6 walks in southern Limburg not to miss
If you look beyond Maastricht’s rich history and vibrant culture, you soon see that the city is a very fine starting point for hikers and lovers of the outdoors. Maastricht lies at the foot of the rolling hills of South Limburg, beautiful countryside, lush forests and quaint villages a few kilometres away. Maastricht and its surroundings offer a wide range of hiking trails. Whether you are a seasoned hiker or just want to enjoy a relaxing walk in the middle of nature, these walking routes around Maastricht are sure to captivate your senses. Best of all, they are all more easily accessible from central Maastricht.
Photo: Maastricht Marketing / Hugo Thomassen
If you would like to combine one of these walks with a walking package in Maastricht or South Limburg, or turn it into a walking holiday, read on at the bottom of this page. These are the walking routes in and around Maastricht you will want to have done once:
Photo: Maastricht Marketing / eighty8things
Pieterpad, stage Sint-Pietersberg – Strabeek (near Valkenburg)
Distance: 17 kilometres
Duration: 4 hours
Transport: You start or end near Valkenburg Station, 10 minutes by train from Maastricht.
The most famous long-distance hiking trail in the whole of the Netherlands totalling 498 kilometres! The trail runs from Pieterburen on the Groningen coast all the way to Sint-Pietersberg in South Limburg. The route is divided into 26 stages, making it easy to walk a section. So from Maastricht, you can walk the last stage (or the first, it depends how you look at it).
A stretch towards Santiago de Compostela
Distance: 7 kilometres (or more)
Duration: 1,5 hours (or more)
Transport: Take the train back to Maastricht from Eijsden, Visé (B) or Liège (B), depending on how far south you walk.
The world’s most popular pilgrimage is the Camino de Santiago, also known as the St. James route. Thousands of starting points in Europe end up in Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Did you know that the St James path runs through South Limburg, and even through the heart of Maastricht? You can also follow the ‘Via Mosana’ route from Maastricht. You can imagine yourself as a pilgrim for a day of reflection on foot.
Photo: Visit Zuid-Limburg
Photo: Visit Zuid-Limburg
Cretaceous Plateau (‘Krijtlandpad’)
Distance: 8 to 23 kilometres, depending on stage
Duration: at least 1,5 hours
Transport: take bus 15 (stage 2), bus 57 (stages 3, 6), bus 350 (stages 4, 5, 6)
This 90-kilometre total circular walk divided into six stages has everything that makes South Limburg so beautiful. The Cretaceous of the Mergelland Plateau is walking through history, rolling landscapes, fruit orchards and picturesque villages. You can easily walk one stage, or several. If you have to choose two, take stage 2 and 3. Stage 2 includes Noorbeek, one of the most beautiful villages in the Netherlands, and stage 3 includes a break at Boscafé ‘t Hijgend Hert in Vijlen, the only Dutch mountain hut at an altitude of 260 metres.
Pilgrim trail
Distance: 13,9 km (stage 14 Cadier en Keer – Mesch) // 22,1 km (stage 13 Maastricht – Schin op Geul)
Duration: 3 to 6 hours, depending on stage
Transport: Stage 13: train back from Schin op Geul // Stage 14: bus 350 to Cadier en Keer, train back from Eijsden
The St Jacob’s Path has already been mentioned, but there are several pilgrim routes through Europe and the Netherlands. This pilgrim trail leads from Amsterdam to Visé in Belgium, where it connects with other pilgrim routes. Stage 13 you normally walk from Schin op Geul towards Maastricht, but you can also turn it around, then you can relax and take the train home. Stage 14 is a very nice one, through the greenery of the Savelsbos. You end up in Mesch and can then walk a little further to Eijsden station to take the train or bus back, or you can walk further south all the way to Visé and from there take the train home.
View / download hiking trail here – stage 13
View / download hiking trail here – stage 14
Photo: Visit Zuid-Limburg
Photo: Visit Zuid-Limburg
Dutch Mountain Trail, Eygelshoven – Maastricht
Distance: 101 kilometres
Duration: depending on stage
Transport: train to Eygelshoven station, the starting and finishing point
The toughest hike in the Netherlands? That is the Dutch Mountain Trail par excellence, a rugged 101 km route along the 7 hilltops of South Limburg with a total of 2000 metres altitude. Among others, you hike over the Vaalserberg, at 322 metres the highest mountain in the Netherlands.
Hiking and staying overnight in South Limburg
Many hikers spend the night at The Green Elephant Hostels and afterwards, relaxing in the wellness with saunas is a nice way to end a hiking day. If your overnight stay is a private room with private bathroom and king-size Auping bed, you will wake up well rested before you start your hike. Moreover, the hotel is just around the corner from the railway station in Maastricht’s nicest district, Wyck.Ideal as a starting point to explore South Limburg or to relax on a terrace for a drink or dinner afterwards.
Use these discount codes to book an overnight stay including a 10% discount:
