Cycling route The legend of the Bokkenrijders 69 km

Sittard, Valkenburg, Heerlen

The legend of the Bokkenrijders (Goat Riders) is prevalent in South Limburg and Belgium. Between 1740 and 1798, a group with this name was active. This group consisted of violent thieves, extortionists, and robbers. They exploited people's fears to obtain money. This fear arose because stories circulated that this criminal group rode through the sky on goats at night, and that a goat took the form of the devil. In some places, the Bokkenrijders later took on a more Robin Hood-like appearance.

Many people were wrongly sentenced to serve as Bokkenrijders. Blinded by tunnel vision, suspects were tortured until they finally admitted to all the sins they were accused of, even if they hadn't committed them. To this day, you can still see the shackles of torture instruments hanging from the ceilings of the dungeons in Terborgh Castle. Afterward, they were sentenced in the Courthouse, which was also located in Terborgh Castle.

Along this route, you'll find several places where the legend lives on. For example, a memorial to the wrongly convicted hangs outside the Valkenburg Museum, and a Bokkenrijders statue stands in the herb garden of Schaloen Castle. A Bokkenrijders monument also stands in Den Halderpark in Valkenburg. In Sittard, you'll cycle past the Rosakapel (Rosa Chapel), where the Bokkenrijders oath was taken on a severed hand.

Many Bokkenrijders were imprisoned in castle dungeons after their arrest. Along the way, you'll pass several of these castles, such as Terborgh Castle in Schinnen, Hoensbroek Castle in Hoensbroek (which requires a slight detour), and Schaesberg Castle in Landgraaf. They were often executed afterward. On Danikerberg near Geleen lies a former gallows field, where a gallows, one or more strangling posts, and a wheel on a pole stood. The bodies of the Bokkenrijders executed here were then displayed on this field to deter residents from committing crime.

In 2017, Heerlen was honored as the first municipality to be named a "Bokkenrijdersgemeente" (Goat Riders Municipality). In the years that followed, more municipalities received this title.

Besides these reminders of Limburg's legend you'll encounter during the bike ride, the surrounding area is also worth exploring. Enjoy the beautiful hilly landscape with phenomenal views.

Is 68 kilometers a bit too long for a day? In the beautiful villages and towns, you can thoroughly enjoy South Limburg hospitality during lunch, drinks with a craft beer, dinner, or an overnight stay. This makes this Bokkenrijders route a wonderful cycling adventure.