Limburg is different. The southernmost tip of the Netherlands seems to want to stretch towards the Ardennes and actually manages to boast the highest natural point in the country (on European soil): the Vaalserberg, some 323 metres high, east of Maastricht. In Limburg, Mrs Antje has a touch of savoir-vivre that stems from French times and lends a carefree air to her patented character. Dutch Limburg shares its name with Belgian Limburg - and much more besides. There is a bond, woven in the past, torn and delicately rewoven. A carefully prepared waterway runs through both provinces: the Willems Route.
The Willemsroute was initiated by renovation work on the locks of the Julianakanaal, which began in 2009 and is expected to be completed in 2016. The approximately 36 km long Julianakanaal, which runs between Maasbracht and Maastricht, is considered an important mode of transport. Work on its locks over several years therefore means one thing above all: a loss of capacity. It therefore made sense to design an alternative route for leisure skippers, also with a view to commercial shipping.
A cross-border initiative went into action, mapped out the course, cleaned up the waterways and integrated the whole thing into a tourist infrastructure. The initiative presented the result, the Willems Route, for the 2010 boating season. This is a proposed route via two existing waterways: Kanaal Wessem-Nederweert and Zuidwillemsvaart.
Via Kanaal Wessem-Nederweert, which branches off from the Meuse at Maasbracht, the Willemsroute first leads to Nederweert. There the canal meets the Zuidwillemsvaart, which now becomes part of the Willemsroute. Between Weert and Sluis 17 near Lozen, you pass the Dutch-Belgian border. Around 44 canal kilometres further south, on the outskirts of Maastricht, the Zuidwillemsvaart returns to the Netherlands. It ends in the old harbour of Maastricht, the Bassin, which also marks the end of the Willemsroute.
The beautifully situated Willemsroute can be navigated by smaller commercial vessels at best. Its locks, six in number, generally only have to compensate for minor differences in height - in stark contrast to the Julianakanaal, whose two relevant locks each have a lift of well over 11 metres. Even when the construction work there is completed, the approximately 80 km long Willems route will remain an attractive alternative to the approximately 40 km shorter, but for pleasure boaters rather uncomfortable Julianakanaal. This is at least true for touring boaters who are not subject to time constraints and accept the vignette purchase for the detour through the Flemish region.
We start our tour along the Willemsroute in Roermond. The time-honoured episcopal city lies at the mouth of the Rur into the Maas and also borders a vast lake landscape - the Maasplassen, relics of former gravel and sand extraction. On bright summer days, the whole of Roermond feels like a holiday. The street cafés sparkle with life in an unexpected, almost Mediterranean way. And on the Rur, at the Maria Theresia Brug, passers-by - day visitors, because mooring is prohibited here after sunset.
What the heck, Roermond has plenty of marinas. There is plenty to do ashore, such as the Saturday market at the Stadhuis or the "Designer Outlet Roermond" High above it all, at the top of the tower of St. Christoffelkathedraal, an almost 4 metre high statue adorned with gold leaf watches over the city - Christophorus, patron saint of sailors and travellers, helper in times of toothache and storms. In this respect, nothing can really go wrong.
At the Sluis Linne, south of Roermond, onlookers have taken up position in folding chairs. While enjoying coffee and cake, the interested public follows every lock passage, listens to shouts and comments, watches line casts and rescue attempts, and cheers when the water gurgles into the chamber - or flows out. We also have to pass through the lock in order to get to the Wessem-Nederweert canal, receive watchful glances and still manage the manoeuvre quite well.
Then we are already in Wessem near Maasbracht. We change from the Meuse to the Wessem-Nederweert canal, the northern start of the Willems route. There is only one lock to negotiate on the approximately 17 km long Kanaal Wessem-Nederweert, the Sluis Panheel, which still has a considerable lift of around 8 metres. All the other locks on the Willemsroute have a "verval" of around two to three metres - very pleasant. Lush greenery awaits us just behind the Sluis Panheel. It will be a relaxed but unimpressive canal trip.
