The Kottenforst sits on a terrace between the Rhine plain and the hills of the Vorgebirge, and its northern edge comes right up against the settlements of Alfter, Bornheim and Bonn. The ground here is clay and loess, wet in winter and hard in summer, and it has made good soil for farming around the woods. The pattern, though, of woodland surrounded by old hedgerows and farm tracks, is typical of the Rhineland.
What gives the place its interest is the edge. You come out of a stand of beech into open fields of cabbage, strawberries and asparagus, while the lignite country of the Rhenish coalfield lies not far to the west, a sharp reminder that this is also industrial country. The Vorgebirge, just north, is the fruit-and-vegetable garden of Cologne and Bonn, and its farm shops sell apples, plums and pumpkins in autumn. Hawks and buzzards hunt the field margins, and in spring the hedgerows are white with blackthorn.
The ride is gentle and varied. The lanes between Alfter and Bornheim and Roisdorf are narrow and smooth, with village crossings, speed bumps and cyclists, and they link to quieter roads through the woods. The Rhine is a short distance east, with its flood plain and ferry crossings, and the Siebengebirge on the far side adds a dramatic skyline. Weekends in fine weather bring walkers, dog owners and families, so ride with consideration. Early autumn mornings are lovely, with mist lying between the beech trunks, and winter fog can be thick.
Alfter, three kilometres from here, has fuel stations, supermarkets and bakeries, and Bonn is a short ride north-east. Try a Rhenish Reibekuchen, a potato pancake with apple sauce, at one of the farm stalls or markets. Forest tracks near the Domhecken are closed to motor vehicles, and parking is usually found at designated forest car parks. Mobile signals are good, and the paths are well signed for those who wish to walk.