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Iron Rhine Railway in De Meinweg

Iron Rhine Railway in De Meinweg

Highlight • Monument

Iron Rhine Railway in De Meinweg

Name: Iron Rhine Railway in De Meinweg
Rating: 2

Recommended by 125 hikers

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for: De Meinweg

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Location: Roerdalen, Limburg, Netherlands

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Best Hikes to Iron Rhine Railway in De Meinweg

4.7

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1. Bohlensteg im De Meinweg – Dalheimer Mühle loop from Dalheim

11.6km

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Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

4.7

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2. Dalheimer Mill – Wooden boardwalk through the wetlands, De Meinweg National Park loop from Effeld

11.7km

03:02

60m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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4.8

(59)

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3. Wooden boardwalk through the wetlands, De Meinweg National Park – Liskesven loop from Wildenrath

9.93km

02:33

40m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

Tips

July 26, 2025

In 1839, the Netherlands recognized Belgium's independence. The Separation Treaty (also known as the Treaty of London or the Treaty of the XXIV Articles) stipulated that East Limburg would remain part of the Netherlands. This is the present-day Dutch province of Limburg, which separates Flanders from Germany. However, Belgium was allowed, at its own expense, to build a road or canal connection from Antwerp through Dutch Limburg to Germany. Ultimately, a railway, the "Iron Rhine," was chosen.

Construction began in 1869, and the route opened in 1879. The Dutch section runs between Budel and Vlodrop.

After the outbreak of World War I in 1914, invoking Dutch neutrality, the Iron Rhine was closed to German rail traffic. It was reopened after the war, but its importance gradually declined. Between 1915 and 1917, the Germans had built another railway line, the Montzen Route or Montzen Line. The Montzen Route connects the port of Antwerp with Aachen in Germany, via Aarschot, Hasselt, the Voerstreek, and Montzen. It bypasses the southernmost point of the Netherlands. After 1918, Belgium increasingly favored this route because it ran entirely through Belgian territory. It was therefore easier to manage. It was also cheaper, as customs checks were only carried out at the German border.

However, in the late 1990s, there were calls to reopen the Iron Rhine.

Source: historiek.net/ijzeren-rijn-geschiedenis/74869

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Der Kawuppke 🥾

January 8, 2024

Interesting details at de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiserner_Rhein

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Denise Pradella

January 14, 2024

Nice to take photos as there is no traffic 😊

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Details

Informations

Elevation 70 m

Weather

Thursday 6 November

16°C

7°C

0 %

If you start your activity now...

Max wind speed: 11.0 km/h

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See hikes here

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Location: Roerdalen, Limburg, Netherlands

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Iron Rhine Railway in De Meinweg

1. Bohlensteg im De Meinweg – Dalheimer Mühle loop from Dalheim

2. Dalheimer Mill – Wooden boardwalk through the wetlands, De Meinweg National Park loop from Effeld

3. Wooden boardwalk through the wetlands, De Meinweg National Park – Liskesven loop from Wildenrath

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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