Of moated castles and manor houses

The 44-kilometre circular tour starts at Steinfurt-Burgsteinfurt railway station. If you want to fortify yourself before the cycle tour, there are plenty of places to eat around the market square. The picturesque old town is definitely worth a visit, with the imposing moated castle of Steinfurt seamlessly adjoining the old town. The romantic gatehouse is one of the most photographed motifs in the region.

Along the Steinfurt stream, the cycle path leads out of the town into the beautiful Münsterland parkland. It is worth taking a short detour into the park to the concert gallery, either by bike or on foot. Passing the outskirts of Steinfurt-Borghorst, the cycle path soon reaches the historic Alst House. "Specklagen" is the name of the unusual building technique that immediately catches the eye. The alternation of red bricks and sandstone is indeed reminiscent of the famous Westphalian ham.

The town of Horstmar spreads out before the visitor in a valley hollow. Of the original 8 manor houses, 4 still remain today. A short tour of the town gives a good idea of its original protective function.

The small pilgrimage site of Eggerode blends harmoniously into the gentle landscape. The famous image of the Virgin Mary has been the destination of countless pilgrims for generations. Just a few kilometres further north, Schöppingen awaits cyclists with its artists' village. The works created here can also be found in various places in the village. A guided tour of the Sasse fine grain distillery is a very special experience.

Now nature takes over. Accompanied by the blue ribbon of the River Vechte, the cycle route approaches Metelen. From here, the last stage leads back to Burgsteinfurt.

Nature and garden enthusiasts can gain a good insight into garden design and the correct handling of flowers and shrubs in the district educational garden in Burgsteinfurt.

The railway is an excellent way of travelling to this cycle tour. The starting point is directly at Steinfurt-Burgsteinfurt railway station. Trains from Münster and Enschede stop here regularly.

By car, take the A31 motorway (Oberhausen-Emden) to the Gronau/Ochtrup exit or the A1 (Cologne-Bremen) to the Münster-Nord junction. From both motorways, the B54 federal road leads to Steinfurt.

There are several signposted car parks in Steinfurt. The car parks in the city centre are generally subject to charges. There is a free car park on the Europaring.

The cycle route is not signposted, but runs entirely on the Münsterland junction network. For better orientation, the use of a GPX track is recommended.

Links
Internetseite: https://www.muensterland.com/tourismus/themen/radfahren-muensterland/radtouren-tipps/radtouren-schloesser-kombi/von-wasserschloessern-und-burgmannshoefen/

Bahnhof Burgsteinfurt

Bahnhof Burgsteinfurt