The Seven Summits are the highest peaks on each continent in the world. As loyal mountain fans, that naturally fascinates us, but even though we dare to be ambitious when it comes to hiking, climbing them is (way) beyond our league. We set a more achievable goal: climbing the Seven Summits of the Netherlands in four days along the Dutch Mountain Trail! No sooner said than done!
A brief introduction
The Dutch Mountain Trail was only recently mapped out to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Dutch Mountain Film Festival in 2020. It is a route that leads you 101 kilometers past seven peaks and the most beautiful spots in South Limburg. It starts at the Eygelshoven station in Kerkrade and ends at the one in Maastricht, making it easy to take the train from start to finish, or vice versa (i.e., fifty minutes with two transfers).
The surroundings are surprisingly beautiful! Almost the entire route takes you over unpaved roads, alternating between forests and meadows. And as the name of this multi-day hike suggests, South Limburg is anything but flat! The landscape is rolling, with a tough climb here and there. In total, this gives you 2,180 meters of elevation gain. You pass through charming villages and constantly flirt with the Dutch-Belgian and Dutch-German borders.
Unfortunately, the trail is only partially and not clearly marked. Here and there you can rely on the blue and white flags, but you can’t do without a good hiking GPS or app on your smartphone. Additionally, you can also purchase the small hiking guide that was specially made for this trail.
Dutch Mountain Trail in 4 days
Day 1: Eygelshoven to Vaals – 27 km
We didn’t get much time to warm up, because just three kilometers from Eygelshoven station, the first climb began! We wound our way through the forest up the Wilhelminaberg (225m), better known as the hill of SnowWorld Landgraaf. It is a spoil tip, consisting of mine waste from the former Wilhelmina mine. The view at the top is great; you can see for miles!
Most of the day we walked on German territory, and somewhere past the halfway mark, we stumbled upon ‘dragon’s teeth’, a piece of wartime history. These are concrete obstacles that were part of the so-called ‘Siegfried Line’. It was built by the Germans in WWII to stop enemy tanks.
After 25 kilometers, the second ‘summit’ for today was on the agenda, the Schneeberg (257m). This peak is also located in Germany, but the slopes are in the Netherlands, so it still counts in the list. There isn’t much of a summit, though, as it wasn’t clear to us exactly where the highest point was, and besides, we were in a forest, so we didn’t get to see a panorama.
Our first day ended in Vaals. There is plenty of accommodation in various price ranges, although we noticed ourselves that we shouldn’t book last minute, especially for a long weekend in May. That applies to all the spots along the trail, by the way.
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Stage 1: Eygelshoven – Vaals
Day 2: Vaals to Gulpen – 25 km
Ready for the toughest climb of the Dutch Mountain Trail! Our second day started at the highest point in the Netherlands, namely the Three-Country Point (323m). This was followed by ten kilometers through or along the forest, specifically the Vijlenerbos and the Elzetterbos. Personally, I prefer hiking with a wider view, but fortunately, the route here is mostly downhill, except for two small peaks.
After that, we spent time on beautiful field paths until, near the village of Eys, we suddenly heard the whistle of… a steam train! The Miljoenenlijn runs here, now a tourist railway, once built for coal transport from the mines. They don’t run daily, so it’s best to check the website, but locomotives sometimes over a century old pass by here!
The climb to the first ‘summit’ of today, the Eyserberg (197m), also starts at the railway line. Again, not a spectacular peak, as it felt more like a small plateau here. Fortunately, the Gulpenerberg (157m) gives you more of a mountain feeling a few kilometers further. You are treated to a 360° panorama of the beautiful region. Mother Mary looks on approvingly from her pedestal!
We walked through Gulpen and checked into our holiday home at Camping Osebos shortly after. The campsite has a restaurant, so we were happy to put our tired legs under the table while hungry! There is also a shop on the grounds where we gathered an extensive breakfast the next day.
