North Limburg. The Land of Grind and Sand. At least, if we can believe the website with gravel bike routes of North Limburg. After all, that website is called ‘Land van Grind en Zand’. We agree that the title corresponds to reality. You have beautiful routes through the gravel pits. On our recent visit to Landal De Vers We tested one of these routes and came to a striking conclusion. Not only are the routes in North Limburg breathtaking, but the gravel routes in the eastern part of North Brabant are also a must-visit destination in Overloon!
Brabantian gravel with 66 kilometers of off-road fun
If we take the car on the Friday of our weekend The park As soon as we set off, we immediately notice something: we are in the middle of the forest. That means that you can be on unpaved paths in no time. That promises a lot of good things. Our accommodation, a little further away in the park, also promises a lot: with a BBQ, plenty of space, and a shed for storing the bikes, we can really get away from it all here.
We take out the bikes, get ready, and Thomas (from De Wielercode) and I set off. Ahead of us lies a 66km route over the unpaved paths of the Brabant countryside. That should be something! The route takes us from the park within a few hundred meters into the forest and the countryside. Endless gravel paths, with even gravel crossings, are in our path. We both come from the Randstad and you rarely see this here. It must be said: some of the paths were quite muddy (it was the end of November) and that did cause quite a bit of effort due to the mud. But, don’t worry, that was only for a few kilometers in total.
The route starts from De Vers and you first dive through the Helderse Dunes. I must say that you don’t see much of that on the route, but it is quite nice graveling. After that you go via Zwartwater and the diversion channel there towards the forests of Sint Anthonis. That is pure enjoyment. We make a kind of loop through the entire forest and that brings a wide smile to our faces. Soon we pass Strandbad ‘De Bergen’. There we stop for a moment to play on the mini motor track that is there. Soon we are pointed in the right direction by the owner: this is not the intention! We did laugh.
Then it’s on towards Molenheide. Thomas can’t hold it any longer there and at the pond he’s a true crosser, but also one who has to do the walk of shame. Smiles all over. It’s also about halfway through our route. A little further on, at the Hoge Raam, we have to take the bike and the pull pontje off the road. That’s also hilarious all over, just because of the somewhat unstable pontje itself. Fortunately, we stay dry. From that moment on, it’s lovely through the fields of North Brabant. It’s mostly farm land with only a bit of forest around the Hondsberg. That’s just a stone’s throw from our finish line. The total length of the gravel route is more than 50% kilometers. That’s not bad for the Netherlands.
Land of Grind and Sand – just a stone's throw away
On Saturday we face a beautiful challenge. Covering over 100km of gravel in Land of Grind and Sand. We have found a nice route by Leandra Bisschops. Routemaster Thomas Bogaard has made a small adjustment to it, and with that we have a nice ride ahead of us. We are nine people, which makes it extra cozy. Not only have some BEAT club riders come, but also the man behind Gravelstrook.cc It all came from Zeeland (the province) itself on our social ride.
For us, now it is a matter of heading towards the Maasduinen. That means we start with a crossing through the Overloonsche Dunes. You can also find several cycling routes here, but since we already have enough gravel for our snufferd, we are going for the crossing over the concrete cycle paths. On the east side, we then make the crossing towards the ferry to Bergen, North Limburg. From there, we can pick up the route and that is what we will do.
Drassig towards the Maasduinen
The first stretch is heavy and muddy. Along the Heukelomsche stream it is very wet and especially muddy. This stretch is better to drive in the summer. But anyway: we get through it. From that moment on, we set off as a kind of condor through the Maasduinen National Park. First in a southern direction, past Maaspark Well and the lovely Leukermeer behind it. Then we dive back into the forest and the meadow area after Papenbeek. Here too, as on Friday, we are treated to endless beautiful gravel sections. Because we literally form a kind of snake, we see a lot of this area. The camera runs overtime.
At Trappenberg and Landgoed De Hamert, the climb is a bit steeper. Here you will also find the beautiful heathland and the typical views and imagery that fit with De Maasduinen. From here, you can also take a nice stretch of singletrack along a lower-lying body of water. Be careful though, because before you know it, you’ll be taking a refreshing dip. We don’t want that.
Back to the heath
After that you head back over the meadow ground. It sometimes feels like you’re on the Veluwe. A little further on you pass the Reindersmeer. It is indeed through the sand there, and when it’s muddy, you really have to push a little bit. Further on you drive past the Eendenmeer, where it’s a bit busier with hikers.
After 73 km, you can have the perfect lunch stop at the ‘Old Inn’ in Ottersum. In the original route, you start and end here, but for us it’s already past halfway. We are presented with a nice lunch menu, but soon the question arises: ‘Do you also have fritters?’ It turns out that’s the case, and the good example follows. A decent number of Limburg fritters, the really delicious kind, are placed on the table. We can take it again.
We’ll swing the last stretch back towards Bergen, to make the crossing to Overloon. Before that stretch, you’ll be treated to a few more beautiful gems from North Limburg. See below!
At Overloon, we definitely want to drive through the War Museum anyway. That is possible, by bike, via the special cyclist bridge and route. You have to drive through the museum park for a moment and then you’ll get there automatically. This yields wonderful images. See below:
Frank, one of our riders, breaks his derailleur chain just before the bridge. His wife, who is nearby, comes to pick him up when the broom wagon arrives. That’s part of it too. We end the day with a drink in the Grand-Café Broer and Zus in the park.
Sunday finale
On Sunday I took the opportunity to do a nice short ride. After a good night’s sleep, I did another 30km exploring the unpaved surroundings. It’s so beautiful here. The route again takes you through the green, the forest, through the trees and over a stretch of meadow that is very muddy when it has rained a lot. Good for the strength training. Also be careful when crossing the N-road; afterwards there’s a kind of ditch with a wild boar, so you don’t want to get your tires slashed. (Note: I did that, though. A nice ‘snake bite’ cut short my ride).
Landal De Vers is a luxurious base of operations
The park of Landal De Vers It is located just on the edge of Overloon. Beautifully tucked away in the woods, you’ll find a well-maintained park here, where you’ll find a new and a slightly older part. We have a luxurious 6-person accommodation, including a sauna, a Green-Egg barbecue, and a spacious terrace. There’s room for two cars in front of the house, and the shed offers space for up to 10 bicycles. The spacious living room and kitchen are great if you’re with a larger group. The two bathrooms (one downstairs, an en-suite bathroom in the bedroom) and one upstairs complete the picture.
The park also has a restaurant. Grand Café Broer en Zus, where you can both have a drink and enjoy a nice dinner in the evening. The drink after our Saturday trip tastes extra delicious. There is a mini-golf course, a swimming pool (forgot your swimming trunks…) and a mini market with some essentials. For groceries, the Plus in the village is just a few minutes’ drive or 10-minute walk away.
There is a bike rental available for the cyclists, but they don’t have sporty models. There is, however, a nice rinsing area, which we eagerly used after our rides. That is a kind of hygiene factor, pun intended.
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.