Start is from the parking lot of nature reserve Zwart Water (between Venlo and Schandelo). You follow the route counterclockwise.
The gravel roads on this route (33% of the total distance) are easy to cycle (also with road bike). The many gravel cycle paths through the forests of Maasduinen National Park are located along unpaved roads, but these unpaved roads are often also easy to cycle, so that you can often take the unpaved roads themselves with recreational cyclists on the cycle paths when there are crowds.

The route first goes over free, sometimes narrow, asphalted cycle paths and then goes a bit into Germany, then back into the Netherlands along nature reserve Straelensbroek, and then back into Germany to the town of Walbeck. There you follow gravel roads and pass Walbeck Castle and Haus Steprath. Via gravel roads through forest area (Steprather Heide) and agricultural area you get back on paved roads in Germany near Twisteden.

You then cycle back to the Netherlands and you follow gravel cycle paths through the woods between Tuindorp and Well (with river dunes on your left). Then you cycle along the Maas, sometimes on narrow cycle paths. You cycle through the Maasduinen via the Heerenvennen (gravel path) and through the grounds of family park Klein Vink towards the Maas. Then you descend to Arcen where you cycle right along the Maas on a gravel path. After you have cycled past the castle in Arcen, you dive back into the woods via gravel cycle paths towards Schandelo and cycle back to the final destination at the Zwart Water nature reserve.