Reviewed by: Stefan , from Cologne

Summary:
The Route I described is for bikers with a certain skill. The downhills are sometimes fast (like the first part way down from the castle Hhscheid) but mostly tricky and steep. Given the fact that all the mountains are rather small (up to 250 meters high) the continous up and down requires a good condition when you want to go a bit faster or when you go there with a heavy freeride bike. Freeriders (light ones as well as hardcore bikes) are the excellent choice for this terrain. In the wet some of the steep and rockier parts are really slippery. Sometimes hikers like to put some obstacles in the ways (mostly right behind fast but blind corners....). Take care of it !!

Recommended Route:
I ususally take the rout from the Parking lot near Glder (Mini-Golf-Place). From here the first uphill beginns right from the parking lot. Take the fire road uphill. After the sixth turn, a smal steep trail on the left side takes you up to a smaller hiking path. Follow this path left-hand. It gets further up slowly.
After 400 Meters - there is a right-hand-turn. In the apex of the turn there is a narrow trail on the left side downhill ! This is steep and narrow !Good skills recommended !! At the end of this trail, there is a little drop and then you head into a broader hiker path. Follow this path downhill (slightly downhill). After you have passed a strair section and further turns the path hits the road again. Follow this road uphill until you can turn left for castle Hhscheid. Turn in that road and at the parking lot for the Castle at the left hand there's an old rocky fireroad downhill. Go there ! You can gain speeds uop to 60 Km/h. after 150 Meters, take care: there's a chain strapped across the road. Right before the chain, a small trail starts on the right side. Go there ! This trail brings you down to the next fireroad. It's fun to ride and requires some skills. When you hit the fireroad. You can turn left and drive though some cottages until you hit the road which brings you back down to the parking lot of the Mini-Golf-Place. From here - after you crossed a bridge a nice trail leads up on the right side. When you turn right at the fireroad. Follow this until you cross a street. Follow this street uphill for a kilometer or so. Then watch out for a little "Continental" Sticker at the guard rails. Here a quite steep downhill starts. This trail requires good biking skills as there are some drops in there and it's quite steep - but real fun to ride !

Reviewed by: Adam , from Berlin, CT, USA

Summary:
This trail was a really good mix of riding, lots of up and down and about 50-50 Singletrack and Fireroads. The fireroads are marked since they are used by hikers and horses too. These keep you from getting lost while you cut across on the slippery singletrack. Near the castle (Schloss Burg) there were some nice steep parts that made me wish I had clipless instead of platforms. Overall a fun ride, but maybe a little too much horse poo on the trails for my taste.

Recommended Route:
I took the train into Solingen, but had no map with me. Found the trails with little problems and never got lost in about 3 hours of riding. I suggest taking the A1 trail up to the castle and then just loop back thru the valley to Solingen.

Reviewed by: Michael , from Wuppertal

Summary:
Several Possibilities since this area is full of old, long-used trails, paths and fire roads. My route was from Wuppertal Cronenberg through the "BUrgholz" past the small cottages into teh woods leading up to the Castle and the Bridge (not far from each other).
Suitable for some touristy stuff. Get to see some old (!) buildings and a cool Iron Bridge that spans some 200sth. Metres, the biggest in Europe I guess.
There are some wicked drop-offs where you can test the Freerider in you.
Don't forget the map, we don't have the directions as you Americans do. May get lost and eaten by the wild Boars...Just kidding.

Recommended Route:
I approached it from Wuppertal, and it works as well, just have to take some different trails. Take a map.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Some good stuff in this area, esp. around the bridge mentioned (Mngstener)...some cool stuff where you can test your ability and mentality.