Can anyone suggest a good route to and from the Ring?

Or Jason if you're reading this what route did we take last year (the one where we ended up detouring through some Belgian town)?

The guys I'm going with would like to stretch their legs a bit on an autobahn or two, I know that's wishful thinking in Western Germany though Seeing some of the countryside would be good as well, not just being stuck on the autobahn 99% of the time.

I was thinking Dunkirk-Lille-Leige-Verviers (via Spa) down to Prum then take the 410 via Gerolstein to Nurburg :S

We only detoured due to traffic. It is Autobahn all the way. basically you stay on the motorway from Dunkirk (E40) all the way until you get the E42 south junction just after Liege, signposted Vervier I think. Follow that for 50 miles or so and get off at Prum and follow the B road east through Gerolstein and eventually it comes out near the Ring.

EDIT: LOL - I just read your last line after typing the above..... I agree then

I believe for more derestricted Autobahn you need to follow the E40 further and take the E31 / E29 down in the direction of the Ring. Will add a fair few miles to the journey though.

Thanks Jason - I did have a feeling we went via Liege and Prum last time as I remember driving north for the last stretch to Gunderath (where we stopped off at that petrol station), and we wouldn't have driven north if we'd have been coming down from the direction of Bonn etc. I think we'll give that a go again then as it means we can stop off for lunch at Spa.

Maybe we'll try the other route on the way back with the de-restricted autobahns but still try and avoid the Brussels ring road

Edited 19 August, 201015 yr by chicken_eyebrow

yup most direct is e40 towards spa, then go south, however to avoid traffic and to get better roads go twards koln (keep going on e40), then head south east on e31, bout 50kms better but better road too imo.