Graveling through the Maasduinen

The route starts from Arcen and goes clockwise. But of course you can also start at any other place (e.g. in Well, or from the Putjesberg car park in Knikkerdorp, or from the car park at reindersmeer). The area of the Maasduinen is very suitable for gravel: the route follows many unpaved (very fine gravel) cycle paths in North Limburg. Often there are also gravel roads along these cycle paths (which can also be taken with 28 mm anti-puncture tires per road bike), so that you do not have to get in the way of recreational cyclists. 52% of the route is gravel (for all gravel strips and their length, see below). You come through a varied landscape: along heathland, through forests, along the Meuse, along lakes and lakes and you also cycle through small-scale cultural and agricultural landscape. You will pass castle ruins Bleijenbeek, Haus Steprath, Walbeck Castle and Arcen Castle. The route comes 2x in Germany (through the Gocher Veen, near Weeze airport, and through the Steprather Heide). Some parts of the route can be busier on Sundays and public holidays (namely the 2 passages along the Reindersmeer, the crossing of Arcen and the road through villa park Klein Vink).

If you want to eat on the way (just over halfway through the route, around km 60, assuming you start the route in Arcen) then you can do that at the Wellsche Hut (if you cycle back into the Netherlands from Germany).

An overview of all gravel strips (with their length in kilometers):

1,2 Eikenweerd
0.4 Leeberg
0.3 Black Mountain
1.3 Zandhoekerweg -> Brandemolen
1.4 Forest road
1.1 Walbecker road -> Heerenvenweg
1.9 Swamp Road
2,0 Looierheide (+ 2 gates you have to open)
0.2 Zeelberg
1,5 Chess/Looische Graafweg
0.1 Geysselberg
0.2 Along the Meuse near Well (not accessible at high tide)
0,3 De Baend (not accessible at high tide)
0.2 Forest heath
1.1 Reijnderslooiweg/Reindersmeer
6,6 Bergse Heide and Eckeltse Bergen (1x crossing main road)
1,7 Bleijenbeek (badger gate at start gravel segment)
4.4 Afferdense Bergen/Broedersbosch
1.7 Lackey
0,5 Extended Baalsedijk
0.8 Baalsedijk
1.6 Gocher Peat (D)
2.0 Wolfsven/Reindersmeer (via the gravel road Wolfsven, the non-mandatory cycle path along it is paved)
2.0 Molenbeekweg/Bergweg
3.2 Kevelaarse Weg/Meerse Weg
0.3 Meersfeld (D)
3.7 Steprather Heath (D)
1,3 In den Honnen (D)
1,6 Straelensche Pants
0.2 Hanikerweg (via the gravel road, the non-mandatory cycle path is paved)
1.8 Leermarksche Heide
----+
46.6 km of gravel roads (= 51.6%)