Gravel on both sides of the Meuse

Please note: on 8 November 2022, the Limburg Water Board started work on the mouth of the Molenbeek from Lottum into the Meuse. The gravel cycle path along the Siebersbeek (which flows into the Molenbeek) is therefore not accessible for several months, follow the local detour for cyclists.

The route starts in the middle of Grubbenvorst and you follow the hands of the clockwise. The route consists of 49.5% gravel roads. Along some gravel roads there is a narrow asphalted cycle path, in the proportion of gravel roads I count the gravel road (not the cycle path). Please note: there are two ferries on this route!

The route first goes through the north Limburg landscape, with forests (Houthuizerheide, Swolgender Heide, Meerlosche Heide) and agricultural area interspersed with small nature reserves. Here you get many shorter gravel strips (a few roads are cinder roads), but because of the mentioned nature reserves longer gravel strips.

After passing Blitterswijck you mainly cycle around old Maasarmen (nature reserve 't Sohr and Schuitwater). In nature reserve 't Sohr you also cycle twice through a ford through the old Maasarm. After long periods of rain, these fords will be under water!

The route then goes to Lottum and surroundings where you will see the Maas for the first time. Via the ferry Broekhuizen - Arcen, you cross the Maas and follow long gravel strips through the nature reserves Leermarkse Heide and Schandelose Heide. The gravel roads on this side of the Meuse are easily cycleable and are often flanked by narrow gravel cycle paths (recreational cyclists do not have to get in the way). Then you cross the Meuse via the ferry Lomm - Lottum. Immediately after the crossing, an almost six-kilometre-long gravel strip follows through the floodplains of the Meuse to Grubbenvorst. And then you are back at the end of the route in no time.

Gravel strips and their length in kilometers:

0.6 Kaldenbroek
0.3 Houthuizerweg
2.0 Houthuizerheide
1,0 Meerlosebaan (not via cycle path)
2,4 Meerlosebaan (not via cycle path) /Boabelsebosweg
0,7 Kleiweg
0,6 The Ham
0.6 Haagveldweg
0.6 Pilmus
0.7 Stendert
0,4 Elshout
2,3 Meerlosche Heide (note: coarser gravel!)
0,7 Kortenbos
1,5 Elshouterweg
0,4 Lissevenweg
1.1 Gun
0.6 Osterbos
0.4 Witteweg
0,3 Haasendonkerweg (not via cycle path)
1.5 Barge water
0.1 Swans Heike
0,2 Rozenlaan
0,2 Eikenlaan
0.2 Borggraaf
1.4 Borggraaf -> Rozendorp
0,5 Broekhuizerweg -> Laagveldweg
0.3 Gravel cycle path to Veerweg
1.1 Gravel path along the Meuse to Arcen
1.9 Leermarksche Heide
0.2 Scheidsgraafweg
4.6 Lommer Heide and Schandelosche Heide
5.8 Meuse floodplains from Lottum to Grubbenvorst
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35.2 km (= 49.5%)