Cycling through the Leudal and Starrenbos

Beautiful stream valleys, forest fens and inland dunes in a relatively high-lying cover sand area on the west bank of the Maas. The Leudal is an incredibly beautiful part of Limburg with varied vegetation. The wet forests in the deep stream valleys are rare types and very diverse. They attract many different animal species. Mustelids, such as badgers, are attracted to the greenery, where deer jump away and foxes hunt birds, rabbits and other small game. It is the ideal habitat for the kingfisher, which nests on the steep sand banks and scrapes together in the fish-rich streams. The Eurasian Eurasian falcon, sparrowhawk and large yellow wagtail are also doing well. The phege butterfly flutters over the sparse grasslands, and spotted orchid grows between the fields and meadows, while in the more swampy parts of the area snake root, gale thicket and gold veil take root.

The tour takes you to Horn Castle, located next to De Maas. The medieval castle is one of the oldest intact ring wall castles in the Netherlands. It is a striking building with a square gatehouse, a southern wing and two semicircular towers connected by a ring wall. Around the castle is a landscaped park and a nineteenth-century castle farm that originally belonged to the castle.

Ten kilometers further you cycle past the St. Lindert mill. This beautiful open post windmill was built around 1790. The base was not yet walled and covered, which is now the case. The mill was decommissioned in 1965. The mill was restored in 1969, after which it was still used occasionally. In 1997 it turned out that the pied rodent beetle had severely damaged the woodwork. Another restoration followed. Today, the St. Lindert grinds grain on a voluntary basis. The mill can be visited on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.