Rode Beek Tour

Details: Parent Category: Limburg province; Category: Limburg - Walks; Last Updated: 13 July 2022; Hits: 543

Moderate

Hike through the wooded part of the Meinweg National Park, along the Rode Beek that forms the border with Germany and the river Roer. The Rode Beek is a beautiful meandering brook that originates just across the border in Germany. It forms the national border between the hamlet of Vlodrop Station and the village of Vlodrop about 5 km away. There are two water mills along this stream: the Dalheimer Mühle on the German side and the Gitstappermolen on the Dutch side.

Rode Beek Tour

Rode Beek Tour

Distance: 20 km

Duration: 4h30

Grade: Moderate

Gps track: Yes

Route description: Yes

Type: Circular walk

Height gain: No information available

Way mark: See PDF route description

Wheelchair: Unsuitable

Dog: An alternative route has been provided

At Roermond, the Rode Beek flows into the Roer, a tributary of the Maas. In addition to the Rode Beek, this walk takes you along a meandering part of the Roer and through De Meinweg National Park. This is a unique terraced landscape with steep transitions between the terraces. This landscape has been shaped over tens of thousands of years by erosion by the Meuse and shifts in the earth's crust along the three fault lines in this area. Along one of these faults, the Peelrand Fault, a strong earthquake of 5.8 on the Richter scale occurred in 1992. In the wooded part of De Meinweg, the walk follows a disused route of the Iron Rhine. Initially the intention was to dig a canal as a direct connection with Antwerp as an alternative to the Rhine connection via Rotterdam. Later they preferred a railway line; hence the name Iron Rhine. Other sights along the route are the chapel with cemetery of the former Franciscan monastery of Sint Ludwig, the Beatrixhof court farm, a monument to war victims of the Second World War, and Daelenbroeck Castle. This castle, now a hotel restaurant, was first mentioned in the early fourteenth century. The former castle was used by Godfried van Heinsberg as a residence and hunting lodge. The current complex dates from 1707.