the neighbouring Netherlands is a wonderful experience. The 16 daily tours and the 220 km main route of the Grafschafter Fietsentour or the kunstwegen Vechte valley route lead through the entire Grafschaft (county) Bentheim and the neighbouring regions. Many a secret will be revealed on this route. For example, on the Bentheim sandstone route you can find out how sandstone has been obtained for centuries. On the kunstwegen route you will come across countless works of art. An excellent service is the “Fietsenbus,” which transports cyclists and their wheels from A to B every hour.

Art, nature and history: the kunstwegen Vechte valley route

What do the moon of Capri, a Westphalian artist’s village and a Dutch Hanseatic city have in common? They can all be found on the banks of the Vechte. Sounds exciting? An accompanying book with map will show you the way from the source to the river mouth in the Netherlands. A highlight in the Grafschaft (county) of Bentheim is the view from the 91 metre high church tower, the “Schüttorfer Riesen.” The water city of Nordhorn, which is enclosed by the Vechte like an island, is perfect for shopping.

From Nordhorn the route runs parallel to the border-crossing kunstwegen route, which is at the same time Europe’s biggest “open museum.” More than 60 artworks create a unique connection between nature, art and history. When you cross over the border to the Netherlands the embankment landscape of the Vechte begins to change, the houses and the landscape take on a different look. The former Hanseatic city of Zwolle is the destination: this is where the Vechte flows into the “Zwarte Water” and thus indirectly into Lake IJssel.

• http://www.kunstwegen.org

Contact:

Grafschaft Bentheim Tourismus e.V.
van-Delden-Str. 1-7
D-48529 Nordhorn

+49 (0) 5921 / 961196
+49 (0) 5921 / 961197

tourismus@grafschaft.de
http://www.grafschaft-bentheim-tourismus.de

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