The middle terrace of the Meuse River

This beautiful part of Limburg on the German border is full of castles and castle ruins. Stone from northern France was brought in via the Meuse River to create these imposing buildings. These castles stand beautifully on a background of pine forests and fields. Once, these castles were of great value to the area until the cannon was invented. The remaining ruins are proof of this. Where the castles are still standing, you would imagine yourself in the Middle Ages. The route, situated on the middle terrace of the Meuse River, continues through quaint village centers, past large nature parks and protected landscapes. Many drift sand areas are planted with coniferous forests where a rich amount of fauna has taken up residence. Originally, many oak forests and alder bog forests can also be found in the area. Many species of woodpeckers, birds of prey and butterflies fly through the area in search of food. But mammals and insects are also frequent in this piece of the Netherlands that doesn't really look like the Netherlands. Wild boars, beavers, all kinds of deer, but also, for example, the flying deer can be found here. A bike with gears is not a luxury on this route full of hills and height differences. But it also makes the area so much more beautiful!