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Stage 2: Vaals – Gulpen
Day 3: Gulpen to ’s Gravenvoeren – 32 km
Stage three… We found that the toughest, but also the most beautiful stage! Our calves were naturally no longer as fresh as they were two days earlier, but today also had the most kilometers and elevation gain on the schedule…
It’s a good thing the landscape was so beautiful! We passed through a region we knew a little and had been in love with for a long time… The Voer region! Lots of fields and meadows, but also a lot of up and down. If you look at the elevation profile, you see ten climbs, but officially we walked past two of the seven ‘summits’, namely the Hakkenberg (252m) and the Kattenroth (209m).
We passed so many boundary posts that we lost count and after a while weren’t sure which country we were in. A look at the map tells us we crossed the border no fewer than six times. And all that to eventually end up in the Belgian village of ’s Gravenvoeren.
In ’s Gravenvoeren, we found accommodation at Airbnb ‘Be my guest’, with the friendly hostess Carine. She provided an extreeeemely extensive and delicious breakfast for us! For dinner, we can recommend Afspanning de Swaen, within walking distance of the B&B.
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Stage 3: Gulpen – ’s Gravenvoeren
Day 4: ’s Gravenvoeren to Maastricht – 23 km
On our last day, after that heavenly breakfast, we walked towards the ferry across the Maas in Eijsden. With almost no waiting time and for only €1.20 pp (cash only), we were escorted across the water. Just a heads up! The ferry service is only operational from April to October. This can be a bit of a blow for winter hikers, as the detour is no less than eight kilometers and I heard it’s a boring detour… But for us, there was no problem!
You can read on the Facebook page of Fiets Voetveer Eijsden-Ternaaien exactly when the ferry service is operational.
From here, the Dutch Mountain Trail follows the Maas almost continuously, although we naturally made an exception for the last ‘summit’: d’n Observant (157m). This is another spoil tip, but from a limestone quarry. One kilometer further lies the ENCI quarry, which was effectively used until 2018. Since then, the site has been transferred to Natuurmonumenten, so you can enjoy a nice walk there.
The last few kilometers we walked through the center of Maastricht, which we also quite enjoyed. Maastricht is a great city with lots of terraces. And at the end of such a multi-day trip, there’s something to celebrate! With all the extra bits to our accommodations, we reached 111 kilometers. That’s worth a drink! Cheers!
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Stage 4: ’s Gravenvoeren – Maastricht
Staying overnight on the Dutch Mountain Trail
South Limburg is a popular destination for domestic holidays, and the range of campsites or hotels on the route is not equally large everywhere. So don’t wait too long to book a place to sleep!
Staying overnight after the first day in Vaals
Hotel Vallis is located right next to the route and is attached to a Greek restaurant where you can have a delicious meal. You can stay in style at Kasteel Bloemendaal in the center of Vaals. If you’re looking for an apartment in the center, Het Mergelhoek is an excellent choice!
Staying overnight after the second day in Gulpen
You can find affordable accommodation in Gulpen at Hotel Gulpenerland, which is located right next to the route. For top-notch Limburg hospitality, you can go to Gasterij de Poort in the center of Gulpen. Also in the center, you’ll find Herberg de Zwarte Ruiter with comfortable rooms and a delicious breakfast.
Staying overnight after the third day in ’s Gravenvoeren
In ’s Gravenvoeren, you can relax at bed & breakfast Be my Guest. Hostess Carine prepares a delicious breakfast in the morning! Also in the center, you’ll find Hotel De Kommel with beautifully decorated rooms and a fine restaurant. Hotel Blanckthys is located in a restored 16th-century farmhouse with a cozy courtyard.
Staying overnight after the fourth day in Maastricht
There is certainly no shortage of hotels in Maastricht! Hotel Monastère is a very stylish hotel, located in a beautiful building near the market. Close to the central station is Designhotel Maastricht with uniquely decorated rooms. If you like staying right in the center, Boutique Hotel Sint Jacob, located just 100m from the Vrijthof, is an excellent choice.
