Cycling along both banks of the Maas between Venlo and Kessel

You cycle along both banks of the Maas through charming North Limburg villages and towns. It is a cycle tour with nature and culture and always a view of the endlessly flowing Maas. And then the accent of this region: a combination of Brabant, Limburgish and German. Spoken among themselves it is incomprehensible to an outsider.

Venlo
The historic center of Venlo was heavily bombed during the Second World War. That is why you see a lot of new construction and the city has the appearance of a real working city. Outside the built-up area, it quickly becomes peaceful again on the Grote Heide, a nature reserve that, due to its special location, has many unusual plant and animal species, such as the red heath and the sand lizard.

Terraced landscape
In the area between Venlo and Tegelen, a lot of clay used to be extracted for the ceramic industry. Tiling, which means 'roof tile', takes its name from this. Towards Reuver you cycle through a unique terraced landscape. You can recognize this by the natural 'steps' that have been created by shifting of the earth's crust on three fault lines: the Peelrand Fault, the Meinweg Fault and the Zandberg Fault. This has created four graduated plateaus.

Castles
The opposite bank of the Maas has a completely different picture: typical Maas villages, built around a castle, and bird-rich floodplains. Ooijen Castle is located just outside Ooijen. It's impossible to miss: the bright white building will sparkle at you in a little sunlight. The next village, Baarlo, even calls itself a castle village. Within the borders you will find no fewer than four castles that, although renovated and with a different purpose, still have a knightly appearance.