Niederrhein Gravel

Niederrhein Gravel is an autumn gravel day on the Lower Rhine that its organisers sum up as an experience rather than a race: no ranking, no typical cut-off, just a long day in the saddle followed by a finisher party.

The loops leave the Landhaus Beckmann country inn near Kalkar and head straight into the Hochwald and Tüschenwald woods before rolling through fields and forest tracks towards the Dutch border. The terrain is gentle by German standards, but short autumn days and changeable weather make it a real outing, and the longest option is an unsupported one-day challenge with GPS tracking.

Behind it is TriFUN Kleve, a triathlon club from the Kleve district that wanted to give the region its own gravel event. Fresh coffee at the start, a supported rest stop on the main routes and a vegan-friendly finisher buffet at the inn set the community tone.