The sun is shining but with only 4°C it’s cold when I leave my car at a parkinglot on the edge of the village Epen in the very south of the Netherlands, the hills of South Limburg. Going around the corner this days’ hike starts with a hollow road which ends in front of a vakwerkhuis. A few minutes later I’m walkin through fields with a stunning view in front of me. Two other hikers make their way across the fields in the distance and I linger a bit to let them disappear. I like to walk alone.
Hollow Road 
After a short walk on a roadside. Cross a bridge, turn left and find myself on a narrow and muddy path that leads me through fields northwards along the river Geul.
The Geul is the best known river in South Limburg. It has its source in Germany, is 56km long and flows also through a part of Belgium. Due to the large difference in altitude, 242 meter at beginning and end, it is the quickest flowing river in the Netherlands.
It’s only been a few months since this now calmy flowing river flooded large parts of the region I’m walking in due to heavy rainfall, destroying everything on its path. Today nothing reminds of those horrible days and I am treated on spectacular views on a gorgeous sunny day.
After an hour I arrive at Mechelen and decide to treat myself on coffee and a piece of ‘kersenvlaai’, cherry pie in Limburg, on a sunny terrace. Temperature is slowly rising!
Leaving Mechelen the path leads me through a series of meadows and fields again. I hear churchbells in the distance and come across a family of curious cows who I quietly pass.
The Elzetter Forest appears in the distance and I am reminded to keep my focus on my navigation when I miss the narrow path on the right at a crossroad and take the wide road on the left. I have to turn back.
The walk through the forest is wonderful. The tall trees on this hillside forest are starting to change color, the leaf covered path up and down is sometimes challenging and the silence is overwhelming. This is what I came here for.
After leaving the forest a steep, narrow and hollowed out path leads me back down to the fields along the Geul, this time further south and southwards close to the Belgium border. The fields are muddy and I sink almost ankle deep into it, but I manage to keep my feet dry.
Where a small bridge crosses the river the path leads back northwards in the direction of Epen. In my case this included a little detour due to me being distracted.
Finally on the right track again I come across the Volmolen, a watermill, built in the 17th century and rebuild in 1880 after being destroyed by fire.
A walk across fields and meadows leads me back to Epen where the hollow path that was the beginning of this beautiful hike brings me back to my car.
Take a walk! 