At Nederweert, we turn into the Zuidwillemsvaart, slip through Sluis 15 and keep an eye out for the passenger harbour of Weert. Although it is still an estimated 17 kilometres to the national border, our ANWB map material has already "clicked off". Until the Belgian map material "takes hold", we only have the Willemsroute flyer to guide us. It's not perfect, but the problem of the procedure doesn't arise here.
After Sluis 15 (refuelling/diesel in the upper water) there are several bridges, including movable ones, which are operated in no time at all. Then, before the fourth bridge since Sluis 15, a small harbour basin opens up on our port side. This is Weert's pedestrian harbour, where we are staying for the night. The harbour has space for around 20 boats (max. 10 m long, according to local information); the bridge keeper next door is our contact person. There are shops and restaurants close to the harbour. Tip: Weerts St Martinuskerk is one of the hundred most important sights in the Netherlands. Also the Swimming pool De IJzeren Man about 3.5 km from the harbour, is well worth a visit.
The last Dutch lock for the time being, Sluis 16, is behind us. A roadside petrol station comes into view on the starboard side, which has a quay with bunker facilities (petrol/diesel). Then we are in Belgium.
Brussels, 25 August 1830: "The Mute of Portici" is performed at La Monnaie theatre. The opera tells the story of an uprising in a different place and at a different time. It is a passionate appeal for freedom. There is talk of humiliation and revenge, of tyranny and anger. The chorus chants "Fight! The auditorium becomes restless, interjections ring out. For many, the play on stage has long since seemed like a reflection of their own reality. When the performance comes to an end, the heated atmosphere actually erupts in a revolt.
The uprising is in honour of him: William I, ruler of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. His territory, established by the Congress of Vienna in 1814/15, encompassed Holland and the provinces south of it as far as the French border. William I promoted industrialisation in his young state and supported trade and transport. He also had the Zuidwillemsvaart dug. The approximately 123 kilometre-long canal between 's-Hertogenbosch and Maastricht went into operation in 1826 and was a significant improvement on the waterway used until then, the Maas.
Wilhelm I, the business promoter - that was one side of the monarch. The other: a ruler who lacked the necessary political instinct. The burgeoning liberalism was far from his mind, and the Protestant king met the Catholics in his country with restrictions. The performance of "The Mute of Portici" in Brussels in August 1830 caused the previously smouldering resentment to explode.
The southern parts of the country, which were predominantly Catholic, broke away from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and formed a new state: Belgium. Leopold I of Saxe-Coburg was appointed King of the Belgians. A place on the Willems Route also bears his name: Leopoldsburg. - But we haven't come that far yet.
After crossing the Dutch-Belgian border, Sluis 17 is waiting for us. We enter the chamber and are transported one floor higher. At the top, a short stop: The edge of the chamber is free of holding options. But the lock keeper comes to our aid and guides our lines around the bollards. "Have you got a vignette yet?" he asks. We shake our heads. "No problem, you can get one from my colleague ..."
It is at Sluis 18, which we reach after a short but very idyllic journey. We leave our names, boat details and 25 euros at the lock keeper's house. In return, we get a pile of information material and the most important thing - the vignette. The upper lock gate only opens when it is firmly stuck to the back of our boat.
According to a sutler's recipe
Just after Sluis 18, you reach the Bocholt-Herentals canal, which joins the Albertkanaal after around 57 kilometres. About halfway along the route, the 15 km long Kanaal naar Beverlo branches off from the Kanaal Bocholt-Herentals, a green "dead end" that leads to Leopoldsburg.
There are several rest stops along the way, for example De Blauwe Kei near Lommel and Kerkhoven - both with restaurants in the immediate vicinity. The Kanaal naar Beverlo ends in the harbour of Jachtclub Leopoldsburg (with restaurants). It is just under 2 km from the club grounds to the town centre, where there are other places to eat and drink. A discounter is about a ten-minute walk from the harbour.
Leopoldsburg, whose name recalls the first king of the Belgians, has become known primarily as a military centre. The people of Leopoldsburg make the best of their somewhat uncharming past. They serve their guests something appropriate: a proper "soldier's beer", herbal schnapps made according to a tried and tested sutler's recipe and "soldier's cake". Fortunately, the latter is offered in a more digestible version than at the Kommiss.
