Kelchterhoef – orange hiking route

The Kelchterhoef Domain, located amid the enchanting landscape of De Wijers in the centre of Limburg, combines lakes and ponds with woods and ancient tree lanes. 

Your hike starts at Kelchterhoef abbey farm. The hiking routes around the historic ponds provide this area with a certain allure. Not only do you walk alongside the ponds, but you can also cross them on the winding wooden boardwalks. Hoeve Mieneke, a historic long-fronted farmhouse, illustrates how farming and livestock breeding were conducted here in the 19th century near the Laambeek. 

You walk all the way around De Plas. Its sandy beaches and clear blue water make it a popular spot for swimmers and water sports enthusiasts in summer. By the way, did you know that one of Western Europe's largest carps, the Mohican, has the same appeal here among carp anglers as the Loch Ness Monster? 

The rest of the hike meanders through the surrounding woods, across the Laambeek and past some ponds and fens, all managed with the utmost care by the Agency for Nature and Forests. Through the centuries-old chestnut tree lane, you walk in the footsteps of many who have gone before you and head back to the starting point at Kelchterhoef.