Echt, Geleen and Nieuwstad

The municipality of Sittard-Geleen is located on the border of Central Limburg and the South Limburg hill country. Sittard is one of the older places in the Netherlands and is the second oldest city in the province of Limburg. The town is first mentioned as"Sitter\\\" in 1147, but finds have been made that show that the area was inhabited long before the beginning of our era. The oldest villages in the Netherlands were once located here: around 5300 BC, the lineal ceramicists lived in small settlements that numbered between 50 and 150 people. A complete cemetery with more than 100 remains was found in the Hoogveld district of Sittard. Many Roman plot boundaries have also been found and pottery has been excavated. The Stadbroekermolen is also located in Sittard. This old water mill milled on the Molenbeek. This was the second watermill built on the Molenbeek. Because of the odor nuisance caused by grinding oak bark, the mill was built far outside the city. In addition to serving as a bark and grinding mill, the Stadbroekermolen also started beating oil in 1699 and after the ban on the first mill in Sittard (Sittardermolen) was lifted, the turbine mill could also grind grain. When you have cycled thirty kilometers, you will arrive at Tuincafé Intratuin Geleen. This nice garden café invites you to take a nice break. Children have fun in the ball pit while adults enjoy a drink. A tasty snack can also be provided: a delicious Italian Panini, a freshly made healthy sandwich or a hearty omelette or bouncer will certainly be included during this more than sixty kilometer long bike ride! If you continue the route, you will pass several historic buildings. Grasbroek Castle was once a real fortress. There is a rectangular house on the site from 1596. There are two floors with facades that swing in and out. 63 loopholes were provided so that Grasbroek could be well defended and in the east corner there is a round, brick stair tower. Diagonally opposite this tower, you will see an ark tower on the west corner. The castle was originally surrounded by a moat, but now that the moat has been drained, it is barely recognizable. Another beautiful castle is Limbricht Castle, which is another rare example of a well-preserved motte-and-bailey castle. The castle from 1622, which stands on an artificial hill, is surrounded by a moat and the main castle has an outer castle in the shape of a U-shaped castle farm. There is also a gatekeeper's house and a milk house to see and a sheep house was added in the eighteenth century. The square main building has a small courtyard and loopholes are clearly visible in the outer walls. In the rear wing, where a five-sided castle chapel from 1643 can be found, you can recognize a square stair tower. After you have viewed these historic castles, you cycle to a stately mansion: Huis Witham, also known as Huis Wittem. An old castle was built on the site of the current building in 1444. Around 1700, a house, named after its feudal lord Frederik van Wittem, was built on the remains of the historic fortress. The rectangular, white mansion was built of brick and has three floors. The oldest part of the building is the middle of the rear facade, where there is a semi-circular, closed extension. The house, which is adorned with a high hipped roof, has a square-shaped farm from the early twentieth century and a tithe barn. If you look closely, you can see the remains of a dry moat. The last sight of this cycle tour is another historic watermill. The Pool Mill is part of a farm and derives its power from the Geleenbeek. The oldest mention of the mill goes back to 1662, but the current mill dates from 1883. Originally the mill was equipped with three pairs of grinding stones, but only one of these is still in use. Because the mill is privately owned, it cannot be visited from the inside.