Bergischer Weg Stage 1: Essen - Velbert

• Partial Closure Kupferdreh Railway Bridge: The Kupferdreh railway bridge between Essen-Heisingen and Essen Kupferdreh has been closed since 23 January 2026 until February 2027 due to construction work. The alternative route continues along the riverbank and crosses the next bridge. Further information: https://www.dasbergische.de/en/aktivitaeten/wandern/bergisches-wanderland This route follows Stage 1 of the Bergischer Weg and connects Essen-Baldeney with Velbert. From the Baldeney hiking car park, the trail leads through beech woods, past Isenburg Castle, to Lake Baldeney. It follows the lakeshore, past the Carl Funke colliery, into the Heisinger Bogen bird sanctuary and crosses the River Ruhr via a former railway bridge to Kupferdreh. Following the Moosbach stream, the route leads into the Hespertal valley and through the Langenhorster Wald to Velbert. Accommodation is available at inns in the villages; wild camping is prohibited in North Rhine-Westphalia. You should carry drinking water with you, though you can top up your supplies in the villages. Both end points are connected to public transport; timetables are available at https://www.vrs.de. The Bergische Weg is a 262 km long-distance hiking trail from Essen to Königswinter, which is usually walked in 14 stages.