Starting at Fixed Gear Coffee in the center of Valkenburg, this route shows you some easy gravel roads around Banholt and Gulpen. I tried to make this route as flat as possible, but we’re in the South of Limburg and we’re famous for our hills, so I had to make some exceptions to keep the route a gravel route.

Right after leaving Fixed Gear Coffee, there is the climb of the daelhemmerweg. It has a maximum gradient of 6% and is on asphalt. Just take it slow and you’ll make it to the top without too much effort. From there on we’re going full out on gravel for the next 20km.

At a certain point you’re riding towards Bruisterbos and just before hitting this little hamlet the route takes a right and straight to the monument of the  gallows of Mheer, a former court place that used to be here. Don’t worry, we stopped hanging criminals about 10 years ago. 

Close to Reijmerstok you’ll enjoy the beautiful fruit vines through which you’ll ride. After this the route takes you to Gulpen were you’ll find the hardest climb of today. Not technical, but it starts with a 400m climb on asphalt that touches a 15% gradient and then continues on to gravel, which luckily is just a 7% climb for the remainder.

Around Scheulder the route is again very easy including some asphalt, taking you to the last challenge of today: Sint Jansbosweg. This is a nice downhill that starts a little tricky, so take it slow, but then you can let go of the breaks and enjoy the last piece of this route. When you’re at the end of this downhill, don’t forget to look back and see the beautiful view. In front of you, you see “Kasteel Schaloen” where you can also go for a drink. You could even take the road around the castle and enjoy a little more gravel, but because on weekends this can be very crowded with people walking, I’ve not included that part in my route. It shouldn’t be difficult to navigate though to bring you back to where you started this route.