The Meuse Valley near Maaseik

This route through the Dutch-Belgian border area takes you along the river Maas through the beautiful Maas valley. You cycle to Maaseik where the typical, planned street pattern is reminiscent of the time when the city was founded. The Maas is called Grensmaas here because it forms the border between Belgium and the Netherlands. Maaseik is located in the Limburg Maasland, the area around the Maas that consists of the Maas valley and the Maas terraces. During your visit to Maaseik, be sure to try the famous knapkoek: the crispy biscuit for which the city is famous. At Rotem you cycle along the Bichterweerd nature reserve. In this area, a lot of gravel was extracted in the second half of the 20th century, which created lakes. These lakes are now developed and managed as a nature reserve. You cross the Maas with a pedestrian-bicycle ferry and end up in the Dutch town of Grevenbicht. You continue your way across Dutch territory, along the waterfront of the Julianakanaal. At Nattenhoven you cross the Grensmaas back to Belgium. On the site of Kasteel Ter Motten (also Kasteel Termotten or Kasteel Dilsen) there may have been an older motte or castle. The oldest known lord of the castle was mentioned in 1375. The current castle, built in baroque style in yellow painted brick, was built in 1725. The interior still contains beautiful 18th and 19th century fireplaces, some of which are covered with tiles in Delft blue. The castle is surrounded by a park with special trees.