Once the lifeline of heavy industry, the Rhine-Herne Canal has been transformed into a location for local recreation. Opened in 1914, the canal was long Europe’s busiest inland shipping route and even today numerous ships from all over the world pass through it. However, the significance of the waterway is increasingly changing from shipping to a center of water sports and leisure. For cycling enthusiasts, the Emscherradewg (Emscher cycle path) has been extended along the length of the canal. If you would to prefer to travel the canal at a more leisurely pace, the so-called Baldeney White Fleet (Weiße Flotte Baldeney) has cruise lines between Oberhausen and Gelsenkirchen.