Petranpad, wandelen Noord-Limburg, langeafstandswandeling Limburg, etappes Petranpad, wandelen de Peel, wandelvakantie Nederland.

Walking the Petranpad: 9 stages through the North Limburg landscape

| Pip Minkels | Reading time: 16 minutes |
The Petranpad shows you North Limburg step by step. In nine stages, you walk along the Meuse, through woods, stream valleys and to the Peel. The path is 112 kilometres long in total, making it a long-distance walk divided into manageable stages. Along the way, you pass through several villages where you can easily stop for coffee, lunch or an overnight stay. Want to enjoy the trail even more? Then also walk through the nature reserves Schadijkse Bossen, Peelbergen and Schuitwater. In this article, we list the stages, tips and great addresses for you.

 

1. Stage 1: Lottum - Meerlo, 15 km
Stage 2: Meerlo - Horst, 10 km
Stage 3: Horst - Veulen, 10 km
Stage 4: Veulen - Griendtsveen, 15 km
Stage 5: Griendtsveen - Mariapeel, 10 km
Stage 6: Mariapeel - Sevenum Schatberg, 12 km
Stage 7: Sevenum Schatberg - Sevenum, 11 km
Stage 8: Sevenum - Grubbenvorst, 14 km
Stage 9: Grubbenvorst - Lottum, 15 km
10. Our five best tips before you go

Published on: 22 April 2026
Last updated on: 22 April 2026

1. Stage 1: Lottum - Meerlo, 15 km

You start off right away. This stage introduces you to the Maas banks, the Broekhuizerweerd, an old Meuse arm and places like Aastbroek and 't Ham. That makes this a fine entry: open landscape, water nearby and immediately that feeling of really getting away from it all.

Pause tip: At Christoffel's. A fine stop towards the end of the stage. At Christoffel you can have a drink, lunch, dinner, small snack, coffee and cake and an ice cream.

Our advice for your accommodation: holiday Meerlo
Holiday Meerlo suits well for hikers who seek peace and quiet above all else afterwards. You're right in the centre of the village, the bus stop is on the doorstep and the accommodation offers a variety of accommodation options, from hotel rooms to B&B and huts. Extra nice: there are options with breakfast and tailor-made service, and from the location you walk straight into nature.

2. Stage 2: Meerlo - Horst, 10 km

From Meerlo, walk towards Horst past traces of ancient landscape and small cultural-historical sites, such as the burial mound, the Lollebeek, chapels and Slothoeve 't Kasteelke. This stage feels a bit more intimate: meandering stretches, stream valley feel and village tranquillity.

Pause tip: in Meerlo you will find all kinds of nice places to relax after a day of walking. This village is perfect for a nice stop.

Our advice for your overnight stay: Parkhotel Horst
For walkers who like to grab just a little more comfort, Parkhotel Horst is a logical choice. You are right by the water, close to nature with an extensive breakfast buffet as a strong start to the day. That is exactly what you want after a hiking day: good sleep, good food and a fresh start the next morning.

3. Stage 3: Horst - Veulen, 10 km

This stage runs from Horst via the Lollebeek towards Castenray, past the Câselse Pès, the Oosterbos and the Lorbaan. Here you get that fine varied North Limburg feel: first some softer stream landscape, then forest and open stretches in between.

Pause tip: Liesbeth's Grand Café in Horst. For this stage, this is a great starting stop: first a coffee and flan in Horst and then on your way. The grand café is right in the centre and offers coffee, lunch and sweet treats.

Our advice for your overnight stay: B&B Huize van Bommel
For this stage, B&B Huize van Bommel fits the mood of a hiker nicely: warm, small-scale and well located in Castenray, so practically near the route. You start your day with a full breakfast, and if the weather is fine, even on the sunny terrace. One of those places where, after a day of walking, you think: yes, this is just right.

 

4. Stage 4: Veulen - Griendtsveen, 15 km

This is a stage with a different rhythm. You walk along the Oostrumsche Beek, the Paardenkop, the German military cemetery in Ysselsteyn and the Deurne Canal. Along the way, you notice that the landscape is slowly shifting towards Peel: quieter, more spacious and sometimes a touch more rugged. This used to be a real factory village, where peat was extracted and used to heat the houses in the area.

Pause tip: Herberg de Morgenstond in Griendtsveen. A very fitting stop at the end of the stage. Here you can enjoy lunch, dinner and a waterside terrace.

Our advice for your overnight stay: Herberg de Morgenstond is a perfect fit for this stage. The inn has been around since 1890 and is known for that rustic atmosphere and old-fashioned cosiness. For a hiker, this is gold: you enter, order something warm and immediately feel that you don't need to go any further for the day.

 

5. Stage 5: Griendtsveen - Mariapeel, 10 km

Here you really get out into the Peel. You walk along the Griendtsveense polder, De Peel, Mariaveen and the Deurne Canal. This is one of those stages with plenty of air, silence and water, where your feet will almost naturally settle into a more leisurely pace. What makes the Peel so special is that here you can still feel that rugged, quiet landscape where once peat cutters worked for days on end, in some places the old peat canals and paths seem almost untouched by time.

Pause tip: along the way, deliberately take some time on a bench or at a catering spot at the edge of the area, as this stretch is mainly about watching, listening and breathing. At the end of the day, you can then settle down at your overnight address.

