Attractive bike route along the Meuse Lakes

The starting point of this more than 46-kilometer route is at Stevensweert, on the edge of the Maasplassen, the largest contiguous water sports area in the Netherlands. This involves a large network of large and small lakes, created by gravel excavations, and covering over 3,000 hectares. The lakes are known for a wide variety of flora and fauna, which alone makes this trip so particularly interesting. The chances of encountering deer and boar are considerable, but martens and badgers are also common. The trail is further bordered in many places by hedges and groves of cattails and orchids, while mushrooms of many kinds also characterize the route, depending of course on the season. After the start, we soon cross the Meuse River to Echt, with some nice sights, such as the St. Landricus Church and her Carmelite convent. The route here passes through the narrowest part of the Netherlands, where the borders of Belgium and Germany are separated by only 5 km of Dutch territory. Montfort is best known for the ruins of the castle of the same name and a few kilometers further on we reach Odilienberg, where many hikers appreciate the Pieterpad. Via Brachterbeek we cycle along the Meuse to Maasbracht, important place for shipping, after which the end point in Stevensweert is reached again