--- title: "Königsschleife - Rennradtour im LK Rotenburg" url: "https://www.niedersachsen-tourism.com/tour/koenigsschleife-rennradtour-im-lk-rotenburg" description: "The 204-km-long Königsschleife runs through the entire district of Rotenburg (Wümme), Lower Saxony’s fourth-largest district in terms of area. The tour is a true challenge for ambitious cyclists, combining many gently rolling geest landscapes with expansive river valleys, raised bogs, and tranquil forests. Largely on quiet side roads, the route passes through dozens of villages and small towns—such as Sottrum, Gnarrenburg, Bremervörde, Zeven, and Rotenburg (Wümme)—amidst varied landscapes. Once completed, this impressive athletic achievement brings a sense of happiness and complete satisfaction that deserves the highest recognition!" language: "en" type: "SportsActivityLocation" image: "https://dam.destination.one/2849627/c8ed69dd0a3e3bb119107e06d278137b4debe22e4b3c8cf3c24645872742c961/inmitten-der-dorfidylle.jpg" breadcrumb: "Root > Home > Special > Destination.Data Details > Tour" --- GPX Share Königsschleife - Rennradtour im LK Rotenburg ============================================ - 204.00 km long - Round trip - Difficulty: very difficult - Condition: very difficult - Asphalt - Racing bike - Bicycle Inmitten der Dorfidylle - 9:30 h - 204.00 km - 510 m - 510 m - 2 m - 58 m - 56 m - - Start: Rotenburg (Wümme) railroad station, Am Bahnhof 8, 27356 Rotenburg - Destination: Rotenburg (Wümme) railroad station, Am Bahnhof 8, 27356 Rotenburg A ride on back roads through the entire Rotenburg (Wümme) district—the ultimate stage for cycling enthusiasts ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The **204-km-long Königsschleife** runs through the entire district of Rotenburg (Wümme), Lower Saxony’s fourth-largest district in terms of area. The tour is a true challenge for ambitious cyclists, combining many gently rolling geest landscapes with expansive river valleys, raised bogs, and tranquil forests. Largely on quiet side roads, the route passes through dozens of villages and small towns—such as Sottrum, Gnarrenburg, Bremervörde, Zeven, and Rotenburg (Wümme)—amidst varied landscapes. Once completed, this impressive athletic achievement brings a sense of happiness and complete satisfaction that deserves the highest recognition! Read more Good to know ------------ Pavements Asphalt (100%) Best to visit suitable Depends on weather - Jan - Feb - Mar - Apr - May - Jun - Jul - Aug - Sep - Oct - Nov - Dec Directions **Route Overview:** Rotenburg (Wümme) – **19 km** – Wittorf – **13 km** – Kirchwalsede – **7 km** – Unterstedt – **16 km** – Sottrum **10 km** – Horstedt – **12 km** – Kirchtimke – **9 km** – Breddorf – **11 km** – Ostersode – **11 km** – Gnarrenburg – **13 km** – Oerel – **10 km** – Bremervörde – **14 km** – Farven – **12 km** – Haaßel – **12 km** – Zeven – **19 km** – Sothel – **18 km** – Rotenburg (Wümme) **Detailed route description:** The 204-km-long “Königsschleife” is the ultimate cycling route and winds through the entire district of Rotenburg (Wümme), passing numerous villages, varied landscapes, and historic sites. The tour starts at of Rotenburg (Wümme) and takes us through the city center to , a bike expressway built in 2024. We’ll now ride 14 km—partly on excellent asphalt—along a former railroad right-of-way, past old train stations in Brockel and Bretel, and away from any settlements into the southernmost section of this tour to Wittorf. We cycle along quiet side roads and through the oak-lined villages of Lüdingen and Riekenbostel to Kirchwalsede, home to the late-Romanesque St. Bartholomäus Church, built in the 12th century. The route continues through Westerwalsede and Unterstedt, across the small Wümme River, and through the “Gold Villages” of Waffensen and Hassendorf—which received awards in the “Our Village Has a Future” competition—on to Sottrum. Here, the and the of the joint municipality of the same name forms the centerpiece of the townscape. From Sottrum, we travel via Reeßum, the A1 highway, and Taaken to Stapel. Next come the herb village of Horstedt and Nartum, whose most famous resident is the writer . We follow the Königsschleife through Steinfeld and the Schierk Forest to Kirchtimke, where, just before the turn left toward Hepstedt. We reach Breddorf via the Ummel Forest. On the roads of the Breddorf Moor, we reach Heudorf in the neighboring district of Osterholz. We follow the bike path next to the L165 for just under a kilometer and leave it in Ostersode. The tour leads along undulating but easily navigable moor roads to and thus back in the Wümme District. In the inn located across the street, the peat boatmen used to have to pay their customs duties. We follow the Oste-Hamme Canal to Gnarrenburg, which marks the halfway point of our tour. Gnarrenburg once became world-famous due to the invention of the . Today, with its many places to stop for refreshments, it’s a great spot to take a break. From Gnarrenburg, the route continues through the Brilliter Moor and along quiet, winding, well-paved side roads