#401 Project All the Train stations in the Netherlands 42 Deurne

 

Station No. 42 took me to a place in Brabant called Deurne. I didn't know much about Deurne before cycling around there, but soon discovered the beautiful house of the local GP and expressionist painter Henrik Wiedersma, which was a treat to find as it now houses some of his paintings and works of his avant-garde friends. The exhibition I saw, was one of his son Pieter Wiedersma.  A few minutes from this house the ruins of a 14th Century Gothic castle lay on some nice park grounds and make a nice spot for a coffee break.

#401 Project All the Train stations in the Netherlands 41 Cuijk

Cuijk

A small place with a long history - this town is dominated by the twin peaks of the Neo Gothic St Martin Church which looks out over the Mass and if a nice spot for a ramble along by the river.

#401 Project All the Train stations in the Netherlands 40 Boxmeer

Boxmeer

Station No 40. Boxmeer, I cycled here from Cuijk on a grey day (brightened up by mini pancaked at the pancake house)  keeping the twin towers of  St. Martins Cathedral behind me and the Mass river beside me I cycled past German bunkers and farmhouses and cornfields. The destination was a castle on the opposite side of town to Boxmeer rail station. Looks like it is now a care home with beautifully kept grounds and a lot of life around the area.

#401 Project All the Train stations in the Netherlands 39 Vierlingsbeek

Vierlingsbeek

My first post-covid lockdown trip and a new province - North Brabant. I brought the bike (bike tickets have increased to €7.50) and cycled from the station, which is tucked away west of Vierlingsbeek through the village.  Opposite the station is a nice looking restaurant/cafe perfect location for waiting on the next train and a busy pancake house - I bypassed these and headed for the watermill, passing some pretty houses along the way. According to all the info you can read by the mill there has been a mill on this site since 1446! 

#401 Project All the Train stations in the Netherlands 38 Venray

Venray

Picked up a bike at the self-service station and cycled to some castle runs in the direction of Oostrum to Gejisteren was quite around the area but in the other direction, you can head to the city center of Venray and further away is the only German war cemetery in the Netherlands where some 31 thousand Germans are buried. 

#401 Project All the Train stations in the Netherlands 37 Horst Sevenum

Horst Sevenum

I rented a bike one of those self service bike lockers and took a spin into the center of Horst where I found a sleepy patch of Limburg and I came across the lace factory. I wasn't sure what to expect but in the end I spent some time here and was fascinated by the machines and the amazing creativity and artistic talent on display both old and modern. I really enjoyed chatting with the custodians there who are defiantly part and parcel of making this collection come to life

#401 Project All the Train stations in the Netherlands 36 Mook Molenhoek

Mook Molenhoek

Right under Nijmegen, this station which reopened less than a decade ago (the original station building demolished in the 1970s) is at the very top of Limburg. This station is the perfect stop-off point for a walk in the star-shaped nature reserve of Heumense Schans - which is exactly what I did.