The Moated Castles Route follows the Rur from Kreuzau via Nideggen to Heimbach in the district of Düren. This makes Kreuzau part of a regional cycling route that connects several named places. In the town and in Obermaubach, water, cycling and local history add further highlights; the Drover Heath offers a distinct focus on hiking.

Obermaubach: Village, Reservoir and Trails

Obermaubach has preserved its historic village character, with numerous half-timbered houses. Rowing is possible on the Obermaubach reservoir. The RurUfer cycle path runs alongside the reservoir along its entire length; the Obermaubach Reservoir Circular Trail [43] is a seven-kilometre loop around the reservoir. When planning, you can choose between a route along the shore, a loop around the reservoir and an activity on the water.

Obermaubach can be reached by the Rurtalbahn from Düren or Heimbach. If you plan to use this connection for your trip, check the current timetable in advance. This lets you include the train journey from Düren or Heimbach in your excursion plans.

Hiking in the Drover Heath

The Drover Heath is a 670-hectare nature and bird sanctuary of European importance. A network of hiking trails, marked by colour-coded posts, identifies individual routes. There is also a barrier-free circular trail and a barrier-free path to the observation mound. This means that both the trail markers and explicitly designated accessible options help visitors find their way.

Before your visit, check the protected-area rules and the current trail and accessibility conditions. The coloured posts help you identify the individual routes on site. If you are weighing up cycling routes by the reservoir and hiking trails in the heath, you can include different activities in your travel plans rather than treating them as one combined route.

Wine-growing as a cultural highlight

Kreuzau has revived the centuries-old wine-growing tradition in the Rur Valley.

Other contrasts in the Düren destination

The wider Düren destination offers other places with a different character. In Inden, the 36-metre-high Indemann stands on Goltsteinkuppe, the municipality of Inden’s highest elevation at just under 150 metres. The viewing platforms offer a view of the Inden open-cast mining landscape; the sculpture’s outstretched arm is also accessible to visitors.

In Jülich, you can explore the almost completely preserved and restored citadel on your own or as part of a guided tour. The fortress complex includes ramparts, bastions and casemates. It incorporates a ducal palace in the style of the Italian High Renaissance and is considered the oldest complex of its kind north of the Alps. Check the current opening arrangements before your visit.

When searching for hotels in Kreuzau, it helps to first decide what your trip will focus on: will the Rur route be your main priority, or are you planning activities by the reservoir and hikes? If Obermaubach and the Rurtalbahn are part of your plans, factor the timetable into your decision.

Discover more destinations: Obermaubach, Thum, Düren, Heimbach, Titz, Inden, Nideggen, Langerwehe

Back to the wider travel overview: Düren.