Geleen, Stein, Ulestraten

Beek is a large village where you can still find small streets with old farms. At the same time, you can also see features of a larger village. Between Beek and Neerbeek, remains have been found of a village from 5000 BC, making it the oldest village in the Netherlands.

From Beek, it's a short hop to Geleen, where you'll literally discover traces of the past. At the beginning of the last century, a railway was built here to transport coal to Maastricht. Although the mines have been closed for decades, the railway is still in use and provides a glimpse into the region's industrial past.

Continue your route to Ulestraten and cycle through Waterval, a hamlet with beautiful half-timbered houses. Ulestraten itself was once a bustling village with a sugar factory, a dairy and a ladder factory. This historical activity gives the village a unique character.