Circle of Life

With ‘Cycling through the Trees’ Visit Limburg, under the aegis of chairman Igor Philt­jens, is lite­rally and figu­ra­tively driving the Limburg cycle node network to a higher level.

The new cycle path climbs gradu­ally so that you can cycle through the tree­tops. You ride 700 metres along a cycle bridge — a double circle 100 metres in diameter — that slowly rises to a height of 10 metres before then descen­ding again, giving you a sensa­tional 360° expe­ri­ence! Safety is ensured thanks to a subtle wire net with a handrail, and the path’s three metre width gives ever­yone enough room. This makes it an acces­sible expe­ri­ence for ever­yone.

All of Visit Limburg’s cycling expe­ri­ences are imple­mented in harmony with nature. ‘Cycling through the Trees’ is a logical link in Bosland’s ‘Cycle of Life’. The forest largely consists of coni­fe­rous trees, planted at the begin­ning of the last century to produce wood for the mining industry. The closure of the mines meant the trees were never felled, but as they are all the same age, they still rest­rict the struc­tural deve­lo­p­ment of the forest. ‘Cycling through the Trees’ will now help to alle­viate that situa­tion. The work means that indi­ge­nous trees will have more light and space to grow, thereby ensu­ring that the forest resources are balanced. The new cycle bridge sits on a struc­ture of unique columns made of weathered steel that symbo­lises the trunks of the fir trees, so the entire struc­ture blends beau­tifully into its envi­ron­ment. At the start of the path, you can even take a break in the infor­ma­tion pavi­lion, made from stacked recy­cled logs.