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Netherlands

Limburg

Venray

Afleidingskanaal footbridge – The Balloon Column loop from Merselo

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

Netherlands

Limburg

Venray

Afleidingskanaal footbridge – The Balloon Column loop from Merselo

Hard

hikers

Afleidingskanaal footbridge – The Balloon Column loop from Merselo

05:18

21.0km

30m

Hiking

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: April 30, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

7.11 km

Hiking trails in Overloonsche Duinen

Highlight • Trail

beautiful walking paths among the heathland in the Overloonsche Duinen nature park

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9.12 km

Forest Path in Overloonsche Duinen

Highlight • Forest

This is how hiking is fun: A narrow path through a varied landscape with great nature!

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10.6 km

Rhinoceros next to the war museum

Highlight • Monument

Here you can strengthen yourself.🍦☕️🍻

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10.7 km

7th American Armored Division Monument

Highlight • Monument

Museum with many exhibits on the history of WW2.

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11.1 km

Clevers Ice Cream Parlor

Highlight • Cafe

Here you can get delicious ice cream and coffee.

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15.6 km

The Afleidingskanaal is a canal in the Dutch provinces of Limburg and Noord-Brabant, it connects the Defense Canal with the Maas. The length of the canal is approximately 16 km.

Source: nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afleidingskanaal

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15.6 km

Lange Paal Border Marker (Land van Kessel)

Highlight • Monument

One of the 13 border markers between Land van Kessel and Land van Cuijk.

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17.8 km

Ballonzuilbossen

Nature Reserve

18.1 km

The Balloon Column

Highlight • Monument

Here you are standing at a special piece of history and the oldest aviation monument in the Netherlands. In 1871, a French balloon landed here that had risen a little from the then besieged Paris. The balloon was intended to keep in touch with the non-besieged part of France, but was blown in a different direction by an air current. The crew, who also had secret mail and a few bottles of wine on board, decided to land in the safe Netherlands, after which they continued their journey to their original destination as soon as possible to deliver the secret mail. As a reminder of this historic event, this balloon column was unveiled in 1896.

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21.0 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

9.07 km

5.73 km

4.85 km

899 m

463 m

Surfaces

12.0 km

3.57 km

3.40 km

1.81 km

227 m

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Thursday 25 June

39°C

22°C

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Comments

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Afleidingskanaal footbridge – The Balloon Column loop from Merselo

Hiking trails in Overloonsche Duinen

Forest Path in Overloonsche Duinen

Rhinoceros next to the war museum

7th American Armored Division Monument

Clevers Ice Cream Parlor