Boekend, Lottum and Venlo

Beautiful nature, an atmospheric river, picturesque villages and a busy city; this route has it all! Follow the Maas, cross the Houthuizerheide and explore nice villages such as Lottum and the city of Venlo. Lottum is attached to Houthuizen and is mainly known for rose cultivation. Twenty million roses are grown in the municipality annually, which amounts to more than seventy percent of the total production. Appropriately, Lottum was nicknamed"The Rose Village\\\". The Rose Festival is organized every two years around the second Sunday of August. Beautiful rose gardens, rose mosaics, objects made from roses and flower arrangements are then distributed throughout Lottum. Thousands of rosebuds then decorate the village. Lottum borders the Maas, one of the largest rivers that flows through our country. It used to be an important shipping route, although it was sometimes difficult to navigate the Meuse. That problem worsened because in 1843 our southern neighbors built the Bocholt-Herentals canal and tapped water from the Maas to irrigate infertile Kempen lands. Despite the fact that a treaty was concluded in 1863 to solve this problem for the Netherlands, hard work was done from 1915 on to increase the water supply of the Meuse by building weirs, constructing canals and cutting off Meuse bends. Because the height of the water is highly dependent on rainfall, the water is meters high in winter, while the river is almost dry in summer. You can park your car for free and safely at Hotel Maashof. Take the opportunity and book an overnight stay in one of the comfortable rooms. You can also visit route 123771 during a cycling weekend away. During your bike ride you will see one of the 51 Limburg watermills in Grubbenvorst. The Slottermolen is a former medium-speed watermill that was built in 1849. However, the mill part is much older and dates from the fourteenth century. The mill now generates electricity on a voluntary basis and was converted into a house in 1966. As a result, the mill cannot be visited. As you cycle further, you will pass a mansion from the eighteenth century, the wings of which were added around 1800. There is also a stable and a barn on the site called De Steeg. The estate used to be surrounded by a moat. The stately mansion that dominates the grounds has a slate hipped roof. A new entrance has been made in the south facade and the entrance in the rear facade on the west side has also been renovated. The last sight of your cycling tour is De Borggraaf Castle, which is located in Lottum. The castle from 1551 is more of a country house than a fortress. A beautiful forecourt and front buildings give De Borggraaf extra cachet. In 1501 De Borggraaf is mentioned in writing, but at that time it was a court. Gradually, the historic farm was transformed into the imposing building you see today. When you return to the hotel, you can enjoy your bike ride on the outdoor terrace or in the cozy restaurant. When you want to rest from your day, head to your beautiful hotel room, where you can freshen up before crawling under the clean sheets. Then you can build up your energy for route 123771, which is scheduled for the next day.