Heath, suspension bridges and highlights - 10 trail runs in Limburg

The route you take today is not a round trip, but goes from the Maasmechelen area to the Dilsen-Stokkem area. So you leave the Netherlands behind for a while and discover Belgian Limburg today! The route is almost 21.5 kilometers through a hilly landscape and can certainly be called challenging. But don't let that discourage you, because the nature and views along the way are well worth the effort.

Running through the Hoge Kempen National Park, you can enjoy the natural beauty of the Mechelse Heide, which turns purple in August and September. On the heath you can enjoy a varied landscape of sand dunes, dune lakes, and beautiful views of the Maas valley. In clear weather you can even see the Ardennes and the Eifel. The stairs you encounter on the heath provide an extra challenge during your run today. You exchange the stairs a few kilometers further for a suspension bridge, after which you pick up a piece of history on the route at the abandoned railway line.

Just when you might start to get a little tired a few kilometers before the end, a true natural wonder appears. The path along the Grote Plas is truly beautiful to walk and makes you forget all your aches and pains in one go. The natural beauty gives you the energy to make a final climb, after which you will be rewarded with a breathtaking view of the rolling landscape.

For those who are not from the area, this route may be a bit more difficult to undertake organizationally. You can park the car at the starting point, but getting from the end point to the starting point by public transport will easily take between an hour and an hour and a half, including several transfers. Anyone who does venture to public transport can get off in Maasmechelen at the Mechelse Heide stop and can take the bus back home from the Sparrendal stop at the end of the route. Of course you can also run back, then you will have a good marathon!

Don't forget to take plenty of water and a snack along the way. Come on!