This gravel route starts in Asten-Heusden, goes counterclockwise and over 55% gravel roads. The goal is the forest areas just beyond the Dutch border, which are a true gravel paradise. Bring money because you will cross the Meuse twice by ferry!

You first cycle along the Zuid-Willemsvaart (partly on gravel roads), and then you ride along the Groote Peel over many gravel roads. Just south of Meijel, you ride partly on gravel roads to and along the Noordervaart, and then you bike to the Drainage Canal. You follow the gravel road along the Drainage Canal for about 8 km and then cycle towards the Meuse.

Via ferry Kessel - Beesel, you cross the Meuse. Afterwards, you cycle over the many gravel roads on the eastern side of the Meuse, first around Beesel (with a view over the Meuse), Swalmen, and Boukoul (with slightly hilly terrain around the Swalmdal). You also cycle past the Hillenraad Castle (Boukoul). Then you dive into the German forest areas that directly border the Netherlands: this is a true gravel paradise with long gravel roads through forests (Elmpter Wald) featuring partly hilly terrain and gravel climbs. The gravel roads here can be somewhat rockier in character than elsewhere on the route. You also pass through and along nature reserves Lüzenkamp and Schwalmbruch, both heathland areas with the latter located near the river Swalm. After that, you enter the Diergardtscher Wald until you reach the camping site (with restaurant) at Witte Stein. From here, you dive into the Brachterwald (climb) on partly gravel roads. Note: in a section of the Brachterwald, the entrance and exit are via a bike turnstile. The route largely continues over gravel roads towards the nature reserve Holtmühle, where you pass a sequoia farm, then decend and climb out of gravel pit Tegelen. Afterward, you descend along a gravel road down the steep edge that is just on Dutch territory. Via Kasteel Holtmühle, you bike to Steyl and cross the Meuse to kastelendorp Baarlo via a ferry.

West of Baarlo, you cycle over a mix of asphalt roads and gravel roads through agricultural areas and a few nature reserves (Kesselse Bergen and Vlakbroek). Through the agricultural area around Grashoek, you switch to gravel roads along the Helenavaart and the Canal of Deurne. The last gravel stretches are in Peeldorp Neerkant before reaching the wheels. After that, it’s about 8 km back over asphalt roads to Asten-Heusden.

Food and drink places are located on the route after 50 km (Asselt), 76 km (border crossing Swalmen), 84 km (Witte Stein), 100 km (Steyl), and 102 km (Baarlo).

Gravel stretches and their lengths in kilometers:

2.6 Mussenbaan
1.8 Lumme Buske
1.5 Steenoven
0.9 Coenenweg (Stille Wille)
0.6 Donkerpeelkensweg
1.1 Katsberg/Noordervaart
9.1 Drainage Canal/Spanjersbaan/Sterrebosweg
4.0 Floodplains Beesel -> Rijkel
0.3 Donderbergweg
1.2 Caeffertweg
0.2 Bakhei's Kapelke
1.5 Korte Ondersteweg
1.3 End
1.8 Schroefstraat/Gebrouwhuisweg
2.0 Bisschopskamp
3.5 Elmpterwald 1
2.9 Elmpterwald 2
4.4 Elmpterwald 3
3.6 Schwalmbruch 1
0.7 Schwalmbruch 2
7.4 Diergardtscher Wald
2.5 Brachterwald
0.7 Stiegstraße
6.9 Brachter Wald/Holtmühle
0.5 Kasteel Holtmühle
2.0 Kesselse Bergen
2.1 Weg 203 (Rinkesfort)
0.5 Laagheide
0.9 Vlakbroek
1.5 Vliegert
0.2 Vliegertsdijk
0.4 Camping de Peelweide
2.5 Helenavaart/Kanaal van Deurne
0.8 Steen + Broekstraat
0.3 Moostdijk
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74.2 km (= 55.0 %)