XL variant: natural gravel route through the southern Peel

This route starts in Asten-Heusden from the Vorstermansplein and goes counterclockwise. It is the long variant of the route Nature-rich gravel route through the southern Peel (which starts from Meijel with almost 62% unpaved roads). Almost 53% of this route from Asten-Heusden is on gravel roads (see below the route description for a list of gravel strips and their length). Please note: the underpass of the Heldensedijk (between Meijel and Beringe) is closed (until expected March/April 2024). Follow the local diversion for cyclists here (the route will be 400 meters longer).

The route takes you through the many nature reserves in the southern Peel, with agricultural areas in between. It means that after leaving Heusden you only cycle through four villages (Neerkant, Meijel, Kronenberg and Helenaveen). In the northernmost part of the route (between Kronenberg and America) you mainly cycle on gravel roads through agricultural areas. A good opportunity to eat/drink is just south of Kronenberg at Grand Café 1466 when crossing the Kronenbergweg (after having cycled kilometers of gravel roads through agricultural areas). This restaurant is located on the right at a distance of 30 meters from the route (kilometre point 75.7) and is open from Thursday to Sunday. You can also eat and drink in Helenaveen (after 98.5 km).

Successively you cycle through or along the nature reserves of:
- Groote Peel
- Startebos
- the Canal of Deurne and Noordervaart,
- drainage channel,
- Burnt out,
- Brookberg,
- drainage channel,
- Heldense Bossen,
- Kesselse Bergen,
- Breukerheide,
- Dubbroek (and the Mortelsven),
- Blerickse Bergen,
- Kockersen,
- Blerickse Heide,
- Elsbeemden,
- valley Groote Molenbeek,
- Steegberg,
- Heesberg,
- Heesbeemden,
- Black Slice of heather,
- Mariapeel,
- The Zinkske/Helena Canal,
- Canal of Deurne,
- Neerkantse Bossen,
- Groote Peel.

Twice you cycle through a nature reserve that has meadows in its name (Elsbeemden south of Sevenum and Heesbeemden north of Kronenberg). Beemd is a synonym for meadows (and forests) in a stream valley: the gravel roads here can be slightly wetter than elsewhere on the route. The other gravel roads are often in good shape, even after rainy periods. During long periods of drought, the gravel roads south of Kronenberg (Steegbredeweg, Heesbredeweg) can be a bit sandy in character. During harvest and sowing time in a rainy period, these gravel roads can also be a bit more difficult to access because of the agricultural traffic that uses them. Further east, near Boekend, the first two hundred meters of the gravel road through the Kockersen nature reserve are also more difficult to cycle after rainy periods during harvest and sowing time and sandier during drought periods, because there are arable plots along the gravel road (as soon as you enter the nature reserve, the gravel road is in good condition (even after rainy periods)).
The very bumpy Vossenberg asphalt road on the southern edge of the Groote Peel was resurfaced in the autumn of 2023 and now has smooth asphalt.

Gravel strips and their length in kilometres:
2.6 Sparrow Rink
1.7 Groote Peel
1,6 Groote Peel (2)
0,5 Birch hedge -> Eerenbeemd
1.3 Startebos
0.5 Fourextremes
1.1 Helena Cruise
3.2 Canal of Deurne/Noordervaart
2.7 Drainage channel
1.9 Burnt out
1.1 Schooldijk
3.6 Drainage canal/Spanjersbaan
7.9 Heldense Bossen/Kesselse Bergen
1.2 Rinkesfort
0,7 Dubbroek (with the Mortelsven)
0.6 Rooth
2.2 Kockersen
1.4 Breebronne (1)
1.0 Breebronne (2)
0,2 Hazenhorstweg
1.7 Elsbeemden
0,5 Most
0,8 Most (part 2)
5.3 Heesbredeweg/Steegbredeweg
1.4 Meerweg (Kronenbergse Bossen)
0,5 Heesbeemd
0.7 crossing the Heesbeemden nature reserve
0,4 Blaktdijk -> Graafsebosweg
0,7 Graafsebosweg -> Blaktdijk
0,4 Reindonckweg
2,1 Americaanseweg/Zuringspeelweg/Bloemvenweg
0.6 Black Plaque Road
1.0 Black Slab Heather
2.8 Defense Channel/Black Plaque Road
0,4 Jan Deckersstraat
2.6 Helena Canal/Deurne Canal
1.5 Gravel pits/Bramble road/Stone
0,3 Moostdijk
1.0 Cross Lane
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61.7 km (= 52.7 %) unpaved roads