Tour Schimmert from Valkenburg

You first cycle towards Ingendael: a wonderfully quiet nature reserve with flower-rich grasslands through which the Geul meanders. Here you pass the Sint Gerlach castle, which was built as a monastery in the twelfth century. It was not until the nineteenth century that the monastery was converted into a castle. Then you will discover nice villages such as Schimmert, one of the highest (church) villages in the Netherlands. Finally you enter Valkenburg, the city that has a rich cycling history with five World Cups and two finishes in the Tour de France. But history has also left other traces, such as the ruins of Valkenburg Castle.