The Dellen Maastricht, Valkenburg and Bemelen

Cycling through the National Landscape of South Limburg means cycling over hills, to peaks and valleys, from one striking place in history to the next location that seems even more important. This cycling tour leads through the rolling landscape, characterized by plateaus and stream valleys. Steep slopes with fertile loess, flint and limestone, but also beautiful high-stem orchards, chapels and crucifixes can be found in the landscape. You cycle from Maastricht to the well-known 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 Attent supermarket JPvan Wijnberge. The route through the hilly landscape will require a lot of energy, so take your time to walk along the shelves and make a choice from the abundance of healthy treats, a fresh piece of fruit, something savory and various drinks. In Bern stands the Geulhemermolen, a medium-sized mill built in 1244 that was used to grind grain. In 1588 the mill was leased for three barrels of good rye per week for a period of three years. A contract from 1632 shows that the lease price was eventually no longer paid in kind but with money, namely one hundred rijksdaalders in installments of half a year. Since then the mill has been sold, bought back and exchanged regularly. 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 kilometre further lies 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 there. In 1937 the castle was put into use as a hotel. The owner of the hotel, Mr. Weinberg, was called Uncle 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. Miraculously, there were also Jewish people in hiding in the castle at the same time. Because everyone automatically addressed Mr. Weinberg as Uncle Joep, there was no danger that they would betray him or themselves. You arrive in the 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 Lodewijk van Nassau during a campaign against the Spanish. In 1661, the monastery came into Spanish hands, after which it did not come back into Dutch possession until 1786. It was not until the 19th century that the monastery was converted into a castle and during the Second World War 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 major restoration. Today the complex is a luxurious hotel, restaurant and conference centre. Then you come to the touristic Valkenburg at the watermill de Kruitmolen, which uses the water of the river Geul. In 1820 permission was granted to establish and build the gunpowder mill. Initially, this watermill was used to produce gunpowder, from which the mill takes its name. Later it became a paper mill and later still the mill was used to generate electricity. The mill is in the top 100 of the Dutch UNESCO monuments and is a national monument. Den Halder Castle is an impressive building, which was originally built as a defence tower. This was part of the city wall of the fortified city. The name of the castle comes from the word"houder\\\", which meant that the tower was intended to hold back the enemy. Den Halder only really became a castle at the beginning of the seventeenth century, when the owners had a major renovation carried out. When Valkenburg grew into a holiday and health 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 Kasteelruïne 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 made larger by dumping 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 owners several times. In 1773 there was a devastating fire. After this fire, many boulders from the castle ruin were used to rebuild Valkenburg. The ruin, with its colourful history, is a national monument. Past Sibbe, at the height of Wolfshuis, there 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 marlstone. The high place where the mill was eventually built was favourable because of the wind catch. Whichever side you approach the mill from, it is always visible from far away. When you have cycled the last part back to the supermarket, you will undoubtedly have worked up a big appetite from the trip. In the supermarket you can buy all the things to prepare a delicious meal at home and fill your stomach in your own, cosy home atmosphere.