Pieter Path

Part 21 - Echt to Sittard

From Echt to Sittard

We ended yesterday’s walk in Echt; however, we took the train to stay and ate at the monumental hotel “De Limbourg Sittard,” located in the medieval inner city of Sittard, the Markt.

We had a delicious dinner outside, sat in the shade, slept in a comfortable bed in a quiet room, and enjoyed a large and healthy breakfast before starting a new walking day. Around 9 am, we were back at Echt’s little white train station, feeling energized again and ready to start the new walking day.

We quickly left the area behind us and walked on sandy paths through the fields. The statue “Schat van Pey (Treasure of Pey)” is in memory of the discovery of gold and silver Roman coins in 2014. The horse was depicted on one of the coins. We paused at the Sint Antonius chapel in Slek and lit a few candles as we always do. At Heide, we saw the artwork of an ax in remembrance of the stone hammer ax from the Bronze Age (2000 to 800 BC) found here in 2016.

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Via the IJzerenbos, a biotope for all kinds of amphibians, we entered Germany. At this spot, the Netherlands is at its narrowest! We passed the German villages of Isenbruch and Millen and walked back into the Netherlands. We followed the longest stream from the Netherlands, the Geleenbeek, towards the beautiful center of Sittard. At this spot, unobstructed by other buildings, the Sint Petrus church, built in the 14th century, is majestically towering over Sittard. With this magnificent view of the church, we detoured from the Pieter Path trail and went for the 2nd time to Sittard’s train station, this time to travel back home.

Date

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Distance

11.24 miles
18.09 km

Moving Time

3:52:15
hours

Weather

31 °C
sunny