The Hochwald, a low wooded ridge between Uedem, Xanten and Kalkar in the Lower Rhine region, hides the traces of Roman military camps, temporary enclosures where troops trained, camped or prepared for campaigns. Uedem-Hochwald 7.2 is one of these, and the camps are part of the Lower German Limes World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2021. The camps were discovered through aerial photography and laser scanning, and they show how intensively the Romans used this area near their great base at Xanten.
Xanten, seven kilometres away, was one of the most important Roman sites in Germany. The legionary fortress of Vetera stood nearby, and the city of Colonia Ulpia Traiana grew into a major town. Today the LVR Archaeological Park in Xanten has reconstructed parts of the Roman city, including walls, a temple and an amphitheatre. The medieval town has a magnificent Gothic cathedral, St Victor's, and according to the Nibelungenlied, the hero Siegfried was born in Xanten.
The Lower Rhine landscape is flat, with fields, meadows, woods and old towns. The Rhine flows broad and slow, with dykes and floodplains. Kalkar, nearby, is a well-preserved medieval town, and its outskirts hold a curiosity: a nuclear power plant that was built but never switched on, now converted into an amusement park. The Reichswald forest to the north was the scene of fierce fighting in early 1945, and war cemeteries mark the battles.
Riding here is relaxed, with straight roads, gentle curves and little traffic. The roads along the Rhine and through the villages are pleasant, and cyclists are common. The weather is mild but changeable, with rain and wind coming off the North Sea.
Xanten, Uedem and Kalkar are all large enough for fuel and food. In May and June the Lower Rhine goes asparagus-mad, with white spears and hollandaise on every menu, and Xanten's market square is a pleasant place to sit with a coffee after a walk through the Roman park.