Maastricht Windmills along Bunde, Gronsveld and Eijsden

The hilly landscape of Limburg is wonderful for cycling. The reward of climbing to the top of the hills is worth it, as you are rewarded with beautiful views of the landscape, while driving down requires no effort at all. Cycling through the heart of Maastricht, along the river bank and along the Maasboulevard, is a great experience. Here you can taste the atmosphere of the Limburg capital and it becomes clear why Maastricht is known as one of the nicest cities in the Netherlands. Near the parking lot in Eijsden, where you can park your car for free, you will come across Eijsden Castle. This castle is also called'de Borg\\\' or'Laag Caestertburg\\\' and is a national monument. The current castle was built in 1636, rebuilt in 1767 and then restored. It consists of two wings at right angles to each other, both of which have a heavy corner tower on the outside. The whole is surrounded by a moat and the castle has a gatehouse with a forecourt. The park, built in 1900, is freely accessible. Another beautiful building is the seventeenth-century country house called De Houweert. Rectangular, built with bricks and closed on the south side with a gable, the building dominates the estate on which it is built. There is a square tower on the west facade and on the east side there is a beautiful projecting chapel with beveled corners. Nowadays there is a hotel/restaurant and rooms are rented out for meetings and parties. There are many watermills in this part of Limburg. The new mill, now called the Rothemer mill, is one of the many water mills in this region. The medium-speed water mill was built in 1850 to grind corn. Over the years, the water level has become lower, making it increasingly difficult for the mill to turn. The mill was closed down around 1950 and the Nieuwe Molen was completely restored for the last time in the summer of 2009. The Groote Molen is also a water mill, but it is used to generate electricity. The mill was built in 1935 and was originally powered only by water. In 1985, a 55-kilowatt generator was installed and the mill has been supplying power to the grid since 1986. De Groote Molen now only uses hydropower indirectly and is driven by individual electric motors. Another beautiful mill is the Gronsveld Tower Mill. The Netherlands has only five of this type of mills and the structure is therefore in the Top 100 of the Dutch UNECSO monuments. The impressive building was built between 1618 and 1623 and was originally a ground sailor. During the Second World War the mill was set on fire and burned down completely. The mill was restored over the decades and the grinding equipment of a demolished windmill from Maarheeze was used as a grinder in this mill. The next stop on the route is Rijckholt Castle. This national monument was built in the twelfth century. The castle has a coach house and a hunting lodge, both built in the eighteenth century. The hunting lodge has a beautiful chalet-style roof. The castle originally had a double moat, but only one of them has been preserved. The Meschermolen is an overcast water mill from 1699. It was used as a flour mill and it is the first water mill on the Voer stream. The mill served for centuries and was only closed down in the early 1950s. The mill was then no longer needed, because an electric hammer mill was installed in the village. The mill was restored between 1996 and 1998 and made ready for grinding again. The mill can be visited by appointment. The Muggemolen is another beautiful watermill. This medium-sized mill was used as a flour mill and was built in 1886. In the gable above the water wheel there is a beautiful facade stone with a coat of arms depicting a flaming cross. The mill was last restored and made ready for milling in 1973. The Breustermolen is a water mill that was built in 1791 as a flour mill. He held his position for more than two hundred years until he was decommissioned in 1972. The mill was subsequently equipped to supply electricity, just like the Groote Molen. A 24 kilowatt DC generator has been installed and the mill has been ready to supply electricity since 1986. However, the yield was very disappointing and the mill was returned to its original state in 1989. The last mill you will encounter during your cycle tour is the Eijsden Grain Mill. This water mill was built in 1857. This mill, which was used as a flour mill, replaces its predecessor that was built in 1788. One of the three couples present can be driven electrically so that the mill could also run at low tide. The mill was in use until the early 1950s and then fell into disrepair. The mill was last restored in 1975 but is no longer used. Finally, you can try the tastiest wines at the Heerenhoeven wine estate. The adjacent vineyard was established in 1992 and all the grapes for the wine are freshly grown here. If you would like to take a look at the vineyard, you can make an appointment.