Dutch Mountain Trail

The Dutch Mountain Trail is the toughest long-distance walk in the Netherlands: 101 kilometres through South Limburg, with almost 1,900 metres of climbing over seven summits the Dutch Mountain Film Festival crowned in 2019. The route was laid out in 2020 and runs from Eygelshoven station to Maastricht, across three countries.

The hills keep their best sections for the climb: the Wilhelminaberg, a man-made mining heap above the old coal landscape; the Schneeberg, a German summit guarded by Second World War dragon's teeth; the vineyard terraces above the Geul; and the finale through the ENCI quarry, where turquoise lakes sit under white marl walls. The Vaalserberg, the highest point of the Netherlands, lies on the route but deliberately does not count as a summit.

It is not alpine walking, but it is mountain terrain: steep climbs, holloways that turn to loess soap after rain, and days of six to eight hours. Food is scarce on the hills, so carry supplies.

Practical. The route runs 101 kilometres over the seven summits of South Limburg. The route is waymarked with the DMT logo; on the border sections the signs are thin, so keep an eye on the waymarks. The Eijsden ferry runs from April to October, takes cash only, and means an eight-kilometre detour when it is not sailing. Start at Eygelshoven station, finish in Maastricht; sleep in Vaals, Gulpen and Mheer. September and October are finest, when the beeches turn.