Pieterpad
Photo: Heavyuser, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Pieterpad (Pieter Path) is the most famous long distance walking route in the Netherlands. The trail runs for 492 kilometres (306 miles) from the far north of the country at the village of Pieterburen (Hogeland region), to the far south at Mount Saint Peter (Sint-Pietersberg) near the city of Maastricht. The trail runs through a variety of landscapes including forests, reclaimed land, heathland, agricultural land, numerous small villages, and some larger cities. The walking route is also known as LAW9.
UnderstandThe route has been officially opened since 1983. Although it is not the longest long distance walking route in the Netherlands, it is the most famous one.
PrepareThe Pieterpad is well-marked in both directions with the standard long-distance white-and-red rectangular symbols.
Get inThe walking route can be started either at the northern end at Pieterburen, or at the southern end at Sint-Pietersberg.
WalkThe walking route has been divided in 26 stages. As mentioned above, it is possible to walk either from north to south or from south to north. Below it is described from north (Pieterburen) to south (Sint-Pietersberg).
Go nextThe finish of the Pieterpad, the Sint-Pietersberg, is also part of two other long distance walking routes: the GR 5 from Hook of Holland to Nice and the E2 European long distance path from Northern Ireland.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Pieterpad" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Heavyuser, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons