Bike Tour: Cycling The Pieterpad sporty and E-bike - 10 days

Welcome to Pieterburen – Starting Point of the Pieterfietspad!Have you arrived on time? Perfect! Take the opportunity to relax at the village terrace or hop on your bike to explore the sea dyke. Enjoy breathtaking views of the ever-changing Wadden Sea. In the evening have dinner in the village. Savor local cuisine and unwind in a cozy atmosphere.

Embark on an unforgettable cycling journey through the enchanting Wierdenland of Groningen, where picturesque creeks meander through expansive, flat landscapes. Discover charming villages perched on elevated ground, such as Eenrum and Winsum, each offering unique sights and local delights.Follow the scenic route along the Reitdiep, the oldest cultural landscape in Western Europe, leading you to the historic city center of Groningen. Here, you can marvel at stunning monuments and indulge in urban pleasures. As you explore the city, you’ll trace the banks of the Drentsche Aa, a winding waterway that will accompany you throughout your ride. Enjoy the breathtaking scenery around the Paterwoldsemeer and the Hondsrug, a 20-meter high ‘megaflute’ that provides stunning views over the surrounding valley. Your adventure culminates in the esdorp of Zeegse, part of the National Beek- and Esdorpenlandschap Drentsche Aa, where you can unwind and reflect on the beautiful landscapes you’ve encountered.

Begin your day in Drenthe with a scenic ride through the stunning landscapes of the 'velden,'(fields) including the tranquil and expansive Ballooërveld. This rugged terrain features serene ponds, heather fields, and lush forests that invite exploration. As you pedal past Rolde, the former capital of Drenthe, take a moment to admire two ancient hunebedden that dot the landscape. The journey continues along the impressive Rolderrug, guiding you through the heart of Drenthe—an untouched, forested nature reserve spanning 5,000 hectares. After passing 'De Kielse Keien,' consider a detour to the Ellert and Brammert Open-Air Museum in Schoonoord, where you can immerse yourself in local history. Your adventure leads you further into the Sleenerzand, where you’ll search for the intriguing 'Papeloze Kerk' and the historic 'Galgenberg.'Make a quick stop at the 'Driftplein' near Dalen, home to the northernmost artwork of the 'Kunstwegen' route, before continuing your journey to the "Geese" city Coevorden.

Once you're on your way, you'll pass by several installations from the "Kunstwegen" route, the longest avenue of contemporary visual art in Western Europe. Cycling along narrow paths, you’ll journey through the valley of the winding Overijsselse Vecht, the smallest of our major rivers. Enjoy the swaying reeds, majestic beech avenues, and the gently rolling meadows surrounded by hedgerows, where red farmhouse roofs peek out. You’ll travel through the charming es village of Rheeze, known for its authentic brink. It’s time for a coffee break and a farewell glance over the Vecht as you reach the cozy town of Ommen. Beyond the lovely Huize Het Laer, the landscape changes dramatically. Now, prepare for the "climb of the week" over the Archemer and Lemelerberg, which together rise 78 meters in the otherwise flat terrain. Enjoy the views and the diverse scenery of sandy plains, heath, juniper bushes, and forests. Just a flat stretch left, and then you’ll head over the Hellendoornse Berg to your destination, the "Ice Village" Hellendoorn.

Start with a gentle climb and descent into the vibrant textile town of Nijverdal. Then, cycle through Europe’s largest dry heathland: the Sallandse Heuvelrug, home to unique birds such as the redstart, nightjar, and the iconic black grouse. Enjoy cycling along the rolling, winding paths that offer beautiful views. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the nature museum on the Holterberg, featuring its unique dioramas. After Holten, you’ll enter the feudal Graafschap: a historic, wooded landscape shaped by nobility in past centuries. Near the charming 18th-century Huis Verwolde, complete with a delightful tea garden, you can seek out the "thick tree," a 450-year-old oak. As you pass the Twentekanaal and the Berkel River, take a moment to admire Huize Enzerinck before cycling into the picturesque 8-castle village of Vorden.

Start your adventure with a beautiful bike path to Castle Vorden, an impressive medieval structure with a delightful tea garden. Continue through the characteristic landscape of hedgerows, tree lanes, small fields, and meadows. Marvel at the 18th-century Huis de Kiefskamp, styled in Louis XVI fashion, and Huis 't Zelle, known for its unique 18th-century lane system. After passing through Zelhem, home to the archaeological museum Smedekinck, you’ll catch a glimpse of the hilly Montferland in the distance. Cycle through the expansive Bergherbos before descending into Gelderse Poort, a unique area where the Rhine has carved through the moraine. Enjoy the water-rich Ossenwaard and the newly established bird-rich nature reserve of Revensweert before reaching the wide river. A bike ferry will take you across to Millingen aan de Rijn. From here you can already see the German border but after Leuth you turn off to the river Waal which leads you to today's final destination.

Through the beautiful Ooijpolder you soon experience the “seven hills” to reach Groesbeek. Here the Canadian War Cemetery of Honor, the Liberation Museum and the replica of an Allied glider on Klein Amerika remind you of the last bloody days of World War II. Through the beautiful Zevendal you descend into the Maas Valley, where just before lively Gennep you find the ruins of the historic Genneperhuis, a former castle and fortified fortress at the mouth of the Niers into the Meuse. You now enter the Maasheggengebied, the oldest cultural landscape of the Netherlands; a mosaic of meadows, old trees and hedges, where in spring the May and blackthorn bloom abundantly. You cycle past pretty farming villages along the Meuse. The many streams and old Meuse beds like the Sohr contribute to a green and varied landscape. The area around Lottum and Grubbenvorst is known for its rose cultivation and the "Gekke Maondaags" tradition.  A ferry takes you to the other bank of the Meuse. Visit the chapel of Notre-Dame de Genooi, the patron saint of the nearby city of Venlo. This ancient Hanseatic city, located at the transition from lowland to hill country, is today's final destination.

Start your day cycling across the Jammerdaalse heath which seems to owe its name to the lamentations of Caesar's soldiers, who were massacred here by Ambiorix. The ancient clay pits with their steep banks are an eldorado for the rare natterjack toad and bank swallow. Then over the Prinsendijk, which in addition to being a geological boundary, was also once part of an ancient Roman road as well as the 1944 German Meuse-Roers Defense. After the nature around the meandering Swalm stream, you reach the imposing castle of Hillenraad. Then back to the border, through the terraced landscape of National Park de Meinweg with dry dunes and swampy marshes. At Herkenbosch you cross the winding Roer River and head for Montfort with its impressive, medieval castle ruins. The route continues its way through the so-called Green Waist of Limburg (“Smallest piece of the Netherlands”). An important link in the ecological chain is the IJzerenbosch. Among other things, you will find flower carpets of wood anemones, spotted arum and slender primrose. After this forest, you take a trip across the German border, before the stage ends in at the old monasteries in Sittard's city center.

The last leg of your journey takes you through the rolling green hills of Limburg, featuring fast-flowing streams, marl caves, limestone houses, and quaint chapels or crosses scattered throughout. The day begins with the challenge of climbing Kollenberg, the northernmost foothill of the Ardennes. A steep ascent with seven “footfalls” leads you to the highest point, where you’ll find the 17th-century Sint Rosakapelle. Pause at Castle Gerlach to admire the sculpture garden and enjoy a coffee at Burgemeester Quicx in the monastery courtyard. Between Rothem and Geulhem, you’ll cycle along the edge of the charming Geuldal. Ride along the brand-new “Groene Loper,” flanked by over two thousand linden trees, into the heart of Maastricht, home to more than 1,650 monuments. The route winds through beautiful old streets, but it’s definitely worth taking some time to explore on foot at the end of this cycling day. Before that, head to Pieterberg, a plateau nestled between the valleys of the Maas and Jeker. Here, a panoramic viewpoint marks the end of your “Pieterfietspad.”

After Breakfast, Your cycling journey comes to an end. We hope you’ve enjoyed every moment of your cycling adventure and created lasting memories along the way.