The Grenzgängerroute Teuto-Ems (Teuto-Ems Cross-Border Route) offers unlimited cycling pleasure of a very special kind. The 148-km route along idyllic trails through a stunning landscape also crosses 14 historical and current borders – making every cyclist a cross-border adventurer!
Route and sights
The trail starts from the Soleheilbad saltwater spa in Bad Rothenfelde. Enjoy the salty air around the graduation towers before the route heads to the town of Dissen, which is famous for its apples. With the Teutoburg Forest constantly in view, the trail crosses the border between Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) and North Rhine-Westphalia into Borgholzhausen, renowned for its Lebkuchen biscuits. The route passes meadows and fields as it continues towards the traditional Westphalian town of Versmold. The area where the three districts of Gütersloh, Warendorf and Osnabrück meet is a particularly beautiful and idyllic spot. The next stop is Füchtorf, where the “royal vegetable” asparagus is harvested and sold at countless asparagus farms from mid-April until late June. It is well worth taking a detour to enjoy a refreshing dip in Feldmarksee bathing lake in Sassenberg. It is not far from here to Warendorf, a town that is synonymous with horse riding. The beautiful town on the River Ems has a surprise in store in the form of its charming historical townscape and relaxed small-town idyll. The journey continues through the scenic countryside of Münsterland to Ostbevern. The parks of the impressive Loburg Palace are worth a visit for their historic rhododendrons alone. After crossing another border you reach the municipality of Glandorf in Osnabrück Land, the perfect place to sample some delicious asparagus. You then start the return journey to North Rhine-Westphalia with a detour to the Barefoot Park in Lienen, a 2.5 km circular route for the feet and senses. The next notable feature on the journey is Bad Iburg Castle. The journey continues through the beautiful “Borgloh Switzerland” to Hilter with its magnificent baroque town hall. Another striking building awaits you in the form of the “Griesen Toarn” in the beautiful saltwater spa town of Bad Laer. You are almost at journey’s end. Back in Bad Rothenfelde, every cyclist can now be described as a real cross-border adventurer, having criss-crossed countless boundaries.
