Around the Maas and Kraaijenbergse Plassen

The route departs from Ravenstein (e.g. from the Bleek car park or the marina car park (Loswal)). You cycle the route clockwise and go along the Brabant part of the Maas (Maasland) and the Gelderland part of the Maas (Land van Maas en Waal). This means that you first cycle on winding dike roads along the Maas. Between Ravenstein and Dieden there is a non-compulsory cycle path along the dike road. Take the dike road here and not the cycle path because the cycle path is narrow. Also enjoy the mill and the church of Dieden that seem to be glued to the dike. The route goes off the Meuse through the floodplains towards Megen. At the picturesque Megen, a village with a historic village center, you come back on the Maasdijk to Lithoijen. Between Lithoijen and Lith there is no possibility to cycle over the dike.

In Lith you cross the Maas via the ferry Lith - Alphen. This also means that you leave the province of Noord-Brabant and go to the province of Gelderland. Then you cycle on relatively newly constructed cycle paths (opened on 2 September 2017) through the floodplains of the Maas (through nature reserve Moleneindsewaard) to Alphen and then over the Maasdijk. So for about 10 km you cycle along the Maas with a view of the Maas. In Maasbommel, the route goes around the Gouden Ham recreation area, on a mandatory cycle path. Near Appeltern you come back to the Maasdijk. You then cycle to Batenburg, a picturesque town with beautiful farms and ruins of a former castle.

You continue your way through the Liendensche Waard and cycle along the Maas again. You then cycle around the Loonse Waard, and then over the Maasbanddijk along the Maas (partly only accessible to cyclists). At Nederasselt you go off the dike to cycle through the floodplains of the Meuse via concrete roads. Then you cross the Maas via the viaduct of the A73 motorway and you come back to the province of North Brabant, in the region called Maasland. You cycle through the village of Linden and then around the Kraaijenbergse Plassen (part recreation area, part nature reserve). Then you cycle on the cycle path over the Maasdijk. The route then goes around the historic town of Grave, which is worth a visit in itself, but a tourist attraction (and can therefore be busy). Hence, Grave is bypassed.

Via Escharen and Velp you cycle to Oud-Velp, a hamlet with a 10th century church and two monasteries (Emmaus and Bronkhorst). Then you cycle through nature reserve Keent, formed along an old Maasmeander. And then you quickly arrive in Ravenstein, a town with a historic core that is worth a visit.