The Dellen Maastricht, Valkenburg and Bemelen

Cycling through the South Limburg National Landscape means cycling over hills, to peaks and valleys, from one striking place in history to the next location seems even more important. This cycling tour leads through the rolling landscape, characterized by plateaus and stream valleys. Steep slopes with fertile loess, silex and limestone, but also beautiful standard orchards, chapel and crucifixes can be found in the landscape. You cycle from Maastricht to the famous tourist attraction Valkenburg and pass many small church villages, where you get a good feeling of the outdoor life in Limburg. Before you get on your bike, you can buy something tasty for the road at the supermarket Attent supermarket JPvan Wijnberge. The route through the hilly landscape will demand the necessary energy from you, so take the time to walk along the shelves and choose from the abundance of healthy treats, a fresh piece of fruit, some savory and various drinks. In Bern is the Geulhemermolen, a medium-sized mill built in 1244 that was used to grind corn. In 1588 the mill was leased for three barrels of good rye a week for a period of three years. A contract from 1632 shows that the lease price was eventually no longer paid in kind but in money, namely a hundred rixdollars in installments of six months. Since then, the mill has regularly been sold, bought back and exchanged. Eventually, Arnold Joseph Quaedvlieg received the perpetual leasehold of the mill. To record this moment, he had the year 1768 put on the mill. Half a kilometer away is Geulzicht Castle, which belongs to the last generation of castles in the Netherlands. Geulzicht was designed at the end of the nineteenth century by Henri Reekin, commissioned by industrialist Pieter Carel Zuyderhoudt and his wife, who wanted to live in it. In 1937 the castle was used as a hotel. The owner of the hotel, Mr. Weinberg, was called Ome Joep by everyone, not knowing that this would come in very handy. During the war, in 1940, the German officers occupied the castle. The castle was set up as a central command post. It is amazing that there were also Jewish people in hiding in the castle at the same time. Because everyone Mr. Weinberg automatically called Uncle Joep, there was no danger that they would betray him or themselves. You arrive in rural Houthem, where Chateau Sint Gerlach was built in the twelfth century as a monastery. In 1574, during the Eighty Years' War, the monastery was completely destroyed by Louis of Nassau during a campaign against the Spaniards. In 1661 the monastery came into Spanish hands, after which it only returned to Dutch ownership in 1786. Only in the 19th century was the monastery converted into a castle and during World War II the castle was occupied by the Germans, while after the liberation it housed American soldiers. In 1994, the castle was bought by the current owner, who immediately started a huge restoration. Today the complex is a luxurious hotel, restaurant and conference venue. Then you arrive in touristic Valkenburg at the Kruitmolen water mill, which uses the water of the river Geul. In 1820, permission was granted to erect and build the powder mill. Initially, gunpowder was produced with this water mill, from which the mill takes its name. Later it became a paper mill and later the mill was used to generate electricity. The mill is in the top 100 of the Dutch UNESCO monuments and is a national monument. Castle Den Halder is an imposing building, originally built as a defense tower. This was part of the ramparts of the fortified city. The name of the castle comes from the word"holder\\\", which meant that the tower was meant to hold back the enemy. Den Halder only really became a castle in the early seventeenth century, when the owners had a major renovation carried out. When Valkenburg grew into a holiday and spa resort at the end of the nineteenth century, there was a need for building land for hotels and apartments. A large part of the estate was therefore purchased by the municipality together with the beautiful public city park. The most famous castle ruin in the Netherlands is Castle Ruin Valkenburg, one of the few hilltop castles in the Netherlands. The castle is located on the Heunsbergen and was built around 1115. The castle was the beginning of what would later grow into the town of Valkenburg. In the course of the fourteenth century, the castle grounds were enlarged by the dumping of rubble and the complex expanded enormously. In the Middle Ages, the castle was besieged several times and during the Eighty Years' War, the castle changed hands several times. In 1773 there was a devastating fire. After this fire, many boulders from the castle ruins were used to rebuild Valkenburg. The ruin, with its colorful history, is a national monument. Beyond Sibbe, near Wolfshuis, is a belt mill from 1855: the Van Tienhovenm. What is special about this mill is that it is the only mill in the Netherlands that is largely built from marl stones. The high place where the mill was eventually built was favorable because of the windage. Whichever side you approach the mill from, it is always visible from afar. When you have cycled the last part back to the supermarket, you will undoubtedly have worked up an appetite from the trip. In the supermarket you can buy all the things to prepare a delicious meal at home and fill your stomach within your own cozy homely atmosphere.