Our advice for your overnight stay: Centerparcs De Limburgse Peel
For hikers who want to really feel the Peel, Centerparcs De Limburgse Peel is a very fitting place. It is located right by the hiking area. That makes it a fine base if you don't just want to traverse the Mariapeel, but also really let it sink in for a while.

 

6. Stage 6: Mariapeel - Sevenum Schatberg, 12 km

From Camp Mariaveen, you walk towards Sevenum Schatberg, past Mariaveen, Helenaveen, 't Vartje, the Mariaveen monument and even Toverland's Fairy Tale Tree that you see on the roundabout. This stage feels like a transition from the quiet Peel region to a more lively end. Pause tip: in or around Sevenum Schatberg, you can settle down well for something to eat or drink before throwing up your legs.

Our advice for your overnight stay: De Schatberg
De Schatberg is convenient for hikers who like to think practically. You can stay overnight in a variety of accommodation and the park has several eateries. That means no more searching, just arrive, shower, eat and rest. Sometimes that's exactly what you need.

 

7. Stage 7: Sevenum Schatberg - Sevenum, 11 km

This stage is a bit shorter, but certainly no less beautiful. You walk along the Groote Molenbeek, the Elsbeemden, the Romerweg and Steinhagen. A pleasant route for those who love stream valleys, greenery and a stage that does not ask too much but gives a lot.

Pause tip: in Sevenum, Lo Solé is a nice place to relax with coffee, lunch or an ice cream from their own kitchen. Just the sort of place you like to linger.

Our advice for your overnight stay: Gr8 Hotel Sevenum
Gr8 Hotel Sevenum is a smart address for hikers who want a clean, modern room without any fuss. Conveniently located in Sevenum, the hotel emphatically mentions the Peel and its green surroundings as an asset. Fine, then, if you want to sleep well and move on the next day.

 

8. Stage 8: Sevenum - Grubbenvorst, 14 km

From Sevenum, walk to Grubbenvorst past Steinhagen, Kevelaersdijk, 't Ham, Witveld, Hooge Heide, Gekkengraaf and St George's Chapel. This stage has a nice structure: first rural and quiet, then more and more towards the Meuse and village.

Pause tip: in Grubbenvorst, Brasserie In de Witte Dame is a very nice place for coffee and flan, lunch or a slightly longer terrace moment.

Our advice for your overnight stay: In the White Lady
Sleep well here if you like small-scale and personal. In de Witte Dame calls itself a friendly cycling and hiking hotel, centrally located in Grubbenvorst, with breakfast, free parking and a restaurant attached. For a multi-day hiker, that's nice: everything under one roof and you don't have to think about anything else.

9. Stage 9: Grubbenvorst - Lottum, 15 km

The last stage brings you back to Lottum and passes by the Meuse, the Lottumse Molenbeek, Siebersbeek, chapels and Huis Kaldenbroek. A beautiful final day, with water, history and that light feeling of coming home. This is one of those stages where you take an extra look around you, just because you know: this was real gold.

Pause tip: Brasserie Natuurlijck Kaldenbroek in Lottum. A nice end to the Petranpad. You can go here for coffee, something tasty or a healthy meal, inside the brasserie or outside on the terrace.

Our advice for your last night's stay: Rosa Arvensis
If you want to end the Petran trail in style, Rosa Arvensis is a great choice. This luxury B&B in rose village Lottum sits in a converted farmhouse from 1880 and itself lists dining options and breakfast as part of the stay. That suits the last stage well: one more fine night, one more good breakfast and then go home feeling satisfied.

Our five best tips before you go

  1. Don't walk the Petranpad blind on good luck. Download the GPX in advance and check just before departure for route changes or wet sections.
  2. The stages are easy to combine. The three fords allow you to make your own round trip between Horst, America, Sevenum and Grubbenvorst. Handy if you don't want to walk exactly in nine walking days.
  3. Plan your hospitality smart. Especially in the Peel and among the smaller villages, there is not something around every corner. So sit back and relax in Horst, Griendtsveen, Sevenum or Grubbenvorst, but also take plenty of water and something for your backpack along the way.
  4. Lottum is a fine place to start if you make a weekend of it. The Rozenhof is open from May to October, with coffee on the terrace too. That immediately makes your first or last day just a little more enjoyable.
  5. And just one more: allow yourself time in Griendtsveen and the Peel. These are those stretches where you automatically slow down. Not because you have to, but because you keep wanting to take a closer look.

The Petranpad is 112 kilometres long and divided into nine stages. The path runs mainly on unpaved paths through Horst aan de Maas.

The Petranpad is a circular walk. The first stage runs from Lottum to Meerlo and the ninth stage takes you from Grubbenvorst back to Lottum.

Yes. Landscape Horst aan de Maas provides three fords: Horst-America, America-Sevenum and Grubbenvorst-Tienray. These allow you to make shorter or other multi-day layouts.

Yes, if you are used to walking 10 to 15 kilometres. The stages are clear and varied, but you do walk a lot unpaved. So good shoes are not a luxury.

Horst, Sevenum and Grubbenvorst are the most convenient places for an overnight stay with catering facilities nearby. Think Parkhotel Horst, Gr8 Hotel Sevenum and In de Witte Dame.

More golden moments - There is so much more to experience! Read our tips.

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