This post is sponsored by Münster Marketing, Münsterland e.V. and Initiative Starke Innenstadt Münster.
If you know me, then you know how much I love a good riverside bike trail. This time I am biking along the Werse River near Münster in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany. I couldn’t wait to travel back to Münsterland because I had such a wonderful time cycling on the 100 Schlösser Route. It felt great to arrive in a place I already knew pretty well and had really loved visiting the last time.
Day 1 – Arriving in Münster
The first thing I did was head directly into the old town to take a spin around Münster in its autumn glory. Princess (my bike) and I pedaled to the Principalmarkt, Rathaus, and the Lambertikirche. At the Domplatz, I finally saw some fall: yellow leaves!
Cycling the Promenade
From the center of town, I took Princess on a stroll through the Promenade. This wide path, located where the old city wall would have been, completely encompasses the city center. It’s a cyclist‘s dream. Two walking paths for pedestrians flank a large paved cycle lane which is car-free.
Mühlenhof Open-Air Museum
Next, we took a trip around the Aasee to get to the Mühlenhof Freilichtmuseum. The Aasee is a 2.3 km long lake within short walking distance from the Altstadt. The Mühlenhof is an open-air museum containing over 30 structures from the 18th and 19th century which display many crafts from that time period, like agriculture, blacksmithing, and weaving.
Aasee Münster 
Mühlenhof – open-air museum 
at the blacksmith’s 
the cutest outhouse next to the old schoolhouse
Pleistermühle
Then it was time to head towards the Pleistermühle where the bike tour begins. I had already biked past it previously on the south and north routes of the 100 Schlösser Route, so I knew the way. From Warendorfer Str. north of the main train station, the 100 Schlösser Route (marked by a green castle tower) guides cyclists to the Pleistermühle. When I arrived there to stay for the night, people were outside enjoying the Biergarten and others were playing a round of Minigolf.
the old mill is located next to the Landgasthof Pleistermühle 
breakfast at the Pleistermühle
Day 2 – Close Contact with the Werse
The Werse bike trail (Werseradweg) is, in my opinion, a high quality riverside biking trail. Some Flussradwege can be “string straight” as they say in German, but this trail is as winding as the Werse River itself. The few short but steep hills make it even more interesting and have cyclists busy changing gears. The landscape is varied and the route is well-marked. Simple to say that I’m a fan!
Peace in the Woods
The section starting from the Pleistermühle heading south along the river is my favorite. The dirt trail closely follows the winding and organic shores of the Werse River. The route is mostly in the woods and gives a secluded feeling even on a busy day. The only things I heard along the way were the birds chirping and the acorns cracking under my tires.
Crossing under the bridge at Wolbecker Straße, the trail changes to a wide gravel path sandwiched between agricultural fields and the river. Some fields have been recently tilled after the latest harvest, others are waiting for cornstalks to dry, and others are blooming bright yellow with canola flowers. In Angelmodde, the path skirts around the edge of town and passes by the first of many information stations along the way (all in German). The one here explains the biography of a famous female resident of the town, Amalie von Gallitzin.
Albersloh to Rinkerode
The trail remains in close contact to the Werse all the way to Albersloh. Along the way there was a lookout tower. Of course, I went up to see the view from above. In Albersloh, I took a quick tour around town before I stopped to take a break at the Italian ice cream parlor, Eiscafé Etna.
the Werse runs through Albersloh 
ice cream at Eiscafé Etna
On the next stretch of trail I saw lots of livestock: horses, cows, sheep, and goats. It looked like the forecasted rain was finally going to be coming, so I pedaled faster to reach Rinkerode before the storm. One tip for any trip to Münsterland: pack layers and be prepared for rain! Despite the fact that it rains most days, it is never very much or for very long. Even if rain is predicted, you can still enjoy a lot of the day!
Day 3 – Three Castles in a Day
In the morning, I left Hotel Lohmann in sunny weather. Frau Lohmann was so friendly and knowledgeable about the area. She lent me a folder stuffed with information about any and everything worth seeing in the area, which prepped me for my visits. The village is full of two story brick homes, some half-timbered, and has a village square with some historic buildings.
Haus Bisping and Haus Borg
From Rinkerode it is easy to stop by two beautiful, privately-owned castles – Haus Borg and Haus Bisping. Both are surrounded by water, have bridges, and contain shutters with brightly painted triangles – two fairy tale dream houses.
Haus Borg, dating back to the 15th century with architecture from various time periods, is built on three islands. Despite not being able to enter, several buildings on the property are visible from the road. Haus Bisping is from the 14th century, though only the former gate house remains today. I love the semi half-timbered construction, as well as the amazing reflection of the castle in the water.
Drensteinfurt
My tour ended in Drensteinfurt, an excellent destination. Continuing on the Werse bike trail from Rinkerode, the path does not follow the river, but through lots of agricultural lands on unfrequented country roads. There were more info points along the way about local plant species, earthworms, sustainable agriculture, and the region‘s gold rush-like mining history.
Haus Steinfurt
Arriving in Drensteinfurt, I first visited Haus Steinfurt. This castle is also privately owned, so I peered through the gate and cycled around the side. The garden, its own island, welcomes pedestrians. There are a few outbuildings, such as the mill, which are accessible from outside.
Around Town
Drensteinfurt has a lot of interesting historic buildings. There is a self-guided walking tour which can be followed using the signs posted at each historic site (only in German, but you can still use the easy-to-follow map!). I visited the former synagogue which currently hosts Jewish cultural events, the St. Regina Church, and the Loreto Chapel. For a nice stroll with classic half-timbered houses, the streets Synagogengasse, Südwall, and Westwall are perfect!
Um, and then more ice cream was in order. The Eishaus between the church and the Markt has amazing ice cream and homemade cake. It’s located inside an old half-timbered house complete with exposed structural beams on the interior. Adorable!
All in all an excellent few days in Münsterland with some of my favorite things: biking, a river, castles, and ice cream! What more do I need?
This trip was planned with the aid of the inspirations on deinmunsterlandmoment.de, in particular the Rad & River tour, where the GPX data for the Werse bike trail can be downloaded.
