Armed with my laptop and a road map, I sit at the kitchen table and explore where I might go in the coming days.
Sometimes you just have to surprise yourself, I think. An adventurous motorcycle ride on mostly unpaved roads in Dutch Limburg doesn’t exactly sound like the most appealing or daring ride of the year.
And yet, I accept the challenge.
The route starts just south of Venlo, in the far east of the Netherlands. While the rest of this country of windmills is as flat as a pancake, in Dutch Limburg you’ll even find hills!
The highest point is in the municipality of Vaals, at a staggering 322 m above sea level.
I set off from the banks of the Meuse River in the still-flat Netherlands.
Narrow field and forest roads quickly lead me toward the city of Roermond.
A ring road allows me to easily skirt this somewhat larger provincial town, and after passing some industrial areas, I soon find myself back in more rural surroundings.
Dirt and gravel roads lead me to Herkenbosch and Vlodrop, where I graze the German border.
However, I turn the front wheel of my Husqvarna back onto Dutch paths through the gently rolling fields and forests toward Echt.
The farmers are busy hauling in the hay. The past few warm, sunny days are almost over.
Rain is forecast for the coming days, and you can tell by the farmers’ activity—the hay still needs to be dry before it’s stored!
I’m allowed to weave between a tractor and a combine harvester and end up on a narrow road next to the Juliana Canal, which I follow for quite a distance. The asphalt strip is just the width of a car, with occasional gaps to allow oncoming traffic to pass.
Except for one car and a dozen cyclists, I have the road to myself, so oncoming traffic isn’t an issue.
After a short snack and drink break, I press the start button and, with the gentle rumble of that single-cylinder engine, leave the Juliana Canal behind me.
Via a series of dirt roads, I make a wide loop around the busier towns of Sittard and Geleen.
It’s truly bliss to ride these small paved and dirt roads.
No singletrack, but fairly wide and well-maintained paths allow me to reach the more touristy part of Dutch Limburg in a relaxed manner.
Here, in the southernmost tip of the country, the hills get higher, and the tourist spots busier.
I’m riding the route on a weekday, and this isn’t a problem at all. But if you plan to ride it on a beautiful summer weekend, be aware that you’ll encounter much more traffic—cyclists, cars, and scooters.
In the distance, I can already see the lookout tower on the Vaalserberg.
That’s the endpoint of this section of the ride. Winding paved roads take me to the somewhat funfair-like grounds of the tri-border area (the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany).
Terraces, playground, maze, lookout tower—you’ll find it all! I let it pass and start part two of the route on my GPS.
The line on my GPS shows another route of about 130 km that takes me to Ouren on the Luxembourg border.
There you’ll find another three-country point: Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany.
This route, however, is largely on asphalt. In Belgium, I’m a bit stricter about off-road riding.
Initially, the route follows mainly main roads through the Herve region—a very green landscape. The plateau is characterized by low hills (200 to 350 meters), little forest, and mostly meadows and orchards enclosed by hedges. With beautiful, expansive views.
I pass the Barrage de la Gileppe, one of the oldest dams in Europe, inaugurated on July 28, 1878, by King Leopold II. A narrow road leads to the parking lot at the top of the dam, offering a particularly beautiful view of the structure and the surrounding forests.
The shadows are starting to lengthen with the setting sun, but I stay in the saddle a little longer to ride along some smaller forest roads around Spa.
And so, via La Gleize, to Trois-Ponts. Night is really falling now, and I decide to park my motorcycle in the tiny village of Wanne and settle into a cozy hotel room.
That shower was really needed! With freshly washed hair, I sit down at the table and then crawl under the duvet with a full stomach. Because of that full stomach—and that pesky mosquito—I didn’t get much sleep.
Still puffy-eyed from far too little rest, I appear for breakfast the next morning. I especially need a lot of coffee...
Anyway, I finally wake up a bit, and from Wanne I’m treated to a nice downhill ride with another wonderful view over the valley, back toward Trois-Ponts. I continue along the well-known road toward Vielsalm, only to turn left a little further on into a rather inconspicuous road.
A lovely stretch of unpaved road awaits me through the Ardennes hills. No challenging enduro tracks, but that’s precisely what makes it interesting—you can ride this path even with a heavier all-road motorcycle. Always a little cautious with the throttle and quietly enjoying the magnificent view over the Ardennes forests.
The rest of today’s route is also a series of very small paved roads alternating with unpaved paths. The best part of the route is definitely at the end!
In Lommerheimer, just past Sankt Vith, I briefly cross the German border.
I’m treated to a perfect stretch of asphalt, as we generally expect from the Germans.
Then, back on Belgian soil, I ride along the last stretch of the East Cantons to the Three-Country Road in Ouren. A parking lot, a simple Europadenkmal, and two tourists mark the end of my journey.
A surprisingly beautiful journey! Highly recommended for any type of adventure bike.
Due to the terrain, this ride is perfect for any adventure bike if the weather is dry and you have some studs on your tires. The route includes many unpaved roads, and as you know, this is subject to change. Paths may be closed, prohibition signs may appear, etc. So, use this route as a guideline, but don’t follow everything blindly. You may be restricted in some areas and have to take a detour. But don’t let that spoil the fun—there’s plenty here to offer you a good dose of motorcycling joy!
Be courteous on the unpaved sections. Slow down for hikers and cyclists. Ride quietly past farms, and stop and turn off your engine when you encounter horse riders. And of course, stay on the paths and never ride through cultivated fields! This way, we can all continue to enjoy the few unpaved tracks still open to motorcyclists.
