Balance on the border between North Brabant and Limburg! In this region you will find many nature areas that have 'Peel' in their name. In most Peel areas peat was once mined on a small scale by local farmers, also in the Mariapeel area. The roads they used to transport the peat were called Peel tracks. That is how the Peel areas got their name. At the beginning of the twentieth century, plans were made to also mine the Mariapeel area on a large scale, but then the Second World War broke out. The reclamation plans were stopped and instead the area became part of the Peel-Raamstelling, a military defence zone, together with the Defence Canal running from Griendtsveen to Mill. Despite the considerable damage caused by the violence of war, the fact that it was not reclaimed on a large scale has left behind a beautiful nature reserve. When you cycle through the Mariapeel, you will enjoy the meadows, moors and grasslands that merge together and the old peat canals where swans and ducks now float peacefully. You will also cycle through the peat villages Griendtsveen and Helenaveen. These two villages are not only connected by the Helenavaart, they were even founded by the same family: father and sons Van de Griendt. Father Jan van de Griendt (1804-1882) was a merchant from Den Bosch and at the time had a great interest in the reclamation of the peat moor. He founded the village of Helenaveen, named after his wife Helena. After his death his sons Jozef and Eduard continued his work and founded the village Griendtsveen, a beautiful picturesque village that is now a protected village sight.
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Midden Peelweg , 5966 PK Horst aan de Maas | 32.4 KM | |
|
From
42
to
83
|
2972 M | 3 KM | |
| Head southeast on Midden Peelweg | 458 M | ||
| Turn right onto Dorperpeelweg | 2.5 KM | ||
| You are now at section 83 | 0 M | ||
|
From
83
to
56
|
2207 M | 2.2 KM | |
| Head west on Grauwveenweg | 2.2 KM | ||
| You are now at section 56 | 0 M | ||
|
From
56
to
57
|
1804 M | 1.8 KM | |
| Head west on Lavendellaan | 363 M | ||
| Turn right onto Apostelweg | 171 M | ||
| Turn left onto Ericaweg | 266 M | ||
| Turn right onto Sphagnumweg | 22 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Sphagnumweg | 341 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Sphagnumweg | 191 M | ||
| Turn left onto Deurneseweg | 94 M | ||
| Turn left onto Pastoor Hendriksstraat | 356 M | ||
| You are now at section 57 | 0 M | ||
|
From
57
to
27
|
7522 M | 7.5 KM | |
| Head southeast on Helenaveenseweg | 1.6 KM | ||
| Make a slight left onto Jaagpad | 349 M | ||
| Continue straight | 13 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Jaagpad | 3 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Jaagpad | 268 M | ||
| Continue onto Kaasweg | 333 M | ||
| Make a slight left to stay on Kaasweg | 459 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Kaasweg | 28 M | ||
| Turn left onto Soemeersingel | 995 M | ||
| Turn left onto Brugje | 24 M | ||
| Turn right onto Koolweg | 2.3 KM | ||
| Turn right | 24 M | ||
| Turn right onto Soemeersingel | 105 M | ||
| Turn left onto Rector Nuijtsstraat | 682 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Soemeersingel | 349 M | ||
| You are now at section 27 | 0 M | ||
|
From
27
to
28
|
1262 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head northeast on Sevenumseweg | 1.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 28 | 0 M | ||
|
From
28
to
34
|
3671 M | 3.7 KM | |
| Head east on Helenaveenseweg | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn right to stay on Helenaveenseweg | 1.4 KM | ||
| Turn right | 53 M | ||
| Turn left onto MTB route Peelbergen | 56 M | ||
| Turn right | 19 M | ||
| Turn left | 884 M | ||
| You are now at section 34 | 0 M | ||
|
From
34
to
51
|
4365 M | 4.4 KM | |
| Head east | 208 M | ||
| Turn right onto Helenaveenseweg | 1.4 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Bedelaarspad | 1.9 KM | ||
| Make a slight left onto Kronenbergweg | 131 M | ||
| Turn right onto Meerweg | 630 M | ||
| Turn left onto De Hees | 32 M | ||
| You are now at section 51 | 0 M | ||
|
From
51
to
49
|
1912 M | 1.9 KM | |
| Head northwest on Peelstraat | 339 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 1.6 KM | ||
| You are now at section 49 | 0 M | ||
|
From
49
to
50
|
2135 M | 2.1 KM | |
| Head northwest on Travers | 1 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Kulbergweg | 44 M | ||
| Turn left onto Raamweg | 1.1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 50 | 0 M | ||
|
From
50
to
38
|
825 M | 0.8 KM | |
| Head northeast | 825 M | ||
| You are now at section 38 | 0 M | ||
|
From
38
to
70
|
266 M | 0.3 KM | |
| Head northeast | 183 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Zwarte Plakweg | 83 M | ||
| You are now at section 70 | 0 M | ||
|
From
70
to
40
|
1811 M | 1.8 KM | |
| Head northeast on Nusseleinstraat | 16 M | ||
| Turn left onto Pastoor Jeukenstraat | 42 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Pastoor Jeukenstraat | 234 M | ||
| Turn right onto Gerard Smuldersstraat | 241 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Gerard Smuldersstraat | 230 M | ||
| Make a slight right | 1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 40 | 0 M | ||
|
From
40
to
42
|
1582 M | 1.6 KM | |
| Head west | 582 M | ||
| Continue onto Peelheideweg | 1000 M | ||
| You are now at section 42 | 0 M | ||
|
From
42
to
42
|
54 M | 0.1 KM | |
| Head south | 54 M | ||
| You are now at section 42 | 0 M |