to Oese, where the , said to be the most beautiful village church between the Elbe and Weser rivers. The , Barchel, and Oerel are the next stops on the tour before we switch to the bike path along the heavily trafficked B71/74 near Glinde for just under 3 km. Just before the highly visible Bremervörde correctional facility, we leave the federal highway and head via “Am Steinberg” to the northernmost point of this tour, the Höhne forest area. A short time later, we reach the heart of the city of Bremervörde, the picturesque with the . This park and the center of Ostestadt offer plenty of opportunities for a quick break or a stop for refreshments before we continue our ride. Well-rested, we get back in the saddle. After crossing the picturesque Oste River, we leave Bremervörde and take side roads through Hesedorf, Byhusen, Farven, Ohrel, Haaßel, and Twistenbostel, rejoining the Oste River just before Brauel after 33 km. After just under 500 m, we leave the bike path next to the B71 to reach the town of Zeven via Braueler Weg. Zeven is an important regional hub, home to numerous shopping options, cafés, and restaurants set against historic backdrops, such as the and the are located. Ideal for refueling before the final push. The final 40 km of this “royal” stage follow the K142 to Frankenbostel and Rüspel, before we head toward Ehestorf, back onto the A1 highway, and on to Sothel and Westeresch via quieter side roads. On the Westerholzer Weg, we cycle toward the county seat, where the “Königsschleife” ends after a total of 204 km. Numerous cafés and restaurants in the city center provide the perfect setting to reflect on the tour and treat yourself. For those looking to cool off or warm up tired muscles in the sauna, the —the perfect way to end the day. Read more Route markings The road bike tours in the district of Rotenburg (Wümme) are neither signposted nor marked on site. GPX tracks are available for orientation (e.g. here on the page as a download). Read more Directions & Parking facilities **Getting there****We recommend traveling by train:** The (starting point of the Königsschleife) is accessible via regional rail directly from Hamburg and Bremen. Other train stations located directly on or in the immediate vicinity (max. 1.5 km away) of the Königsschleife and served several times a day are in Sottrum and . The train station in Visselhövede, which is served several times a day, is located about 5 km from Wittorf, the southernmost point of this “Königsschleife” loop. Information and tickets: or Read more **Parking**If you're traveling by car, you'll find the following public parking lots: - - Train station in 27367 Sottrum - - Central bus station in 27404 Zeven Read more **Public transportation**The train station (starting point of the Königsschleife) can be reached directly by regional train from Hamburg and Bremen. Other train stations that are located directly or in the immediate vicinity (max. 1.5 km away) of the Königsschleife and are served several times a day are in Sottrum and . The train station in Visselhövede, which is also served several times a day, is around 5 km away from Wittorf, the southernmost point of this royal loop. Information and tickets: or Read more Additional information Information and GPX tracks for all road bike tours in the district of Rotenburg (Wümme) can be found at , , and or in the . Read more Literature All the information about the road bike tours in the Rotenburg (Wümme) district is presented in a handy brochure. It can be ordered from the and is available at tourist information centers, including those in Rotenburg (Wümme), Sottrum, Gnarrenburg, Bremervörde, and Selsingen. Read more Contact person Touristikverband Landkreis Rotenburg (Wümme) e.V. -**Ihr Ansprechpartner für die Region** Harburger Straße 59 27356 Rotenburg (Wümme) License (master data) Phillip Holtermann Author´s Tip / Recommendation of the author - There are various shopping and dining options in the larger towns as well as in the small towns of Sottrum, Gnarrenburg, Bremervörde, Zeven, and Rotenburg (Wümme). - Along the Königsschleife, there are additional places to stop for refreshments in the smaller villages, such as Wittorf, Unterstedt, Hassendorf, Kirchtimke, Hepstedt, Zur Kreuzkuhle, Basdahl, Brauel, Rüspel, and Westerholz *(Please check the opening hours in advance of your trip along the Königsschleife)* - can be found in Rotenburg (Wümme), Sottrum, Bremervörde, Selsingen, and Zeven *(please note the opening hours).* Read more Safety guidelines **Please note:** - You must always follow the State Traffic Regulations (StVO). - Farm vehicles always have the right of way. - A few sections may have (small) potholes or cracks. - Some roads and bike paths are (very) uneven in places and require careful riding. Read more Nearby ------ View on map - Event - Reading - Nature experience - Information & advice - Tours 64.00 km - Racing bike 535.30 km - Theme trail 150.35 km - E-bike Contact **Stadt Rotenburg (Wümme) - Tourist-Information** Große Straße 1 27356 Rotenburg (Wümme) Download GPX file - -