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 09:40 am at Cologne Central Station. Due to construction work, we will have to travel by streetcar and will have a slightly longer journey ahead of us than on the usual route. Our tour will then start in Frechen, where we will ride across the recultivated Frechen open-cast mine and, after a first look into the largest hole in Europe at the Forum Terra Nova, we will then 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 5:45 pm at Merzenich station, where we take the S19 back to Cologne. However, due to DB construction work, we won't be back at Cologne main station until around 19:20.

The tour on 05.10. is a little longer than usual due to the construction work on the line from Horrem to Cologne main station: The bike tour is about 55 - 60 km long and includes up to 125 meters difference in altitude. The differences in altitude are very even and relaxed. The routes 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.