Elen - orange - 7.7 km

You start the route at the church in Elen. From there, you will get acquainted with the rural character of this cozy Maas village. The fields and farmland with numerous small landscape elements provide the backdrop for this calming walk.
The walk takes you on an exploration to the gravel extraction area of Elerweerd. Here, the banks of the Maas are excavated to give the river more space during high water levels. This keeps the surrounding villages better protected against flooding. After the works, the area is returned to nature. So you will literally be able to see new river nature emerging here. You continue walking along the Maas towards De Damiaan, once an inn for boatmen along the Maas. Now, one of the last remaining buildings in the winterbed.
Along the route, you will also encounter two large Maas lakes: Bichterweerd and Meerheuvel. These lakes and the surrounding river nature are an important stopover for waders and other birds such as the robin and the skylark. Due to the high ecological value of the area, even the otter could settle here again. A great stopping point for nature lovers.