The route via the Kanaal Bocholt-Herentals to the Kanaal naar Beverlo is a detour from the actual Willems route. To get to Maastricht, follow the Zuidwillemsvaart south of Sluis 18. It is about 41 kilometres to the next lock, the Dutch Sluis 19. From there it is only a stone's throw to the Maastricht basin - about 1 km.
The route could be completed "in one go", especially as there are no bridge opening times. But such a rush would be a shame. Because the area is worth seeing. There are plenty of stops along the way, so all that remains is to discover the most interesting spots for yourself.
All the mooring places we visit have one thing in common: they are in good condition. Moorings are usually within easy reach of a village and/or restaurant. There is almost always an attraction. Bocholt, for example, which has a passer-by harbour for around 20 boats (max. 15 m long), has a Brewery museum an opportunity to familiarise yourself with Belgian beer culture.
The fact that the jetty in the next town, Bree, is a little inconspicuous should not deter us from stopping - Bree boasts a lively old town centre (just under 2 km). Barely four kilometres further along the canal, we come across the next stop: the Tongerlo guest stop - ideal for a break at "De Kieper", a "bike café" with a view of the water. After about 6 kilometres, Jachthaven 't Eilandje stretches out in the shelter of an island. Next, we pass the Dilsen jetty and the VVW Maasland jetty, where we mainly see water-skiing boats.
The Zuidwillemsvaart meanwhile turns more and more towards the Meuse, which flows here, near Dilsen, barely more than 4 kilometres east of us - as a non-navigable, pristine river. This and other unusual views of the Meuse are provided by the De Wissen Visitor Centre which is around 4.5 kilometres from Steiger Dilsen and around 3 kilometres from VVW Maasland.
The fact that we don't finish the day's cruising until three kilometres later at the Eisden canal rest area has to do with a temptation that everyone on the jetty succumbs to: cheap brand shopping in the neighbouring "Maasmechelen Village" an outlet centre similar to the one in Roermond. Gastronomy is also represented. Eisden (approx. 1.5 km) and Maasmechelen (approx. 4 km) offer additional shopping opportunities.
Where the sparkling label world of "Maasmechelen Village" is located today, everything once revolved around another treasure - coal, the "black gold". It was mined here until 1987, when the colliery closed. Since then, a foundation has been looking after the heritage and guarding this treasure, among others: the Museum van de Mijnwerkerswoning which is housed in a former miners' house and documents how the miners of Eisden lived in the 1930s. The house (about 2 kilometres from the jetty) is furnished with period furniture and household items. There are faded family photos as well as father's socks on the washing line.
Off to the Maastricht basin
The Zuidwillemsvaart must also face up to economic structural change. As part of the Willemsroute, its reorientation seems to be succeeding. After all, the number of skippers using the Willemsroute has "more than doubled" in the last two years, according to the project management. The appealing nature that surrounds the waterway will have contributed to this.
The Willems route, for example, runs relatively close to the Hoge Kempen National Park past. Access to the park is regulated by five "gates". The "Mechelse Heide" gate is about 6 kilometres from the Eisden landing stage. The starting point "Pietersheim" can be reached from the Rekem water hiking rest area (approx. 6 km) and from the landing stage in Lanaken-Smeermaas (approx. 3 km).
Another tip for treasure hunters: Oud-Rekem, "het mooiste dorp van Vlaanderen" (the most beautiful village in Flanders), is located at the Rekem rest area. However, the jetty of the "most beautiful village in Flanders" could do with an upgrade, especially as pleasure boaters have to make way for excursion boats on Sundays in July and August (9 am to 7 pm).
South of Lanaken, you cross the border and return to the Netherlands. If you want to get to the Maastricht basin, you need to check the height of the boat for the rest of the way. The classic approach to the basin is via the Zuidwillemsvaart and is also the most characteristic.
