Teuto-Senne Bike&Rail Route: A cycle tour on the sunny side

The route runs from Osnabrück where the Treaty of Westphalia was signed to the university town of Paderborn with its cathedral – never straying far from the nearest railway station – which makes covering long distances child's play.

Before you set off, it's worth visiting the town hall where the Treaty of Westphalia was signed and preparing for the tour ahead with a visit to one of the cafés on the market square. The Osnabrücker Land region offers natural beauty in abundance characterised by hills and valleys, and in Bad Iburg the romantic image is rounded off with a castle. The route continues through small medieval villages in the Gütersloher Land region to Bielefeld and Sparrenburg Castle. In addition to the expanse of the Senne heathland, the landscape here features moors, marshy forests and wetlands. The tour ends in Paderborn, the oldest town in the East Westphalia-Lippe region. Terrain: most of the paths are asphalt, often not traffic-free. There are steep gradients to tackle in some sections. Otherwise the route is predominantly flat. Good rail connections. Scenery: cycling route through the valleys and extensive woodland of the Teutoburg Forest, through the Osnabrück and Gütersloher Land region with tree-lined avenues and moated palaces, and the Senne region with its heathland and pine forests.

• Length: 150 kilometres
• Starts: Osnabrück
• Ends: Paderborn
• Route info: Hilly in parts