Quick ride by bicycle from Willingen to Brilon

Roll out from Willingen (Upland), the Sauerland resort best known for the Mühlenkopfschanze ski jump, the Ettelsberg tower, and a lively bike scene. The route is about 20 km and climbs roughly 450 m before rewarding you with around 580 m of descent into Brilon—so it’s a net downhill ride.

Expect a good mix of surfaces: roughly half gravel and half asphalt, mostly on forest tracks and quiet roads. You’ll crest around 770 m, with wide views over the Upland hills, then cruise through deep spruce and beech forests toward the Briloner Wald. A gravel or sturdy touring bike is ideal.

You’ll cross from Hesse into North Rhine–Westphalia en route, rolling into Brilon, a historic Hanseatic town with handsome timber-framed houses and one of Germany’s largest municipal forests. The market square makes an easy finish for coffee and cake.

Tip: after rain, the gravel sections can be soft—pack a spare tube and enjoy the flowy descents.