Cycle route along the meandering river Niers
Gennep, Ottersum, Milsbeek
Follow the picturesque River Niers all the way to its meeting point with the River Meuse, in the far north of Limburg. Centuries ago, West Germanic peoples called the place where these two waterways meet ‘Ganipja’, meaning the confluence of two rivers. Over time, this name evolved into Gennep, a town and municipality that still lies at this very spot. You first encounter the Niers just west of the German town of Goch. By then, the river has already covered most of its 114-kilometre journey from its source near Erkelenz in Germany. The riverbed the Niers follows northwards was formed around 200,000 years ago during the penultimate Ice Age, when advancing ice pushed the Rhine aside. Only 9 kilometres of the Niers flows through the Netherlands. In Germany, you cycle through the nature reserve Niersaltarme und Mühlenteiche, a five-hectare area consisting of old river branches and mill ponds. Since 1982, it has been a protected habitat for various amphibians and birds. You then follow the winding Niers to the border village of Ven-Zelderheide. The name of this village reflects its origins: ‘Ven’ refers to wet, marshy land, while ‘Zelderheide’ points to the higher sandy grounds. The village has long been closely connected to the fast-flowing Niers. Where the Niers meets the Meuse, the remains of ’t Genneperhuis come into view. Once a powerful and virtually impregnable fortress, strategically located between two rivers, it is now an atmospheric ruin where nature is slowly taking over and where you can enjoy beautiful views over the water.
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Heiland , 6598 DA Gennep | 46.1 KM | |
|
From
87
to
88
|
2699 M | 2.7 KM | |
| Head south on Heiland | 172 M | ||
| Turn right onto Diekendaal | 367 M | ||
| Turn left onto Schaafsebosweg | 1.6 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Brem | 578 M | ||
| You are now at section 88 | 0 M | ||
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From
88
to
44
|
274 M | 0.3 KM | |
| Head northeast on Nieuw Erf | 274 M | ||
| You are now at section 44 | 0 M | ||
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From
44
to
45
|
743 M | 0.7 KM | |
| Head northeast on Nieuw Erf | 743 M | ||
| You are now at section 45 | 0 M | ||
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From
45
to
35
|
1590 M | 1.6 KM | |
| Head southeast on Beltweg | 937 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Beltweg | 653 M | ||
| You are now at section 35 | 0 M | ||
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From
35
to
64
|
1575 M | 1.6 KM | |
| Head southeast on Grensweg | 1.6 KM | ||
| You are now at section 64 | 0 M | ||
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From
64
to
65
|
3009 M | 3 KM | |
| Head southeast on Grensweg | 830 M | ||
| Turn left onto Vrij | 2.2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 65 | 0 M | ||
|
From
65
to
61
|
330 M | 0.3 KM | |
| Head northeast on Boeckelter Weg | 330 M | ||
| You are now at section 61 | 0 M | ||
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From
61
to
92
|
5827 M | 5.8 KM | |
| Head east on Boeckelter Weg | 623 M | ||
| Turn left onto Grote Laarweg | 36 M | ||
| Make a slight right to stay on Grote Laarweg | 1.5 KM | ||
| Turn left | 252 M | ||
| Turn right onto Triftstraße (K 8) | 1.5 KM | ||
| Make a slight right | 281 M | ||
| Turn left | 17 M | ||
| Turn left | 17 M | ||
| Turn right onto Triftstraße (K 8) | 1.7 KM | ||
| You are now at section 92 | 0 M | ||
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From
92
to
57
|
7975 M | 8 KM | |
| Head southwest | 1.4 KM | ||
| Turn right | 197 M | ||
| Turn left | 1.4 KM | ||
| Turn left | 240 M | ||
| Turn right onto Klosterweg | 1.1 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Stiftsweg | 99 M | ||
