Radtour am Tagebau Hambach - Die Tour der Superlative

In the organizer's words:

Next to the loneliest church in Germany is the largest hole in Europe and behind it the largest artificial mountain in the world.

Don't you believe it? But it has been a reality at the Hambach open-cast mine for years!

And right on the doorstep of Cologne!

You've never been there before and want to get to know this unreal area with someone who has been following the region for over ten years and knows it better than almost anyone else?

Photographer and cameraman Yannick Rouault, who has already exhibited his long-term photo series "Manheim - A place disappears" in Munich, Stuttgart and Cologne, will take you on an unforgettable bike tour.

Meeting point: At 10:10 am at Cologne Central Station. We will then travel together on the S19 at 10:20 to Sindorf, where our bike tour starts. After a first look at the largest hole in Europe, we will visit the village of Manheim-Alt.

1,700 people used to live here - now only the church and a few houses remain. What is the story behind the most abandoned church in Germany? Why does no one live here anymore and will the church one day stand on Germany's second largest lake?

With lots of background information and the right instinct for what the group is interested in, I will guide you through the area in front of the Hambach open-cast mine. I'll show you where 5 hectares of ancient forest are to disappear and where 500 hectares of forest have been saved.

We'll also visit another ghost village, which - unlike Manheim - has been saved but still has an uncertain fate.

I will also be happy to give you tips on how best to photograph these unique motifs.

With a last look into the hole and at the remains of a lonely highway, our journey ends at around 17:45 at Merzenich station, where we take the S19 back to Cologne. At 18:20 we will be back at Cologne main station.

Depending on the route requested by the group (fitness level and areas of interest will be asked at the beginning of the tour), the bike tour is 35 - 40 km long and includes up to 125 meters of elevation gain. The differences in altitude are very even and relaxed. The paths are mostly independent of car traffic and very pleasant to ride. Occasionally, however, there are sections on larger roads with heavy traffic, which unfortunately cannot be avoided. Ride at your own risk.

You must bring your own bike for the tour. You will also need a camera or smartphone for impressive photos.

Important:

The photo tours take place in small groups with a maximum of 12 participants. There is no visit to the open-cast mine. We stay on public paths and do not enter the open-cast mine site! In case of bad weather, the routes will be shortened accordingly and the excursion program described above will have to be shortened accordingly. There is no guarantee that the entire excursion program will be carried out.

In the event of an official storm warning before the start of the excursion, the tour will be canceled and the registered participants will receive their money back.

The price does not include meals. Unfortunately, there are no opportunities to buy provisions on the route. Therefore, please bring your own food. A longer picnic break at a nice place is planned.