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 the Limburg Maasland, which consists of the actual Maas valley, which is approximately four kilometres wide and the Maas terraces. 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 recognisable. The city walls had to make way for the Burgemeester Philipslaan. When this road was reconstructed, the foundations of the Eikerpoort were discovered. The foundations of the count's castle were exposed in the parking garage under the Kolonel Aertsplein. These can still be seen there. Dilsen is located in Maasland, consisting of the Maas valley, the Maas terraces and the Kempens Plateau. The height varies from 33 metres near the Maas to 93 metres on the plateau. The plateau used to be home to the Ledebos, which gradually turned into heathland due to overgrazing. Today this area is part of the Hoge Kempen National Park. The soil here consists of gravel and gravelly sand deposited by the Meuse in the middle Pleistocene. On top of this lies a thin layer of loamy sand.