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Climb Every Dutch Mountain
The Dutch Mountain Trail, Maastricht
Yes. It exists. Hiking enthusiasts in Europe’s flattest country have created the Dutch Mountain Trail.
The 100-kilometre ramble takes in seven of the highest summits in the Netherlands. But you don’t need to pack ropes in your rucksack. The highest of the peaks barely gets you above the tree line. And two of the summits are former spoil heaps created by local coal mines.
No matter. The trail has turned out to be a huge success. It was launched in 2020 when Covid rules made it impossible to travel to far-off destinations. The rolling hills of South Limburg were as far as many people could get.
© Visit Zuid-Limburg
The trail grew out of the Dutch Mountain Film Festival, an annual event in South Limburg dedicated to mountain films and lifestyles. The organisers originally came up with the Seven Summits trails – seven circular rambles based on seven Limburg hills. The next step was to link together the hills to create a long-distance hiking trail.
© Visit Zuid-Limburg
Running from Kerkrade to Maastricht, the route takes you through a pretty rural landscape featuring deep valleys, rivers and woods. The trail occasionally crosses the border into neighbouring Germany or Belgium, where two of the summits are located, but oddly avoids the Vaalserberg, officially the highest point in the Netherlands at 322 metres above sea level.
‘Along the way you will experience alpine meadows, fast-flowing streams, rockfaces and some spectacular vistas,’ the website promises.
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