Projekt Karl – A Social Gravel Ride

Non-Commercial. Authentic. Pure Gravel.

Blog

  • Projekt Karl 2026#4

    Projekt Karl 2026#4

    Fall is here, the trees are changing color, and the leaves are falling. It’s high time for this year’s 4th Projekt Karl Social Gravel Ride.

    And this time, there’s something special: a collaboration between Projekt Karl and the Gravel Club Trier!

    On Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., we’ll set off together—Projekt Karl and the Gravel Club—from the Südbad in Trier (https://maps.app.goo.gl/gKCsFisANK7PqUCs8).

    We’ll then ride through the Mattheiser Forest and the Konzer Tälchen valley to the Saar River.
    In Wiltingen, the routes will split: Projekt Karl will continue over the hills—always with beautiful views of the Saar—to the Cloef in Orscholz, which offers a breathtaking view of the Saar Loop.
    The return trip will then take us over the ridge of the Saargau.
    The Gravel Club will ride from Wiltingen along the old arm of the Saar through Ayl to Mannebach and then rejoin the main route.

    On the long route, we can restock our supplies at the Rewe in Orscholz.

    The long route is approximately 110 km with about 1,700 meters of elevation gain: https://www.komoot.com/tour/3353664893
    The short route is about 53 km with approximately 800 meters of elevation gain: https://www.komoot.com/tour/3355746531

    Free parking is available at the Südbad: https://maps.app.goo.gl/5KkCiV7QpAshjh1Q7

    See you then at Project Karl 2026#4!

    PS: You can find all previous tracks from 2022 to 2026 on our website: https://projekt-karl.de/tracks/

  • Impressions of Projekt Karl 2026#3

    In perfect late-summer weather, we set out from Schweich and rode to the Kueser Plateau. From there, we rode through Mülheim to the Hunsrück side and back to the starting point, with constant ups and downs and the most amazing views. A perfect day with a great group.

  • Projekt Karl 2026#3

    Projekt Karl 2026#3

    On Saturday 19 September 2026 at 9.00 am, we’re off again!


    This time, the route takes us from Schweich via the Wittlich Valley up to the Kues Plateau. We’ll then cycle through an prehistoric valley of the Moselle near Maring-Noviand.
    We’ll cross the Moselle at Mülheim. Here, we can stock up on supplies at Netto. We’ll then cycle through another prehistoric valley of the Moselle to Hirzlei.
    The second part of the route showcases the beauty of the Moselle from the Hunsrück side: Zummethöhe, Moselkino, the Fünfseen-Blick – and there are even more highlights along the way.
    We’ll set off from Schweich at the ‘Zum Fährturm’ car park, where there’s plenty of parking available: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tSCCiw2tCGzhWJ8QA

    Route details: approx. 103 km with around 1,900 metres of elevation gain.

    The track: https://www.komoot.com/de-de/tour/3270857833

    See you then at Project Karl 2026#3!

  • Impressions of Projekt Karl 2026#2

    It was a hot summer’s day – just as forecast. But we all had a lovely day and made sure to take plenty of breaks. See for yourselves:

  • Projekt Karl 2026#2

    Projekt Karl 2026#2


    On Saturday 15 August 2026 at 9.00 am, we’re finally back in action: Projekt Karl invites you to another epic social gravel ride!
    We’ll be setting off on a lovely loop through the Hochwald – escaping the worst of the heat on the finest gravel.
    The ride starts and finishes in Ruwer at the start of the Ruwertal Cycle Route (https://maps.app.goo.gl/6EG8C9VR6MX8gtxv7) and will cover approximately 106 km with around 1,700 metres of elevation gain.
    You can find the track here: https://www.komoot.com/de-de/tour/3182730367

    A refreshment point will be available in Hermeskeil at the ‘Wasgau’.
    Due to the forecast heat next weekend, the route offers further stops for drinking water:
    – At the Nonnweiler weir, we can stop for coffee and cake at the café
    – Nonnweiler has a pub
    – Optional: drinking water in Gusenburg at the cemetery
    – Reinsfeld (several restaurants or the kebab shop)
    – Ruwer spring

    Please do bring enough food and drink with you, though! We’ll be cycling through the Hochwald, and apart from the places mentioned, there are hardly any opportunities to restock.
    If you’re travelling by car, you can park for free at the “Hüsterwiese”: https://maps.app.goo.gl/x9STsDsnszhzP5176

    See you at Projekt Karl 2026#2!

