Ambient Gravel Tour

The first challenge which we are confronted with, when we arrive at the airport, is to find our way and get on track. It is all doable if you follow directions towards “Porz” and avoid any road onto the freeway. After a short asphalt route around the airport, you’ll make a bend into some woods which will bring you into the countryside of the heathland. Along gravely and sandy roads we will ride through a varied landscape. At first we will perceive the airport acoustically but later, when we travel along the air strip, we shall be visually confronted with the commotion of landing and arriving aircrafts. We recommend two observation points along the tour, which are perfect if you are interested in doing some plane watching.

Once we have left the surroundings of the airport, we will do some uphill biking towards Rösrath before we ride downhill into the village center. Here we can find a very convenient opportunity for a break. You can either settle down in the restaurant and café at castle Eulenbroich or grab something to drink and to eat at the takeaways, eateries or grocery stores in the center of the village. It might prove to be a cunning idea to grab something for the road and pick nick in the woods of the “Königsforst”.

After climbing a steep hill within Rösrath, we arrive directly in the forest. With a few exceptions the roads are relaxed due to the fact that their build on a former train terrace. Small ponds and streams as well as clearings and glades within the dark forest align our way. Our ultimate goal is the peak of the “Monte Troodelöh” and the following downhill ride into the finish line at the “Schmitzebud”. For us, this serves as the perfect finish, since the small pizzeria is most popular with Colognes biking community. It provides as a meeting point for the bicycle scene of Cologne, when they go or come from rides through the countryside. Naturally, food and drink before or after a bike tour are a necessity.

To head back for the city center, you merely have to hop on the tram no. 9 opposite of the Schmitzebud. Alternately, if you’re up for some more exercise, a ride into town is an additional 13 kilometers. Simply follow the red and white bicycle route signs towards “Köln Zentrum”.

If you have been asking yourself why this tour is titled “Ambient”, you must know that the idea for the tour stands in connection with two locations that are decisive for the genre of Ambient Music. The Airport of Cologne served Brian Eno as source of inspiration to invent the genre as such, whilst the dense woods of the “Königsforst” later inspired Wolfgang Voigt form Colognes Kompakt label to initiate his GAS Ambient-Techno project.  Therefore a soundtrack is basically included with the tour and the scenery of the airport and the nature within. Rather than listening during the tour, we suggest enjoying the music before or after the ride.

We hope you enjoy cycling through the nature of Colognes eastern territories and of course a pleasure listening to the music, inspired and made in Cologne!