Stokkem Nature Reserve

Just to the west of Obbicht, on the other side of the Maas, lies the Belgian town of Stokkem. During this watery and easy walk, you first walk along a part of the Oude Maas and through a grazing area along the Maas. Then you walk into the beautiful nature reserve Negenoord and you walk along grass paths between the Maasplassen. You walk along the Maas again and then you arrive in the village of Boyen. Via some field roads and some nice streets you will come back to the café with a spacious terrace. Bring your own drinks for the road, there are some benches. You can shorten the hike to 7.2 km. This is a nice walk to get a breath of fresh air along the Maas. (After a lot of rainfall it can be wet in the meadows, then put on high walking shoes)

The Stokkem hiking area shows you a very diverse river landscape. For bird lovers, the ponds in the Negenoord - Kerkeweerd nature reserve are highly recommended. If you opt for the Stokkem hiking area, you also opt for flower-rich and herb-rich dykes and old Maasmeanders. The Oude Maas in Dilsen is one of the most striking Maas meanders in the RiverPark Maasvallei. The town of Stokkem and Oud-Dilsen are anchors of a rich Maasland regional history. Finally, the charming hamlet of Boyen lies on the edge of the river bed in a distinctly agricultural environment. Source, info and walking loops at rivierparkmaasvallei.eu/nl/tarievenpoort/stokkem

Thanks to its favourable location on the Maas, Stokkem used to play an important role in trade on the Maas. Around the 11th century, the Count of Stokkem had a castle built on the banks of the Maas, after which Count Arnold VI granted the town city rights in 1244. The city walls, ramparts and gates date from that period. A major fire in 1605, plundering and the fickle Maas have left their mark on the city. The original street pattern is still clearly recognisable, but few truly old buildings have survived progress.