October 11, 2024, 1:29 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
The Netherlands is known for its numerous free-range areas for dogs. Petbook author Manuela Lieflaender put them to the test. She traveled to the province of Limburg with her husband, young Australian Shepherd Elvis, and dog Samy.
“Hey, Google, where are the loneliest places in the Netherlands?” That was my initial question when it came to planning a short trip. I knew I wanted to be able to walk my dogs in the countryside somewhere in peace and quiet. At the same time, I was looking for a change of scenery. So not just woods or fields, but something different, something new for the senses.
“We could escape the daily grind and look forward to relaxed walks with the dogs”
It should also definitely be no more than 3 hours away from NRW. The search engine suggested a post about the “5 loneliest places in the Netherlands”. Lo and behold, my choice quickly fell on De Meinweg National Park in the province of Limburg. The equation was quite simple – a short drive, varied landscapes with forests, streams, lakes, and …. lots of sand. If it gets too lonely, Roermond is a cool city nearby. What more could you want?
The right accommodation was quickly found. Landal Park Landgoed Aerwinkel, with its detached vacation homes, is a cozy retreat in the middle of the autumnal forests. The houses are surrounded by greenery, you have your own garden with a terrace and what’s particularly important to me is that the accommodation offers the opportunity to go for a walk. I don’t like getting into the car first, I want to be able to set off straight away. Here, we could escape the daily grind and look forward to relaxed walks with the dogs.
Autumn walk in De Meinweg National Park
Just a short drive away is De Meinweg National Park, which is at its most beautiful in the fall. We headed straight for the Zandbergen dog walking area. Elvis was allowed to enjoy his freedom here and run unleashed through the hilly landscape. Samy now has his own buggy. The old man is no longer able to walk well and is, therefore, pushed a lot in his new vehicle.
The tranquillity and vastness of this area offered us the perfect opportunity to simply take a deep breath and let the beauty of autumnal nature work its magic on us. The diverse landscape of heathland, moors, and hills provides the perfect backdrop for long walks.
Maasplassen – Autumnal tranquillity by the water
You can’t do without water. I have to spend at least one vacation by a lake, looking out over the water and enjoying the calming lapping. The Maasplassen in Roermond is a particularly peaceful place in the fall. While in the summer months, dogs have their own stretch of beach with the Doggy Beach, in the fall, there is an almost meditative silence around the lakes. The vastness of the lake area offers plenty of space for relaxed walks – a perfect place to clear your head.
Brunssummer Heath – a sea of gold and brown
But my absolute highlight is the Brunssummer Heath. This impressive heathland, with its hilly sections, sand dunes, and forests, glows in warm shades of gold and brown in the fall. The heather bloom may be over, but the landscape is simply stunning. Sometimes, you feel like you’re in an African steppe with all the sandy areas and jungle-like trees.
The free-roaming areas, such as the Heksenberg, were the absolute highlight for Elvis. The sand dunes and soft paths offered him plenty of exercise, and we also enjoyed the peaceful tranquillity of the heathland. Autumn brought pleasant walking conditions and a touch of solitude that made the landscape seem even more impressive. The Brunssummer Heath is exactly what I had hoped for from this short trip – an extraordinary landscape with great, varied hiking trails and pure solitude. I was happy afterward.
Lonely fall trails
My batteries were finally recharged during a walk in the Mönchswald forest. This forest is right next to our vacation home at Landal Park Landgoed Aerwinkel. Wandering through the forest alone with Elvis and feeling like I used to as a child was just a great feeling.
A detour to Roermond
I like the peace and quiet, but when I come back to a beautiful city, it warms my heart. Of course, Roermond has a lot to offer because of the Maasplassen. There are these typical Dutch canals with great cafés by the roadside. But Roermond is best known for its Outlet Center. We paid a short visit to the shopping center because the outlet is very dog-friendly. Unfortunately, it is usually quite crowded here, so we drove back to nature pretty quickly. All in all, our little break in the central part of the province of Limburg was the perfect way to reconnect with ourselves.
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Useful addresses:
Accommodation:
Landal Park Landgoed Aerwinkel
Zwembadweg 1, 6061 EZ Posterholt, Netherlands
National Park De Meinweg
Dog walking area Zandbergen
Parking: Visitor center at Meinweg 2, 6075 NA Herkenbosch
Brunssummerheide
Heksenberg dog walking area
The Heksenberg dog walking area is located between Brunssum and Heerlen and is part of the Brunssummerheide. Dogs are allowed to run off the lead almost everywhere on the Heksenberg all year round. Parking: Schrieversheide visitor center/restaurant at Schaapskooiweg 99.
Doggy Beach Roermond
De Weerd 150, 6041 TL Roermond, Netherlands
Outlet Center Roermond
Stadsweide 2, 6041 TD Roermond, Netherlands