Valkenburg, Gulpen, Meerssen

This cycle route takes you into higher spheres with the most beautiful views of southern Limburg. To get to these beautiful views, you will have to overcome a few climbs. You will then be rewarded with phenomenal views.

The landscape you cycle through belongs to the Heuvelland nature reserve. This area has been crowned the five-star landscape of the Netherlands! The rolling hills treat you to green meadows where sheep peacefully graze and vast orchards. In spring they bear the most beautiful blossoms, in late summer you can feast on all the fresh fruit. Rivers like the Geul and the Gulp have been flowing through the Heuvelland for centuries and have been of great importance in shaping the landscape.

Along the way, you will pass a few viewpoints that give a glimpse not only of nature, but also of the area's marl past. You pass Kalkoven 't Rooth, a former lime kiln where marl from the adjacent quarry was processed. The kiln was commissioned in 1939 by the then owners of the quarry, but the lime kiln was discontinued in 1946. The building still stands and has since been partly taken over by nature. At this point you have a nice view.

You also pass the viewpoint of a former marl quarry. For this you will have to walk a bit, as you cannot get all the way here by bike. Until 2009, limestone was still quarried here to be processed into marl. Since then, the quarry has been left alone and given back to nature. You can see the different soil layers in the excavations.

Continue towards Valkenburg, where you can take the cable car to the Wilhelmina Tower. The cable car will take you 68 metres up, after which you will have a beautiful view over Valkenburg. In short, this route lets you enjoy the surroundings at different heights.