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Hard Hiking Trails near Ratingen

71 routes near Ratingen qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 64.7 km and 1,424 m (4,672 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 414 km.

That is 49 percent of the 145 routes we map near Ratingen. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 64.7 km against 35.4 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 1,424 m (4,672 ft) on average versus 779 m (2,556 ft) across the wider area.

Hard routes mean sustained ascent, long descents and a real need to watch the clock and the forecast. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

Expert

Emscherparkweg XE

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
131 km
/ 81.5 mi
Elevation gain
2,884 m
Typical duration
35 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

GeoRoute Ruhr

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
131 km
/ 81.6 mi
Elevation gain
2,889 m
Typical duration
35 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Jakobs-Pilgerweg Dortmund - Aachen

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
186 km
/ 116 mi
Elevation gain
4,097 m
Typical duration
50 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Jakobs-Pilgerweg Essen - Düsseldorf

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
61.5 km
/ 38.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,352 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Jakobs-Pilgerweg Nijmegen-Köln

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
243 km
/ 151 mi
Elevation gain
5,337 m
Typical duration
65 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Ruhrhöhenweg (Duisburg-Essen)

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
63.5 km
/ 39.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,397 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Jakobs-Pilgerweg Beyenburg-Köln

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
58.8 km
/ 36.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,294 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Jakobs-Pilgerweg Hagen - Lennep

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
38.2 km
/ 23.7 mi
Elevation gain
841 m
Typical duration
9 hr 55 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Duisburg - Raesfeld X11

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
62.9 km
/ 39.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,384 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Mein Grüngürtel Rundweg G1

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
64.0 km
/ 39.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,407 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Niederrheinweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
134 km
/ 83.2 mi
Elevation gain
2,945 m
Typical duration
35 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Pilgerweg Meinerzhagen-E

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
106 km
/ 65.8 mi
Elevation gain
2,328 m
Typical duration
28 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Rhein-Ruhr-Emscherweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
90.3 km
/ 56.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,986 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Rhein-Schwalm-Weg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
60.9 km
/ 37.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,340 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Rheinauenweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
99.7 km
/ 61.9 mi
Elevation gain
2,193 m
Typical duration
26 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Wupperweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
126 km
/ 78.3 mi
Elevation gain
2,772 m
Typical duration
33 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

X12 Steinkohleweg Orsoy-Hinsbeck

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
73.6 km
/ 45.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,619 m
Typical duration
19 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

X17 Harkortweg [Velbert-Werdohl]

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
109 km
/ 67.7 mi
Elevation gain
2,397 m
Typical duration
29 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

X2 Arnold-Mock-Weg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
219 km
/ 136 mi
Elevation gain
4,808 m
Typical duration
58 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

X28 Graf-Engelbert-Weg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
71.5 km
/ 44.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,573 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

X3 Rhein-Netteseen-Weg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
111 km
/ 69.1 mi
Elevation gain
2,447 m
Typical duration
29 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

X5 Rhein-Niers-Weg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
74.8 km
/ 46.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,645 m
Typical duration
19 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

neanderland STEIG

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
242 km
/ 150 mi
Elevation gain
5,319 m
Typical duration
65 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Bergbauweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
49.5 km
/ 30.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,090 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Pingenweg Raute 8

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
33.4 km
/ 20.7 mi
Elevation gain
734 m
Typical duration
8 hr 36 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Raute10 Hugo-Kracht-Weg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
51.5 km
/ 32.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,133 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

X9 Rhein-Maas-Weg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
34.3 km
/ 21.3 mi
Elevation gain
754 m
Typical duration
8 hr 51 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

[Raute3] Niederberg Nord

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
41.8 km
/ 26.0 mi
Elevation gain
920 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

[Raute4] Eggenweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
44.1 km
/ 27.4 mi
Elevation gain
971 m
Typical duration
11 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

[Raute7] Hardenberger Weg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
36.2 km
/ 22.5 mi
Elevation gain
796 m
Typical duration
9 hr 22 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

[Raute8] Köln - Radevormwald

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
51.7 km
/ 32.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,137 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

(W) Rund um Witten

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
57.3 km
/ 35.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,260 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

(B) Rund um Bochum

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
65.2 km
/ 40.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,434 m
Typical duration
17 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

(H) Rund um Hattingen

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
62.2 km
/ 38.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,369 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

[D] Düsseldorfer Weg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
70.7 km
/ 43.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,555 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

(K) Rund um Kamp-Lintfort

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
43.0 km
/ 26.7 mi
Elevation gain
946 m
Typical duration
11 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

(L) Rundweg um Langenberg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
34.3 km
/ 21.3 mi
Elevation gain
755 m
Typical duration
8 hr 52 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

(M) Rund um Mülheim

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
57.8 km
/ 35.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,272 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

(R) Rund um Ratingen

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
53.6 km
/ 33.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,180 m
Typical duration
14 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

DeilbachSteig

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
33.0 km
/ 20.5 mi
Elevation gain
726 m
Typical duration
8 hr 30 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Ennepetaler Rundweg

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
58.0 km
/ 36.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,276 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Höhenroute

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
41.9 km
/ 26.0 mi
Elevation gain
921 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Kettwiger Panoramasteig

North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany

Distance
34.4 km
/ 21.4 mi
Elevation gain
757 m
Typical duration
8 hr 53 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
European long distance path E8, North Rhine-WestphaliaNorth Rhine-Westphalia414 km9,116 m111 hrExpertApril to October
Emscherparkweg XENorth Rhine-Westphalia131 km2,884 m35 hrExpertApril to October
GeoRoute RuhrNorth Rhine-Westphalia131 km2,889 m35 hrExpertApril to October
Jakobs-Pilgerweg Dortmund - AachenNorth Rhine-Westphalia186 km4,097 m50 hrExpertApril to October
Jakobs-Pilgerweg Essen - DüsseldorfNorth Rhine-Westphalia61.5 km1,352 m16 hrExpertApril to October
Jakobs-Pilgerweg Nijmegen-KölnNorth Rhine-Westphalia243 km5,337 m65 hrExpertApril to October
Ruhrhöhenweg (Duisburg-Essen)North Rhine-Westphalia63.5 km1,397 m16 hrExpertApril to October
Jakobs-Pilgerweg Beyenburg-KölnNorth Rhine-Westphalia58.8 km1,294 m15 hrExpertApril to October
Jakobs-Pilgerweg Hagen - LennepNorth Rhine-Westphalia38.2 km841 m9 hr 55 minExpertApril to October
Duisburg - Raesfeld X11North Rhine-Westphalia62.9 km1,384 m16 hrExpertApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with European long distance path E8, North Rhine-Westphalia, GeoRoute Ruhr, Ruhrhöhenweg (Duisburg-Essen). Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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