Pieterpad

The Pieterpad is a long distance walking route in the Netherlands. The trail runs 498 kilometres (309 mi) from Pieterburen, in the northern part of Groningen, south through the eastern part of the Netherlands to end just south of Maastricht, on the top of Mount Saint Peter (St Pietersberg), at a height of 109 metres (358 ft). The Pieterpad is one of the official Long Distance Paths in the Netherlands (Lange Afstand Wandelpad Nummer 9) and by far the most popular of its long distance walking routes. It is possible to walk the route in either direction, and throughout the year. It is well signposted, and is well served by public transport and accommodation throughout its length. The official guide book is in two volumes, Pieterburen-Vorden and Vorden-Maastricht.[1] A dedicated website (in Dutch) also gives updated accommodation details.[2] Although the walking is always easy and never remote, it is a varied and often beautiful walk, passing through woods, polders, heathland, and numerous small Dutch villages.

Pieterpad
Route of the Pieterpad
Length498 km (309 mi)
LocationNetherlands
TrailheadsPieterburen, Groningen
Maastricht, Limburg
UseHiking
Elevation
Highest pointSchimmert, 135 m (443 ft)
Hiking details
Trail difficultyEasy
SeasonAll year

History

The trail was the idea of Toos Goorhuis-Tjalsma (1915-2004) living in Tilburg, in the south of the Netherlands and her friend Bertje Jens (1913-2009) living in Groningen in the north of the Netherlands. They came up with the idea to design a rambling route between their hometowns, later re-organised between the far north to the far south. The route has been officially open since 1983.

Stages

The route of the Pieterpad is described in the following stages:

1PieterburenWinsum12 km
2WinsumGroningen19 km
3GroningenZuidlaren21 km
4ZuidlarenRolde18 km
5RoldeSchoonloo18 km
6SchoonlooSleen24 km
7SleenCoevorden21 km
8CoevordenHardenberg19 km
9HardenbergOmmen21 km
10OmmenHellendoorn21 km
11HellendoornHolten16 km
12HoltenLaren15 km
13LarenVorden13 km
14VordenZelhem17 km
15ZelhemBraamt18 km
16BraamtMillingen aan de Rijn24 km
17MillingenGroesbeek20 km
18GroesbeekGennep14 km
19GennepVierlingsbeek19 km
20VierlingsbeekSwolgen22 km
21SwolgenVenlo21 km
22VenloSwalmen23 km
23SwalmenMontfort21 km
24MontfortSittard24 km
25SittardStrabeek (Valkenburg)22 km
26StrabeekSint-Pietersberg17 km

The Pieterpad connects to the international trails E9 at its northern end in Pieterburen and the GR5 at its southern end and crosses the E11 in Oldenzaal and the E8 in Nijmegen. It follows the European walking GR5, which is also part of trail E2. The GR5, which runs through the Ardennes to Nice and the French Alps, is one of the most popular international trails for hikers.

References

  1. Pieterpad, Nivon Publishing http://www.nivon.nl (see Wandelen/Gidsen en Kaarten)
  2. Pieterpad www site: http://www.pieterpad.nl/

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