Crossing the border from Melick

Cross-border nature reserves
The starting point of this cycle tour is between the Limburg church villages of Melick and Herkenbosch, a bit away from the Maas. From here you set course for the German border. You cycle through De Meinweg National Park, among other things. In this nature reserve you will find a unique terraced landscape with steep transitions between the terraces. Around this area you will find the Maas-Schwalm-Nette Border Park. This park consists of no less than 10,000 hectares of nature reserves on both Dutch and German territory. Here you will find both humid landscapes in the Maas valley and dry, sandy landscapes on the higher terraces. For example, you pass through the Lüsekamp und Boschbeektal nature reserve with birch forests, swamps, grasslands and moist heathlands.

Roman traces in Melick
The church village of Melick is a stone's throw from the start and end point of this cycle route. Traces have been found in this small village that show that Romans used to live here. The Roman name of Melick was Mederiacum and a Roman road that was built between Maastricht and Nijmegen ran straight through this place at the time. In the village you will find the Kerkberg, where the St. Andrew's Church used to be.