Pieter Path

Part 17 - Vierlingsbeek to Broekhuizen

From Vierlingsbeek to Broekhuizen

A few days later, we were back in Vierlingsbeek around 10 am to complete the next leg of the Pieterpath. It was a day seeing art, chapels, a war memorial, forests, moors, historic buildings, and industry.

The whimsical Pieterpad art monument “Pieterpauze Punt” with a palm tree and seats invited us, however without success. We continued since we had just started the day! The 660-year-old restored Maria Chapel, the St. Joseph’s Chapel, and the St. Goar chapel drew many visitors who prayed for healing! The Maas area was heavily fought over in WW2, and the Holthees memorial commemorates the victims, including babies and children; it showed, in my opinion, the madness of war.

We walked through unique nature: the Boschhuizerbergen – a shifting sand area with heather and juniper bushes, the Geysteren estate – a place with deciduous and coniferous trees, sand drifts, and the gorgeous Oostrumsche forest stream, the Maaspark Ooijen-Wanssum – the largest contiguous nature reserve formed by the Maas, and the Tienraysche and Swolgender heaths – with large sand drifts.

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The historic Rosmolen, a watermill, and Kasteelke Meerlo (1619) were restored to their former glory! The large-scale industry of the largest inland port of Limburg Wanssum, with its enormous concrete factory and silos, was visible from afar!

At Schuitwater Nature Reserve, we took a detour off the Pieterpath to eat and spend the night in Maashotel in Broekhuizen; this was well worth the extra walking miles. We enjoyed a captivating view over the Maas and the ferry. And the restaurant’s dinner was exquisite!

Date

Sunday, July 31, 2022

Distance

17.96 miles
28.90 km

Moving Time

6:24:23
hours

Weather

24-25 °C
sun, clouds