Sittard, Geleen, Hoensbroek

Between 1978 and 1983, two friends, Toos and Bertje, created and walked the Pieterpad. This long-distance walking trail stretches for 500 kilometres from Pieterburen in the province of Groningen to Sint-Pietersberg in the south of Limburg. Divided into 26 stages, it is easily accessible by public transport and offers plenty of overnight accommodation along the way. The landscapes are incredibly varied, yet equally beautiful throughout.

Where you can walk, you can also cycle. And we would not be Fietsnetwerk if we did not create a series of beautiful cycling routes inspired by the Pieterpad. We developed a collection of routes totalling nearly 1,300 kilometres, connecting all the places along the Pieterpad. Each route is a loop, so you always return to your starting point. This stage takes you from Sittard deeper into South Limburg, ending in Hoensbroek on the edge of Heerlen.

The route starts near Sittard railway station. From here, you cycle towards Geleen. A visit to Geleen is well worth your time. On the edge of the town stands the former building of State Mine Maurits, once the largest coal mine in the Netherlands. Did you know that Geleen’s town centre is even known in the United States? Scenes featuring Hollywood stars Clark Gable and Lana Turner were filmed on Geleen’s market square for the 1954 film Betrayed.

Continue south through several nature reserves. Along the way, you pass charming villages and towns, each with its own attractions. Beautiful churches and castles emerge from the green hills that characterise the region.

In South Limburg, there is no avoiding the hills. In Sittard, you can climb the Kollenberg, home to the chapel of Saint Rosa, the city’s patron saint. Every year, the Kollenberg hosts the Maske Begrave, a tradition in which carnival masks are symbolically buried after the festivities. Another local custom is krombroodrapen, during which crescent-shaped bread rolls are thrown from the Kollenberg to the children of the city. You may even be lucky enough to witness one of these traditions during your ride.

This stage connects with the following stages:
- Sittard & Montfort
- Hoensbroek & Maastricht