Hiking trip: Walking from Vorden to Maastricht - 15 days

Travel to Vorden station on your own. Upon arrival in Vorden, check in at your accommodation. If you arrive early and have some energy left after your journey, consider visiting the nearby beautiful Hanseatic city of Zutphen, just 9 minutes away by train!

Just outside Vorden lies the beautiful, eponymous castle. Beyond that, across the Vorden brook, you are halfway along the Pieterpad and find the monument of the two female path's designers. Continue through the varied landscape of the Kieftskamp estate and head through the small village of Linde towards manor 't Zelle. This monumental estate, once a farm, is now a recreation park. Before reaching Zelhem, walk through the now forested 't Zand, once a large shifting sand area.

First, walk through the beautiful landscape of the Heidenhoek. Here stands the stately Silo Tower, also known as the 'Cathedral'. The next notable point is Slangenburg castle, inhabited and rebuilt by various castle lords since the 14th century and now a guest house. Further on, cross the Oude IJssel, an important river for the iron industry in the 18th century. Pass the Waalse water and continue towards Braamt. You will know you have arrived when you stand face to face with the nice windmill of Braamt.

Here, in the eastern part of the province of Gelderland, right on the German border, lies the beautiful Montferland region. A hilly forest area with magnificent views. Walk through the Bergher forest and over the Hulzenberg, a hill (272 ft) where an observation tower offers expansive views over the area. You might encounter people without shoes; after all, you are on a so-called barefoot path! Continue through Hoch-Elten and enter the watery river land of the 'Gelderse Poort'. Arrive in the former border post Tolkamer on the river Waal, where you take the ferry to Millingen a/d Rijn.

The day begins in the so-called 'Duffelt'. Walking through this river polder, just before the village of Leuth, pass the Plezenburg, a striking terp farm from 1810. Continue along the Wylerberg lake and climb the Duivelsberg. This 249 ft high hill is part of the Nijmegen moraine, formed in the last ice age. At the top, find the remains of the 'motte' castle Mergelp, dating back to the 11th century. Enjoy a splendid view over the Ooypolder and the Waal's floodplains. Walk further through the rolling hills of the Nederrijk estate, finally arriving in the wine village of Groesbeek.

Via the Groesbeek forest, leave the province of Gelderland and enter Limburg. Walk through a beautiful forest area, conquering the Sint Jansberg. In this lovely nature reserve, follow winding paths through the hills, passing lakes, ponds, and hedge-surrounded meadows. Pass Milsbeek, once famous for its pottery. Just before the town of Gennep, at the spot where the Niers and Maas rivers meet, lies the 'Genneperhuis', a fortress that was once impregnable for centuries. In Gennep, admire the Martinus tower, the Mosaic square, and the old market, surrounded by beautiful historic buildings.

Leave Gennep via the dike along the Niers and head towards the Heijen forest. Enjoy the natural beauty of the Maasduinen National Park, shaped by water, wind, and human activity. The park forms the longest continuous ribbon of river dunes in the Netherlands. During a delightful walk, pass the Quin, one of many large, reflective ponds. Rest in Afferden while waiting for the ferry to cross the Maas. Once on the other side, you are in the province Brabant, where you reach your destination, Vierlingsbeek, via the Groeningen hills.

Shortly after leaving the village of Vierlingsbeek, you will reach the ruins of the 15th-century castle 'Makken'. Continue to Smakt, the pilgrimage site of Saint Joseph, and reach the beautiful shifting sand area of the 'Boschhuizer Bergen'. On the Geysteren estate, reach the Oostrum brook and the watermill of Rosmolen. Along this part of the route, you can also admire the St. Willibrordus chapel. Another sight is the former castle farm from 1619, the 'Kasteelke'. Continue your way to the North Limburg church village of Swolgen.

Just outside Swolgen, enter the Schuitwater nature reserve, located on an old Maas meander. The wet forests here are accessible via wooden boardwalks. Pass the Houthuizer chapel and 'Huys Kaldenbroek', a 15th-century castle farm. Just before the village of Grubbenvorst, pass the Ursuline Convent, and take the ferry across the Maas. On the other side of the water, enjoy a pleasant walk through the beautiful floodplains of the 'Océ-Weerd'. Finally, arrive in Venlo, where you should visit the monument-rich St. Martinus street and the 16th-century town hall.

Leave Venlo behind and set off on the heathlands of Jammerdaal, with its former clay and sand quarries. Then follows the Wambachgroeve, also formed by clay extraction. This transitions into the beautiful 'Holtmühle' nature reserve, right on the German border. Walk along or over the Prinsendijk, where various small bunkers, so-called 'tobruks', from World War II can be seen. Reach the ‘Meerlebroek’ nature reserve, following the fast-flowing and meandering Swalm to the lively village of Swalmen.

The first cultural highlight today is Hillenraedt, a beautiful 14th-century water castle. Walk through the surrounding count's forests to reach the aristocratic castle farm Zuidewijk Spick via an old Roman road. Continue your way to Melick, a church village in the Roer valley. Cross the river and reach the charming village St. Odiliënberg. Walk further through the shifting sands of the 'Sweeltje' and arrive in Montfort. If you have some energy left, visit the ruins of the ancient castle with its information centre, cellar complex, and castle garden.

Near Montfort lies a valuable cultural landscape. Stand at the ‘Duvelskei’ and enjoy the view over the fields of the ‘Grootbroek’, once a large swamp. If you deviate from the route slightly, you can visit the Cistercian abbey of Lilbosch. Back on the Pieterpad, pass the recent find site of the treasure of Pey, dating from Roman times. Walk a bit into Germany through the Iron Forest, and re-enter the Netherlands at Isenbruch, the country's narrowest point. In Sittard, visit the St. Peter's Church and the Cloister Quarter before relaxing at one of the cozy terraces on the old market.

On the way, the Kollenberg appears, a beautiful piece of urban nature, with the chapel of St. Rosa at its highest point. It is not the only one, as there are seven chapels along the rising path. Walk from the high church village of Puth along the Geleen brook to Terborgh castle. Then through a so-called 'grubbe' along the Diependal geological monument to Terstraten, with its typical Limburg farms. Look up at the 'Giant of Schimmert', an old water tower, and reach the highest point of the Pieterpad at 427 ft. Through the beautiful Raven forest, arrive in the hamlet of Strabeek.

Walk through Ingendael and the heathland of Bergen, two beautiful, adjoining nature reserves along the river Geul. Reach the marl quarry Blom, a deep, abandoned shaft, where marl was extracted until 1999, now a true nature paradise. Descend into the ‘Bemelergrubbe’ and pass small marl caves. Soon after, walk through the outskirts of Maastricht on your way to the historic centre, from where you head towards Fort St. Pieter, located atop the St. Pietersberg, blessed with great viewpoints. Here, you have reached the end of the Pieterpad!

After breakfast, your Pieterpad adventure truly comes to an end.