The Grote Heide around Valkenswaard

Appointment at junction 217 (V) of the Limburg cycle route network at Achelse Kluis Abbey. Actually, the junction is located just on Dutch territory. Because the Belgian-Dutch border runs right through the abbey and the junction is on the Dutch side. • You leave for junction 33, along the abbey wall. At the fork at the crucifix, keep left and follow the Abdijweg over the wide cycle path to the roundabout with café Zomerhof. Continue straight ahead, direction Borkel en Schaft. You still follow the Abdijweg, cycle past the name sign of Schaft and then through the Dorpsstraat to junction 33, past green and white signs of the ANWB cycling network eindhoven region. • Continue to follow the Dorpsstraat, through a forest strip and past the Borkel name sign until junction 32. Turn right there, towards knoopop2 point 02, and enjoy 4.5 km of the beautiful nature reserve De Malpie with beautiful fens - such as the Groot Malpieven 1, the Vaarvennen and the Molenven - and numerous picnic areas. Also respect the hikers, who you will undoubtedly encounter here. Over the Dommel At junction 02 turn left, direction junction 01. Cross the Luikerweg, ignore the Victoriedijk on the left, and follow junction 01 straight until you can turn left into the Pastoor Bolsiusstraat. At the T-junction turn right and via the Monseigneur Smetsstraat until the N397. On the right is Dommelen with the Dommelsche Bierbrouwerij. • You should not doze off, but cycle left and follow the N397 until you can turn right into the Keersopperdreef, direction Waalre. At junction 01 you continue cycling straight ahead, towards junction 45. Ignore the Molenstraat on the left and turn right at the next intersection into Keersop. Cycle along 't Heike with the football fields of RKVV Dommelen, don't worry about side roads, cross the Dommel and then cycle a bit car-free. Keep following the Dommelseweg until you reach the wide Heikantstraat. • Cross it and follow the cycle path to the left. You drive past Wok Waalre and Hoeve Kakelbont, also Kempisch pancake house, to junction 45. Then turn right into the Gildebosweg, direction junction 46. You cycle along a cycle path next to an earth road, go into the forest and cycle straight ahead on the crossroads with the Meertjesven. Follow through the forest to the Valkenswaardseweg. • Cross this busy road carefully and follow the bike path across to the left. Further on, turn right again into the forest and it continues winding and undulating to another road. Turn right and continue on a cycle path between the meadows until you reach the Achtereindsestraat. Follow it to the left, cross the Tongelreep, turn left with the road, cycle past a picnic area and a farm and then turn right onto the first road. At the crossroads, take the narrow cycle path between the meadows on the left and then cycle along the edge of the forest. From Mie Pils to the Groote Heide Turn further back into the forest. At the T-junction turn left and then continue to the crossroads with junction 46. Turn right, direction junction 79. You now cycle on a wider cycle path, next to a wide forest road, along the Meeuwven to the T-junction at the wheels extra on2 Hut van Mie Pils 2 , a legendary inn where many poachers used to come, now a household name among hikers and cyclists. Turn left and a little further on the highway (E25). On the other side you cycle into the Groote Heide. • At the junction with junction 79 turn right, direction junction 52. You continue cycling along the edge of the forest and a meadow and bend at the T-junction with the bike path to the left. Continue cycling between two meadows and then turn right again into the forest. At the end of the forest path turn left, direction Heeze. Twenty meters further you turn right again into the forest. When you get out, turn right with the bike path and cycle next to a wide field road between forest and fields. Then follows a piece through a beautiful heath landscape. • At the crossroads, with a water extraction area right in front of you, turn left and continue cycling through the heath, past a pond with a picnic area and a sign explaining the formation of the Meerven. After another beautiful piece through the heath you go back into the forest. At junction 52 you cycle straight ahead, towards junction 20. At the T-junction, turn right, direction Heeze. You now cycle through the Heezerenbosch to junction 20 and continue straight ahead, towards junction 53, Strijk and Valkenswaard.

Forests and fens Cross the highway again and after the descent you will pass a beautiful picnic area. Continue along the bike path next to the dirt road. After a beautiful piece of heath you cycle through the woods of Landgoed Valkenhorst. A little further on, turn left and cycle to junction 53 on valkenswaardseweg. Cross it and make a right-left nod, towards junction 55. You now enter the forest of Boswachterij Leenderbos. • At the T-junction turn left along the edge of the forest and then right into the first road between the fields. At the end you cycle into a deciduous forest. Follow the cycle path, past a fishing pond with a tree house and a little further on a beautiful fen in a piece of heath. You cycle over a cattle grid into a nature reserve, which you can enter at your own risk. You are also kindly requested to leave the animals alone and not to pet them. At junction 55 you cycle left, direction junction 56. You cycle on an asphalt cycle path, next to a wide forest road between two forests of Boswachterij Leenderbos. • Cycle again over a cattle grid and bulb next to Laagveld, a beautiful heathland with fens on your left, still forest on the right. At the crossroads straight ahead, past the Hasselsvennen 3 and then back into the forest and along the Dorven, which is somewhat in the back. At junction 56 turn right, direction junction 36. You cycle past a picnic area with covered bicycle shed or shelter. Keep right at the fork, so go straight ahead. Between or next to the barriers you cycle up the car-free Kloosterweg. This wide asphalt road runs through nature reserve Groote Heide and between the Kleine Kraanven 4 (right of the road) and the Groot Kraanven 5 (left). From this road you can enjoy a somewhat beautiful 360° panorama. This wide road is also widely used by hikers. At junction 36 you cycle straight ahead and you come back via the Petrus Van Eijnattenlaan at junction 217, the only blue and white picture of the Limburg cycle route network. You can finish in style with a Trappist by Achel in the abbey.