Cycling the border: Castles and local myths

When I take the time on weekends to go for a bike ride with family or friends, I always look for a route with a great backstory. The Van Waes Castle Cycle Route (56 km) is exactly that kind of trip. I recently delved into the background of this route again, and the local legends in this border region continue to fascinate me.

Take our starting point: the Krekelbergplein in Neeritter. This is where the official anthem of our Limburg region was born. The author lived just a stone's throw from the Belgian Borgitter Castle and was inspired by the estate's magnificent oak trees back in 1890. While the original trees have unfortunately been cut down, the history is still alive. If you cycle past the castle today, you'll see large Corten steel musical notes hanging in the newly planted oaks to commemorate the story.

Artwork

Die originele bomen zijn in 1948 helaas gekapt, maar het verhaal is niet verdwenen. Wanneer je nu langs het kasteel fietst, zie je in de nieuw geplante eiken mooie cortenstalen muzieknoten hangen. Ook kun je even pauzeren op speciale bankjes in de vorm van muzieknoten, waaraan leerlingen van MOSA Art uit Maaseik destijds meewerkten.

De mythe

But Borgitter Castle has a darker side as well, which might just be my favorite anecdote of the trip: the legend of Anna Salomé van Waes. The lady of the castle died under the guillotine in Paris in 1794. However, rumor has it that on stormy autumn evenings, she still wanders around the castle without her head, eternally searching for her hidden jewelry.

Foto via: nationaal Archief: NL-HaNA_2.24.10.02_0_151-1252_1

The rest of the ride

Fortunately, the rest of the cycling route is much less spooky! You pedal at your own pace through the wonderfully flat landscape, passing charming villages like Thorn, Ittervoort, and Hunsel. Along the way, you will spot Kasteelhoeve de Grote Hegge, Kasteelhoeve Hagenbroek, Ten Hove Castle, and Groot Buggenum Castle (keep in mind that these estates are privately owned and can only be admired from the road).

In Kelpen-Oler, you can even use the ArcheoRoute app on your phone to see what the vanished Ensenbroek Castle once looked like. In short: a beautifully varied route to ride together, with more than enough terraces to hop off for a refreshing break!

Van Waes-castle Cyclingroute

This varied 58-kilometre cycle route is a lovely way to spend a wonderful day out. You’ll cycle through the border region with Belgium and come across plenty of terraces and restaurants along the way where you can stop off for a break

Take me there

Angélique is allround marketing specialist bij Hart van Limburg

As a newcomer to Limburg, she grew up in Maastricht. Weekends spent in the countryside, first tagging along with her parents, later with the Scouts. Hours spent wandering along streams, poring over flowers and insects. Just like ‘Erik’ from Godfried Bomans’ famous book. Later, cultural history became part of the picture. She draws on this interest in nature and culture every day in the Marketing department at Hart van Limburg, where she inspires residents and visitors, in the broadest sense, to take an interest in this special region.