If the Baldeneysee is one of the most beautiful spots for hiking near Düsseldorf, other areas around it are definitely worth exploring too, don’t you think? Lucky for you, you can also enjoy a peaceful hike along the Ruhr just a little bit more south of the Baldeneysee. This hiking trail is called the Kettwiger Panoramasteig.
To hike the entire Kettwiger Panoramasteig is quite demanding. It is almost 35 km long and takes more than 8 hours of walking, without any breaks!
My husband and I did the whole Kettwiger Panoramasteig trail on a beautiful autumn day and even that was a real challenge. Even though we had begun in the morning and had only taken a few breaks, we still only just finished the hike early on in the night and were quite exhausted. ?
For optimal enjoyment, I would advise you to do just half of the hike, for instance, the southern part which is around 15 km long and takes around 3 hours and a half.
It’s not a problem not to do the round trip because there is an S-Bahn Station in Werden, just in the middle of the hike that you can hop on afterward. So, even if you take your car to get to the starting point at the S-Bahn Station in Kettwig, you can easily go back by train to your car.
You can also do the other half, the northern part, the next day after enjoying a relaxing night in Werden which is a very nice village south of the Baldeneysee. You can even continue with the Baldeneysee Steig on the following day if you want because it goes also through Werden.
Are there beautiful places to see along the Kettwiger Panoramasteig hike?
The bridge which is located south of Kettwig was built in 1951, the former was destroyed at the end of WWII. It is used by the S-Bahn that you likely took to arrive at your destination and which rides from Essen to Cologne.
After you’ve left behind the railroad bridge, the first kilometer of the trail goes through the forest. This part of the trail is very peaceful.
You’ll then enjoy some very nice viewpoints on the Ruhr.
The hike continues through the fields on the top of small hills. You may see the Oefte Castle further in the distance as well. Founded in the 9th century, it is one of the oldest manor houses in the region. The palace complex and its garden are now used by a golf club.
Before arriving at Werden, you will see, at Pastoratsberg, a Jewish cemetery on the left side of the path. It was created in 1830 and encompassed around 70 tombs which dated from 1845 to 1938.
You will now arrive in Werden, a quiet village in the surroundings of Essen. If you have some interest in history, you can follow the Werden discovery path through the inner city.
You may see some interesting buildings including the big yellow one – it is the Folkwang University of the Arts which was founded in 1927. It bears the same name as the Folkwang Museum founded by Dr. Karl Ernst Osthaus in 1902 and later sold by his heirs to the city of Essen in 1922.
« Folkwang » comes from Norse mythology, and is a meadow ruled by the goddess Freyja where the soldiers who died in combat god upon death.
The Werden discovery path ends in the Brehminsel, a little island in the Ruhr that you can reach via a pedestrian bridge. There, you will find a nice garden, some works of art, and also playgrounds for children.
If you decided to do just the south part of the trail, you are done!
You can take the S-Bahn at the Werden Station and go back to the Kettwig-Stausee Station or directly to Düsseldorf.
If you still have some energy, there is a nice point of view if you continue the Kettwiger Panoramasteig a little bit after the station. There, you will see the dam of the Baldeneysee and Werden from another viewpoint.
How to get to the Kettwiger Panoramasteig?
It’s quite convenient to go there from Düsseldorf by the S-Bahn (S6), It takes less than half an hour and when you stop at the Kettwig Stausee station, you will run into the beginning of the path on your right. You can also continue to the next stop (Werden) in order to do the north part of the hike instead.
All in all, if you want to have a relaxing walk through the forests and the fields, not far from Düsseldorf, but also discover a nice village, this path is made for you!
