The Flemish Maasland

On the left bank of the Maas, opposite Roosteren, you will find the beautiful city of Maaseik. The municipality of Maaseik is part of Limburg's Maasland, which consists of the actual Maas Valley, which is approximately four kilometers wide, and the Maasterranes. In addition to the Maas, there are two streams in the municipality, the Bosbeek and the Zanderbeek. The planned street pattern from the time of the foundation of Maaseik is still clearly recognizable. The city walls had to make way for Burgemeester Philipslaan. When this road was rebuilt, the foundations of the Eikerpoort were discovered. The foundations of the count's castle have been uncovered in the parking garage under Kolonel Aertsplein. These can still be seen today. Dilsen is located in Maasland, consisting of the Maas Valley, the Maasterranes and the Kempen Plateau. The height varies from 33 meters near the Meuse to 93 meters on the plateau. The Ledebos used to exist on the plateau, which gradually turned into heathland due to overgrazing. Nowadays this area is part of the Hoge Kempen National Park. The soil here consists of gravel and gravel-containing sand deposited by the Meuse in the Middle Pleistocene. There is a thin layer of loamy sand on top of this.