Peel, Meuse and Wald gravel route

Last update 23-Sep-2023: in the Brachterwald a number of extra gravel roads have been included in the route and the route now follows the Drainage Canal in its entirety.

The route starts from the Meijel sports park and takes you through the Peel region, along the Meuse and to top it all off on the many gravel roads in the forest areas just across the border in Germany. It also means that you cross the Maas 2x with a car ferry (Kessel - Beesel and Steyl - Baarlo). 64% of the route is on gravel roads. Because the gravel roads in the German forest areas sometimes have stony gravel, you need to have good gravel tires.

First of all, you cycle on the many gravel roads through central Limburg, often along the canals that were dug here to drain peat from the peatlands (Deurne Canal) or that had to drain the Peel region (Drainage Canal). Near Neer (Mussenberg) you see the Maas for the first time on the route and in Kessel you cross the Maas towards Beesel.

On the other side of the Maas you go directly on gravel roads along the Maas and over the Maasdijk to the hamlet of Rijkel and towards Swalmen. You bypass Swalmen largely north of the built-up area and then the route enters the beautiful gravel area of successively the Municipal Forests of Swalmen, the Elmpter Wald (with a climb), through heathland and through the catchment area of the river Swalm (nature reserve Schwalmbruch), the slightly hilly Diergardtscher Wald (with 2 climbs, one of which is steep to almost 18%), the Brachterwald (on the former ammunition storage complex partly very wide asphalt roads with access via a bicycle turnstile) and finally nature reserve Heidemoore.

Now back in the Netherlands, you descend into the beautiful gravel hole Tegelen (nature reserve Holtmühle) and climb away from it and then it is descending over the steep edge to Steyl with another short gravel road past the castle Holtmühle. You cross Steyl/Tegelen (fortunately a fairly short passage, with a bit along the Aalsbeek and along the Maas) and then you cross the Maas to Baarlo.

You cycle through castle village Baarlo where you pass the castle in the center. After you have passed through Baarlo (there are many catering establishments in Baarlo), you cycle through the Peel region through the Kesselse Bergen and via the hamlet of Rinkesfort towards Grashoek with long straight asphalt and gravel roads (including through the Vlakbroek nature reserve). North of Grashoek you cycle through the grounds of mini-camping de Peelweide (here you can also have a drink) and go to the Helenavaart. There are gravel roads along the Helenavaart and then along the Deurne Canal. The last part goes over forest roads around the sports park of Meijel to the parking lot.

Gravel strips and their length in kilometers:

0.9 Quadrilateral
3.0 Deurne Canal
8,4 Drainage canal + Spanjersbaan
1,8 Mussenberg + Neerstraat
4,0 Kerkeveldweg + Maasdijk
0.4 Donderbergweg
0.7 Gubbelsweg
2.0 Municipal forests Swalmen
3.2 Elmpter Wald (D)
4.7 Schwalmbruch (D)
9.0 Diergardtscher Wald (to Witte Stein) (D). Please note: the part about the steep climb (km 47.3 - 47.6) is not entirely gravel, and therefore more difficult to cycle after a rainy period. Alternatively, turn right at kilometre point 46.0 and follow the cycle route network (which will take you back on the route). The route will then be 2 km shorter.
2.4 Brachter Wald (D)
7.1 Brachter Wald/Heidemoore/Holtmühle (D/NL)
0,5 Holtmühle Castle
2.1 Kesselse Bergen
2.0 Rinkesfort
0,5 Low heath
0,9 Flat pants
1.7 Kites
0.2 Vliegertsdijk
0,4 Camping de Peelweide
3.2 Helenavaart/Deurne Canal
0.7 Meijel Sports Park
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59.8 km (= 64.4 %)