© Münsterland e.V.
Pure nature
On the "Pure Nature" cycle tour between Borken and Rhede you can forget everyday life, take a deep breath and perhaps also get to know some new places. Calming nature experiences as well as interesting historical buildings await you on a route of approx. 52 km. You can admire them from a distance or make a longer stop there - it's up to you. This circular tour is also a culinary delight: there are many authentic places along the way that invite you to take a break.
Let's go
You start leisurely at Haus Pröbsting/Pröbstingsee. After a short stretch along the beautiful cycle path, the first stately home in Rhede awaits you:
Haus Rhede
Here are a few facts about its history: After the then "Borg" of Rhede was destroyed, the castle was allowed to be rebuilt opposite with permission from the Bishop of Münster in 1426. A stately manor house was built in the Renaissance style. In 1850, the princely family zu Salm-Salm acquired the estate, which still serves as their residence today. In addition, the Salm administration and a museum worth seeing are now located there. Myths, stories and a legend bear witness to the exciting history of the building: It is said that the spirit of the noblewoman can still be seen in the tower today. You might discover him during a leisurely walk on the grounds ...
Parish Church of St. Gudula in Rhede© Münsterland e.V.
If you like, you can walk from the manor house to the next witness of time: only 400 metres further on, the former St. Gudula monastery is waiting for a glimpse of you. This was the site of the first fortified castle in the 13th century, before it was destroyed and rebuilt. Today it is home to the Akademie-Klausenhof. From here it's a few metres further to Rhede's landmark: the neo-Gothic parish church of St. Gudula. The Romanesque baptismal font and a wooden statue of St. Gudula are still preserved from around 1520. Let this sight work its magic on you.
Recommended places to take a break before continuing on to Rhede:
- Restaurant 1-25
- Ice cream Café Adria
- Coffee Arts
- Coffee Spot
- Aunt Änne
Burlo Vardingholter Venn-Entenschlatt© August Sühling
After visiting these beautiful buildings, one of the two longest sections of this tour follows. From the parish church out of Rhede and through the Münsterland farming communities towards Burlo. Here you have the opportunity to take a relaxing break at Gasthof Café Kamps. With its large beer garden, children's playground, quiet location and charging station for e-bikes, it is a worthwhile stop on your tour. Treat yourself to a drink, enjoy the idyllic atmosphere and ride on refreshed.
Afterwards, you will pass the Burlo Vardingholter Venn-Entenschlatt - a raised bog nature reserve that dates back some 4,000 years. The Venn provides a refuge for bird species such as the teal, nightjar and woodcock. Therefore, please behave considerately in nature. As soon as you reach Burlo, you can take a short break at the next stop...
Mariengarden Monastery© Münsterland e.V.
With its almost 800-year history, the Mariengarden Monastery is now an ensemble of monastery, guest house, grammar school and forum. For this reason, you will find comfort and silence here - just as you would expect in a monastery - but during the week the place is rather lively.
Ready to ride on? Then get back on your bike, ride past the Klostersee lake and towards Borken. Green fields, wide meadows and farmland open up before you. Here and there you can discover small rivers. On this slightly longer section, you can take a break at the Café Jägerkrug restaurant if you wish. It is well equipped with home-style and Westphalian cuisine, homemade cakes, a beer garden, an outdoor terrace and an e-bike charging station. Freshly strengthened and shortly before the outskirts of the city, you pass the Neue Mühle Borken-Gemen and then follow a quiet section along the Dörringbach. After a few kilometres you can already see the Döring house and the mill:
House Döring in Borken© Münsterland e.V./Philipp FöltingHaus Döring
Haus Döring, to which the watermill also belongs, is an old "castle moth" and the origin of all Münsterland water castles. At that time, on the man-made hill, the inhabitants had a good view from the residential tower of the surrounding, flat land when hostiles attacked. Of course, the advantage of a river could not be ignored and so they built the water mill. After the Second World War, its operation was discontinued. Despite all the structural changes, the old structure of this site with its ramparts has been preserved quite well. Today, the house and the mill are listed and privately owned. Therefore, a visit is only possible from the outside - but even the view from a distance is worthwhile.
After this stopover, you return to the route and cycle the last part of the route. Extensive meadows and fields as well as numerous farms and farmsteads line the way. Enjoy the views into the distance and the peace and quiet on your tour before you reach your destination:
Pröbsting House and Pröbsting Lake
Haus Pröbsting was first mentioned in a document in 1221 as a knight's manor before it became a walled moated castle. The complex is now privately owned and houses a clinic, but the inner courtyard is freely accessible.
Lake Pröbsting is located directly in front of Haus Pröbsting and is a beautiful recreational area. The lake, which covers more than 100,000 square metres, offers many possibilities: Pedal boats, paddle boats, rowing boats, kayaks and stand-up paddling boards are waiting at the jetty, moreover, it is also ideal for jogging, cycling and walking. Spacious sunbathing benches and unique views of the lake invite you to linger.
The Pröbstingsee is the perfect place to end the day. Park your bike and take a look around. Whether you want to unwind at the kiosk on the beautiful outdoor terrace, enjoy the picnic you brought with you or watch the sunset over the water: no matter what you have in mind, treat yourself to a little time out and enjoy the holiday feeling in nature!
The route at a glance
- approx. 54 km
- Circuit
- easy
- Day trip
- Locks
- Rail journey
- Borken
- Rhede
- Burlo
Downloads
If you prefer to travel by e-bike, you can simply rent a bike from Stadtwerke Mietfiets. In this case, the starting point of your bike tour would be the city centre of Borken. The nearest charging stations are located at the indoor and outdoor swimming pool (Heideweg 59, 46414 Rhede), at the Eiscafé Adria (Bahnhofstraße 26, 46414 Rhede) and at the Seniorenzentrum Azurit (Rudolf-Diesel-Straße 2, 46414 Rhede).
Info & service for the bike tour
Not all offers and services along the cycle route are fully available yet. Here we keep you up to date on what you can experience on your cycle tour.
Rhede House
- Can only be visited from the outside.
Mariengarden Monastery
- You are welcome to attend prayer times, masses and church services at any time.
Döring House and Döring Mill
- Today privately owned and can therefore only be visited from the outside.
Pröbsting House and Pröbsting Lake
- The house is now privately owned and can therefore only be visited from the outside.
- The inner courtyard is freely accessible.
Hotel tip:
Would you like to combine your cycling tour with an overnight stay in Borken? The Stadtotel Borken is only a few pedal turns away from the market square and the cycle paths.
Your journey
By bus
For this cycling tour, you can travel in an environmentally friendly way using public transport, as there is the option of reaching the lake by bus. The R51 line from Borken to Bocholt stops at "Borken-Hoxfeld, Haus Pröbsting". On Sundays and public holidays from 01.05.-31.10. the line also runs as a "FietsenBus" with bicycle trailer.
By car
On the B67 between Borken and Rhede, follow the signs to "Freizeitgelände Pröbsting", "Schlossklinik". There are plenty of parking spaces in front of the Schossklinik. You can also use the small car park just before the boathouse. There is plenty of parking space for bicycles directly at the boathouse. There is also a bicycle charging station and your battery can recharge for the (further) trip.
Münsterland Tourism Centre© Münsterland e.V./Fabian Riediger