| Turn left onto Stephanusweg | 257 M | ||
| Turn right | 284 M | ||
| Turn left onto Zum Horn | 376 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Douvenberg | 663 M | ||
| Turn right onto Im Binnenfeld | 482 M | ||
| Turn left onto Nergenaer Straße | 467 M | ||
| Turn right onto Hollandweg | 667 M | ||
| Turn left | 373 M | ||
| You are now at section 57 | 0 M | ||
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From
57
to
31
|
1104 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head southwest | 27 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Am Zollamt | 1.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 31 | 0 M | ||
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From
31
to
36
|
1109 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head west on Kleefseweg | 1.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 36 | 0 M | ||
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From
36
to
22
|
1008 M | 1 KM | |
| Head northwest on Aaldonksestraat | 97 M | ||
| Turn right onto Hogeweg | 911 M | ||
| You are now at section 22 | 0 M | ||
|
From
22
to
50
|
3742 M | 3.7 KM | |
| Head west on Eindstraat | 1.6 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Leembaan | 398 M | ||
| Turn right onto Heuvelsebosweg | 635 M | ||
| Turn left onto Hoevensestraat | 627 M | ||
| Turn left onto Hoevensestraat | 440 M | ||
| You are now at section 50 | 0 M | ||
|
From
50
to
48
|
2887 M | 2.9 KM | |
| Head west on Aaldonksestraat | 671 M | ||
| Turn right onto Horsestraat | 32 M | ||
| Turn left onto Kroefsestraat | 705 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Onderkant | 1.5 KM | ||
| You are now at section 48 | 0 M | ||
|
From
48
to
38
|
1221 M | 1.2 KM | |
| Head southwest on Kerkstraat | 391 M | ||
| Turn left onto Oudebaan | 108 M | ||
| Make a sharp right onto Zwarteweg | 38 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Rijksweg | 282 M | ||
| Turn right onto Smelenweg | 402 M | ||
| You are now at section 38 | 0 M | ||
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From
38
to
39
|
2451 M | 2.5 KM | |
| Head east on Bloemenstraat | 35 M | ||
| Turn right onto Genneperhuisweg | 579 M | ||
| Turn left onto Genneperhuisweg | 1.1 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Genneperhuisweg | 353 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Genneperhuisweg | 308 M | ||
| Turn left onto Genneperhuisweg | 61 M | ||
| You are now at section 39 | 0 M | ||
|
From
39
to
41
|
1243 M | 1.2 KM | |
| Head southeast on Genneperhuisweg | 6 M | ||
| Turn left onto De Genneper molen | 491 M | ||
| Turn right onto Ottersumseweg (N291) | 746 M | ||
| You are now at section 41 | 0 M | ||
|
From
41
to
40
|
668 M | 0.7 KM | |
| Head southeast on Sint Janstraat; St.Janstraat (N291) | 611 M | ||
| Keep right onto Sint Janstraat; St.Janstraat | 57 M | ||
| You are now at section 40 | 0 M | ||
|
From
40
to
26
|
1608 M | 1.6 KM | |
| Head southeast on Siebengewaldseweg | 1.6 KM | ||
| You are now at section 26 | 0 M | ||
|
From
26
to
52
|
363 M | 0.4 KM | |
| Head south on Siebengewaldseweg | 363 M | ||
| You are now at section 52 | 0 M | ||
|
From
52
to
93
|
1906 M | 1.9 KM | |
| Head south on Siebengewaldseweg | 1.9 KM | ||
| Make a slight right onto Hommersumseweg | 21 M | ||
| You are now at section 93 | 0 M | ||
|
From
93
to
30
|
1411 M | 1.4 KM | |
| Head southwest on Hommersumseweg | 1.4 KM | ||
| You are now at section 30 | 0 M | ||
|
From
30
to
47
|
182 M | 0.2 KM | |
| Head south | 5 M | ||
| Continue onto Brem | 177 M | ||
| You are now at section 47 | 0 M | ||
|
From
47
to
87
|
1205 M | 1.2 KM | |
| Head southeast on Brem | 10 M | ||
| Turn right | 316 M | ||
| Turn left onto Karrevenseweg | 716 M | ||
| Turn right onto De Grens | 47 M | ||
| Turn left | 18 M | ||
| Turn right | 98 M | ||
| You are now at section 87 | 0 M |