Of tinkerers, smiths and clothmakers

Go in search of clues: contemporary testimonies in stone to Bergisch industrial history are everywhere in the cities and valleys of the Bergisches Land.

Wield a hammer and forge your own knife blade at the Hendrichs drop forge. The old tram rattles and squeaks along the mountain line through the Kaltenbach valley.

Stop off on the way and visit Manuelskotten where grinders still work as they did in days gone by. Listen to fascinating stories of Bergisch grinders, witches and pixies along the hiking trail between Schloss Burg and the Müngsten Bridge park.

Experience the cultural trademarks of the Bergisch tri-city area

The “Bergische Tour” on a vintage bus takes you to Steffenshammer the last working forge cottage in the Morsbach valley and to the imposing Müngsten Bridge which has spanned the Wupper valley for over 125 years.

Or would you prefer to explore Bergisch industrial history under your own steam? The “Spurensuche Tuchmacherstadt” (search for clues in the clothmakers’ town) leads to the old town of Lennep. “Made in Solingen” can be found in the “Klingenstadt” (city of blades). Time travel on the “Zeitreise Schwebebahn” (suspension railway journey through time) in Wuppertal or learn about “Textil im Wuppertal” (textiles in the Wupper valley).

Adventure hiking trails and cycle routes along disused railway lines guarantee a first-hand experience of Bergisch industrial culture – whether on foot or on two wheels.

Industrial history museums
Schloss Burg
Brückenpark Müngsten
Oldtimer bus
Museum of early industrialisation
Engels-House
Manuelskotten
Balkhauser Kotten
Wipperkotten
Steffenshammer
German tool museum
German blade museum
LVR-Museum Hendrichs drop forge
Lennep old town
Gräfrath old town
Historic Beyenburg

Touren:
Clues in the Clothmakers' town
Bergisch panorama cycling trail
Wupper adventure trail
Morsbach adventure trail
Eschbach valley experience trail