The basin: Maastricht's historic harbour was a vibrant trading centre for over a hundred years. The opening of Julianakanaal (1935) and Beatrixhaven (1950) sealed its decline. In the last decades of the 20th century, the Bassin was rediscovered and for twelve years now has been the most fashionable address among Maastricht's harbours. Not all traces of decay have been eradicated from the area around the basin, but the Kade is an incredibly cosy place.
Around 70 boats are housed here, and restaurants and studios have been set up in stylishly refurbished warehouses. A few streets away, you will come across chic shopping worlds and a wide variety of cuisines. Maastricht, the capital of the Dutch province of Limburg, has many a surprise up its sleeve.
The "selexyz dominicanen", for example. A breathtaking business location was found for the bookshop - a church building from the 13th century. In the south of the city, the Caves of Sint Pieter with a maze of thousands of tunnels, some of which can be visited.
The fish market at the Stadhuis (on Fridays) is so marvellous that it even attracts gourmets from France. And there it is again, this savoir-vivre, the ability to recognise and enjoy the beautiful things in life. An art that is practised in Limburg. Also in Roermond. We have to go back there. Via the Julianakanaal? Maybe we'd rather take the Willemsroute. Because it's simply nicer.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE DISTRICT
Precinct
In the Netherlands and Belgium, boats over 15 m in length and boats that can generally travel faster than 20 km/h require a licence. German licences are recognised. On Belgian inland waterways, every motorboat over 7 metres in length must be equipped with an ATIS-capable VHF radio.
A vignette is compulsory for the section through the Belgian region of Flanders. Along the Willemsroute, the vignette can be purchased at Sluis 18 (Zuidwillemsvaart). The vignette we bought there in 2012 was discounted and cost 25 euros for our boat (valid for three months).
Clearance height
- Kanaal Wessem-Nederweert, Zuidwillemsvaart to Sluis 19: 5 m (Wateralmanak 2).
- Access to Maastricht basin via Zuidwillemsvaart and through Sluis 19: 3.30 metres; via Verbindingskanaal in het Bosscheveld, Sluis Bosscheveld, Maas and Sluis 20: 3.60 metres.
- Kanaal Bocholt-Herentals, section Bocholt-Sluis 1, Lommel/Branch Kanaal naar Beverlo: 5.55 m
- Canal naar Beverlo: 4.40 m (Wateralmanak 2)
- For bridge and lock times see cruise literature, information on the operation of Sluis 19 and 20 also under www.tbassin.nl
Maximum speed
- Kanaal Wessem-Nederweert: 20 km/h
- Zuidwillemsvaart (Dutch part): 20 km/h. Between Sluis 19 and Maastricht basin: 5 km/h
- Zuidwillemsvaart (Belgian part): 7 km/h; water ski zones available
- Canal Bocholt-Herentals: 7 km/h
- Canal to Beverlo: 5 km/h
- Julianakanaal: min. 6 km/h, max. 20 km/h
Berths
There are plenty of mooring opportunities on the Willemsroute. The facilities range from "not available" to basic comfort. In some cases, the mooring time is limited, and in some cases max.
boat dimensions are specified. Mooring options are limited on the Julianakanaal. For details of facilities, tariffs and moorings other than those mentioned here, see the cruise literature.
About the boat
Jeanneau Merry Fisher 805, length: 8.25 m, width: 2.94 m, draught: 0.74 m, clearance: 2.71 m, engine: 200 hp diesel.
Cruise literature
- Jan Werner: Holland 1 - Zeeland and the southern provinces, Delius Klasing Verlag, Bielefeld, ISBN 978-3-7688-1179-8.
- ANWB (ed.): Wateralmanak 1, Regelgeving en tips Nederland-België, ANWB, The Hague.
- ANWB (ed.): Wateralmanak 2, Vaargegevens Nederland-België, ANWB, The Hague.
- ANWB (ed.): Wateratlas M - Limburgse Maas.
- ANWB (ed.): Wateratlas W - Noord-Brabant.
- Derouck Geocart (ed.): Belgische Vaarwegen, Navigatie Atlas & Gids.
Distances
