A circular trail through the town’s landscape, a second route with 24 information stations, and works of art among woodland, a stream and an old millpond give Leichlingen (Rhld.) clear starting points for planning a trip. If you are looking for accommodation, the local routes and your cultural interests can help you decide.
Hiking trails: circular route or nature tour
The Leichlingen Orchard Trail is a circular route about 9 kilometres long through the town’s landscape. The DachsDuoTour is 8.1 kilometres long and invites you to explore Leichlingen’s natural areas and their distinctive animals and plants. This makes it easy to compare the stated route lengths directly, while the descriptions focus on different aspects: a circular route here, nature exploration there. A local diversion on the Orchard Trail due to storm damage should be noted. Check the route before setting out.
The DachsDuoTour initially follows the banks of the Wupper for a short stretch, then heads upstream into the Weltersbach valley and returns to the Wupper through the Murbach valley. Along the route are 24 stations with information signs and QR codes linking to information pages. The route, valleys and stations therefore provide several concrete points of reference for planning this nature tour.
Art and sacred architectural history
In Leichlingen’s Murbach valley, the Sinneswald displays sculptures by artists from the region on the grounds of a historic spinning mill. Works of art can be found around an old millpond, on paths through quarries and woodland, and along a stream. The descriptions of the site thus connect art with a variety of landscapes. Exhibitions have been held at the Sinneswald since 1993, with a different theme each year.
The Protestant church in Leichlingen provides another cultural point of reference: it is the town’s oldest sacred architectural monument. Alongside the works of art and exhibitions, sacred architectural history and the historic function of a listed monument therefore offer further themes for planning a trip.
Nearby: Wipperkotten
The Wipperkotten stands on the Wupper between Leichlingen and Solingen, in the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis district. Built around 1600 as a grinding mill, it is the last double grinding mill complex of its kind on the lower Wupper. The Wipperkotten houses a collection of historic, hand-crafted tools and equipment from grinding mills in the Bergisches Land region. It adds a glimpse of the grinding-mill craft to Leichlingen’s cultural themes. Check the current visitor arrangements before your visit.
Leichlingen in the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis
The Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis lies at the crossroads of the wider Cologne area and the scenic Bergisches Land region. Rail-based public transport in the district serves Leichlingen, Bergisch Gladbach, Rösrath and Overath, with connections towards Cologne. Check the timetables for your travel dates.
For hiking farther afield in the wider region, the full Wupperweg offers a different scale: it is 125 kilometres long and can be hiked in stages. The Wupperverband and Sauerländischer Gebirgsverein suggest ten sections, each around 10 to 20 kilometres long. These suggested stages can be compared with the shorter distances given for Leichlingen’s routes, without treating the trails as the same.
Discover more destinations: Overath, Rösrath, Odenthal, Bergisch Gladbach, Burscheid, Kürten, Wermelskirchen
Go to the wider travel overview: Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis.
