Cycle route along the Winterswijk quarry
Winterswijk, Henxel
There are only two spots in the Netherlands where you can find geological deposits from the Triassic period: South Limburg and Winterswijk. The limestone in the Winterswijk quarry was formed between 240 and 236 million years ago, back when this place was like a kind of Wadden Sea. Because of the tides, the inland sea regularly dried up. That made it the perfect habitat for both land and sea creatures. The sea dried up, but all kinds of fossils have been found here. Shells, insects, fish and even traces of Triassic saurians have been discovered between the limestone layers of Winterswijk. These are now stored in a depot. In those same layers, you’ll also find Winterswijk’s ‘gold’ (pyrite). Since 1932, Muschelkalk has been excavated here. There are three quarries, two of which are now protected nature reserves, and one that’s still active as an open-pit mine. During the summer holiday of the company that digs the limestone, the quarry is transformed into a theatre — and lots of people come to check it out every year. The tall rock walls, lit up by moonlight, make a super unique backdrop. Totally worth it! The quarry is a special place. Not just because of the geology, but also because the eagle owl lives here — one of the few places in the Netherlands where it does. A pair of these amazing owls has been nesting here for a few years now. If you're lucky, you might even spot one!
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Waliënseweg , 7105 EC Winterswijk Huppel | 23.8 KM | |
|
From
8
to
9
|
1418 M | 1.4 KM | |
| Head northeast on Waliënseweg | 725 M | ||
| Turn right onto Schaapsweg | 693 M | ||
| You are now at section 09 | 0 M | ||
|
From
9
to
10
|
2943 M | 2.9 KM | |
| Head southeast on Schaapsweg | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Vredenseweg | 1.3 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Kremerweg | 514 M | ||
| You are now at section 10 | 0 M | ||
|
From
10
to
16
|
2997 M | 3 KM | |
| Head west on Kremerweg | 3 M | ||
| Turn left onto Dondergoorweg | 1.2 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Ratumseweg | 231 M | ||
| Turn left onto Rotweg | 1.3 KM | ||
| Turn right onto Lageweg | 128 M | ||
| Turn left onto Wesselerweg | 140 M | ||
| You are now at section 16 | 0 M | ||
|
From
16
to
22
|
500 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head southwest on Wesselerweg | 500 M | ||
| You are now at section 22 | 0 M | ||
|
From
22
to
20
|
7945 M | 7.9 KM | |
| Head west on Steengroeveweg | 746 M | ||
| Turn left onto Adamskampweg | 955 M | ||
| Turn right onto Vosseveldseweg | 256 M | ||
| Turn left onto Stemerdinkweg | 1.5 KM | ||
| Turn left onto Kottenseweg | 63 M | ||
| Turn right onto Burloseweg | 355 M | ||
| Turn right onto Sieverdinkweg | 597 M | ||
| Turn right onto Bothoekweg | 1.1 KM | ||
| Make a sharp left onto Meester Brouwerlaan | 32 M | ||
| Keep right onto Meester Brouwerlaan | 1.1 KM | ||
| Make a sharp right onto Oude Bocholtsebaan | 1.3 KM | ||
| You are now at section 20 | 0 M | ||
|
From
20
to
14
|
2300 M | 2.3 KM | |
| Head northwest on Oude Bocholtsebaan | 395 M | ||
| Turn right onto Wamelinkweg | 19 M | ||
| Turn left onto Oude Bocholtsebaan | 188 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Wooldseweg | 43 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Wooldseweg | 6 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Wooldseweg | 382 M | ||
| Turn left onto Kottenseweg | 302 M | ||
| Turn left onto Dingstraat | 142 M | ||
| Turn right onto Roelvinkstraat | 358 M | ||
| Continue onto Wierengastraat | 102 M | ||
| Turn right onto Mevrouw Kuipers-Rietbergplein | 110 M | ||
| Turn left onto Burgemeester Bosmastraat | 253 M | ||
| You are now at section 14 | 0 M | ||
|
From
14
to
7
|
3085 M | 3.1 KM | |
| Head northeast on Burgemeester Bosmastraat | 9 M | ||
| Turn right | 25 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 22 M | ||
| Make a slight left | 52 M | ||
| Turn right onto Ravenhorsterweg | 74 M | ||
| Turn right onto Lange Brug | 93 M | ||
| Turn left | 601 M | ||
| Turn left | 59 M | ||
| Turn left onto Piersonstraat | 89 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Ravenhorsterweg | 18 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Ravenhorsterweg | 222 M | ||
| Continue straight | 8 M | ||
| Turn left onto Ravenhorsterweg | 177 M | ||
| Turn right onto Goeman Borgesiusstraat | 2 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Ravenhorsterweg | 700 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Ravenhorsterweg | 417 M | ||
| Make a sharp left | 174 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Karkpad | 343 M | ||
| You are now at section 07 | 0 M | ||
|
From
7
to
8
|
2641 M | 2.6 KM | |
| Head northeast | 976 M | ||
| Turn left onto Hilgeloweg | 491 M | ||
| Turn right onto Meddoseweg | 1.1 KM | ||
| Turn left | 50 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Waliënseweg | 54 M | ||
| You are now at section 08 | 0 M |