Along (old) Meuse (arms) on gravel roads

Please note: on 8 November 2022, the Limburg Water Board started work on the mouth of the Molenbeek from Lottum into the Meuse. The gravel cycle path along the Siebersbeek (which flows into the Molenbeek) is therefore not accessible for several months, follow the local detour for cyclists.

The route starts in the middle of Grubbenvorst and you follow the hands of the clockwise. The route consists of 51% gravel roads. Along some gravel roads there is a narrow asphalted cycle path, in the proportion of gravel roads I count the gravel road (not the cycle path).

The route goes through the north Limburg landscape, with forests (Houthuizerheide, Swolgender Heide, Meerlosche Heide) and agricultural area interspersed with small nature reserves. First you get longer gravel strips through the nature reserves directly adjacent to the west of Grubbenvorst, the Houthuizerheide and Swolgender Heide. Then you get shorter gravel strips through the agricultural area around Meerlo. Through the Meerlose Heide follows a longer gravel strip. Then you cycle on asphalt roads to Blitterswijck.

After passing Blitterswijck you mainly cycle around old Maasarmen (nature reserve 't Sohr and Schuitwater). In nature reserve 't Sohr you also cycle twice through a ford through the old Maasarm. After long periods of rain, these fords will be under water!

The route then goes to Lottum and surroundings where you will see the Maas for the first time. The last gravel strip is almost six kilometers long and goes through the floodplains of the Meuse and along the Siebersbeek from Lottum to Grubbenvorst. And then you are back at the end of the route in no time.

Gravel strips and their length in kilometers:

1,7 Brandakkersweg/Meerlose Baan
0.6 Multiple Orbit
2.0 Houthuizerheide
1,0 Meerlosebaan (not via cycle path)
2,4 Meerlosebaan (not via cycle path) /Boabelsebosweg
0,7 Kleiweg
0,6 The Ham
0.6 Haagveldweg
0.6 Pilmus
0.7 Stendert
0,4 Elshout
2,3 Meerlosche Heide (note: coarser gravel!)
0,7 Kortenbos
1,5 Elshouterweg
0,4 Lissevenweg
1.1 Gun
0.6 Osterbos
0.4 Witteweg
0,3 Haasendonkerweg (not via cycle path)
1.5 Barge water
0.1 Swans Heike
0,2 Rozenlaan
0,2 Eikenlaan
0.2 Borggraaf
1,3 Borggraaf -> Laagveldweg
5.7 Floodplains Meuse to Grubbenvorst
-----+
27.8 km (= 51.1 %)