    PS: You can find all previous tracks from 2022 to 2026 on our website: On Saturday 15 August 2026 at 9.00 am, we’re finally back in action: Projekt Karl invites you to another epic social gravel ride!
    We’ll be setting off on a lovely loop through the Hochwald – escaping the worst of the heat on the finest gravel.
    The ride starts and finishes in Ruwer at the start of the Ruwertal Cycle Route (https://maps.app.goo.gl/6EG8C9VR6MX8gtxv7) and will cover approximately 106 km with around 1,700 metres of elevation gain.
    You can find the track here: https://www.komoot.com/de-de/tour/3182730367

    A refreshment point will be available in Hermeskeil at the ‘Wasgau’.
    Due to the forecast heat next weekend, the route offers further stops for drinking water:
    – At the Nonnweiler weir, we can stop for coffee and cake at the café
    – Nonnweiler has a pub
    – Optional: drinking water in Gusenburg at the cemetery
    – Reinsfeld (several restaurants or the kebab shop)
    – Ruwer spring

    Please do bring enough food and drink with you, though! We’ll be cycling through the Hochwald, and apart from the places mentioned, there are hardly any opportunities to restock.
    If you’re travelling by car, you can park for free at the “Hüsterwiese”: https://maps.app.goo.gl/x9STsDsnszhzP5176

    See you at Projekt Karl 2026#2!

    PS: You can find all previous tracks from 2022 to 2026 on our website: https://projekt-karl.de/tracks/

  • Project Karl 2026#1 – are you in?

    Project Karl 2026#1 – are you in?

    It all kicks off on Saturday 30 May 2026: Project Karl officially launches for the 2026 season. Will you be there?

    The weather certainly won’t be an excuse 🙂

    The event starts at 9:00 am in Trier-Biewer at the Mäusheckerhalle.

    You can find the track here: https://www.komoot.com/de-de/tour/2915039399.

    You can find all the details here: https://projekt-karl.de/en/2026/04/22/projekt-karl-20261-2/

  • Voting the date of Projekt Karl 2026#1

    Voting the date of Projekt Karl 2026#1

    Voting is now open – you can help decide when this year’s first Projekt Karl Social Gravel Ride will take place.
    You can find the poll here: https://nuudel.digitalcourage.de/DIqwpJaO66i6FRID
    Nuudel works without registration or tracking.
    By the way, the route scouting is all done 🙂

  • Projekt Karl 2026#1

    Dear Gravel Community,

    It’s been over six months since our last Social Ride.

    But now the Karl Project is back for 2026 and will be introducing a few new features. For organisational reasons, only one route will be offered per event – namely the long route.

    There will also be a change to the dates: whereas previously we set the dates at the start of the year, this year we’re taking a more flexible approach: you – the participants – will decide the date for our first Social Gravel Ride of the year. To this end, we’ve set up a survey (anonymous and without tracking, of course): Nuudel

    Please vote on the proposed dates by 29 April 2026.

    However, we reserve the right to make spontaneous changes to the dates in the event of a bad weather forecast.

    The route for our first Social Ride of 2026 starts and ends in Trier at the “Mäusheckerhalle” (Parking at the school center, https://maps.app.goo.gl/4DB4QdYrq6NaHKt79).

    For the first time on this tour, we will ride through the beautiful Meulenwald forest to Zemmer. Here, at the Netto supermarket, you’ll find the first opportunity to stock up on supplies. Passing Spangdahlem Air Base, we’ll head through the Kailbach Valley. Shortly afterwards, we’ll reach Himmerod Abbey, where we’ll take the day’s break at Café Flesch https://www.cafe-flesch.de/. Well fortified, we continue via Landscheid (last refreshment stop: Netto) and back through the Meulenwald to Trier.

    The route will cover approximately 109km and 2000 metres of elevation gain. Challenging, but very varied.
    The track can be downloaded on Komoot: https://www.komoot.com/de-de/tour/2915039399 and on our website https://projekt-karl.de/tracks/.

    See you then at Projekt Karl 2026#1 🙂

  • Impressions of Projekt Karl 2025#4

    Impressions of Projekt Karl 2025#4

    Only 3 degrees and fog in the morning did not deter 8 riders from participating in the fourth edition of our Social Gravel Ride for 2025.

    And we were rewarded not long after the start: while Kanzem was still hidden in the fog, the fog cleared from Krohkreuz onwards and the sun came out. From then on, we rode through colorful forests in beautiful autumn weather.

    The great group and the beautiful route have us really looking forward to 2026. There’s still a while to go until the first official Gravel Ride in 2026, but who knows, maybe we’ll come up with a spontaneous idea for a year-end event 🙂