Knife, Spades and Plank

The Belgian Voer region borders on the Mergelland in South Limburg and has the same characteristics. A hilly landscape with beautiful stream valleys, steep slopes and a rich soil consisting of fertile loess, silex and limestone. On the steep southern slopes, original oak birch forests have been replaced by plantations of beech, larch and spruce, favoring the presence of bracken and honeysuckle. Typical for this type of forest are the medlar and the spray elderberry, which you will see in abundance here. Lower down the slope, mainly oak-hornbeam forests thrive, in which vine and ivy also thrive. In sunny places, marjoram and elderberry grow, typical'southerners\\\' that attract the vineyard snail, the famous'escargot de Bourgogne\\\'. The lonely buzzard or kestrel that hangs motionless'praying\\\' are easier to spot than the shy roe deer, foxes or badgers that have their habitat here. Nevertheless, an observant nature lover can also find traces and switches of these animals in the forest. The lovely sloping surroundings make you feel like you're in paradise. In the romantic village centers, the church still stands in the middle. The hawthorn hedges, paternoster of chapels and field crosses, old farms, typical half-timbered houses, castles with associated estates, orchards, and the unforgettable panoramas, have an irresistible appeal in every season. Cycling through the Voer region means cycling over hills, to peaks and valleys. Park your car at the attractive Afspanning De Swaen in's Gravenvoeren, which is halfway along the stagecoach route Aachen-Liège. The adjacent chapel and the cast iron water pump make you find yourself in a distant past. Delicious regional beers are served on the inviting terrace. You can order a drink with confidence, Belgian Limburgish is spoken here and there is no language barrier. So before or after your bike ride you can't help but surrender yourself to the exuberant hospitality. When you have cycled 6.5 km, you pass a real sight. Castle Eijsden is in the top of the Dutch Unesco Monuments. The historic castle consists of two angled wings connected by a corner tower. There is a gatehouse with forecourt and a park that is freely accessible. The Mescher mill is also beautiful. The overshot water mill from 1699 was used as a flour mill and it is the first water mill on the Voer stream. The mill served for centuries and was only shut down in the early 1950s. The mill was no longer needed at that time, because an electric hammer mill was installed in the village. Between 1996 and 1998, the mill was restored and made operational again. The mill can be viewed by appointment. In the smallest village of the Voer region, Sint-Pieters-Voeren, you can refresh your knowledge of history with a visit to the Commanderie. Until the French Revolution it belonged to the German order of knighthood Alden Biesen. When the complex came into private hands after the French Revolution, it began to decay. It has been state-owned since 1971 and began a thorough renovation that lasted 16 years. The complex consists of a main building, a farm, stables and a gatehouse. At the bottom of the gatehouse is the Trumpeters House, which now houses a café-restaurant. The oldest part of the fortress is the L-shaped wing, topped by a tower. A number of ponds were added to the original moats around the castle, in which trout (local product), sturgeon and eel are still farmed.