Brunssummerheide Nature Walk and City Guide – Hiking, Skiing, & Golfing by JFC Brunssum

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brunssumerheide hike

If you’re exploring the Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) region and want a relaxing place to soak up heather filled meadows, lush green forests and super friendly people, then this town and hike is for you.

It makes for a great stop on the way to Dutch flower fields, Amsterdam or as a ski, golf. and hiking destination for people who love to get off-the-beaten path.

Plus, it’s really fun to hike to Germany and back with your kids!

brunssumerheide pond

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Where to stay

Golfers will LOVE the Golf-Resort Brunssummerheide surrounded on all sides by lush, verdant greens and direct access to the Nature Preserve and it’s leafy hiking trails.

Year round, skiers will enjoy SnowWorld Alpine Hotel, the largest indoor ski resort in Europe.

Each hike includes detailed GPS guidance (without any special apps) so it’s simple and not frustrating to find your way, get local food recommendations, and history highlights.

Getting to Brunssummerheide Nature Reserve

brunssummerheide

The Brunssummerheide Nature Reserve sits on the border of the Netherlands and Germany between JFC Brunssum and Nato Air Base Geilenkirchen. It forms the eastern border of the mid-sized town of Brunsumm in the Netherlands.

It is just a short walk behind the AFNORTH International school.

This region is about 1:20 minutes from Brussels or Cologne-Bonn airport by car. It’s a 2 hour drive from Luxembourg International airport or 2.5 hours from Amsterdam International Schiphol airport.

If using a car, simply park in the ample parking directly behind AF North International school and the local soccer club.

Train connections can be found at Heerlan Station. Heerlen, Stationsplein 1, 6411 NE Heerlen, Netherlands. From there use the #3 bus to get to Brunssum, Langeburg, station.

It’s a 20 min ride. It’s a 5 minute short walk to the trailhead from there. Use AFnorth international school in your GPS to get there. The trail is directly behind the school.

If you love hiking, you can try the Nijmegen March.

Brunssummerheide Nature Walk Trail Map

6.5 Miles or 10.5 km

Brunsumm, the Netherlands

How to use this map: Use your computer mouse or fingers to zoom in and out. Click on the icons to get more information. Click the arrow on the top left corner for the written index. Click the star next to the title of the map to add this map to your google maps account. To view the saved map on your smartphone or PC, open google maps, click the menu button, and go to “your places”/ “maps.”

Brunssumm City & Area Guide

In the Heart of Benelux

Located withinIn the heart of the Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg), this regio is an underrated. Limburg, located in the south part of the Netherlands is filled with rolling hills, dense forests and soft hiking trails.

I had a hard time finding anyone that did not speak good to excellent English.

It feels much more “chatty” than most parts of West Germany but with the same sense of efficiency and order. The streets and houses are exceptionally tidy and clean, but modest.

We had fun by hiking through the Brunssummerheide from the Netherlands, all the way to Germany and back. *Hint: It’s not far.

There are about 30,000 people living in Brunssumm and most of the community is connected by bike trails.

Things to Do in Brunssumm

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Hiking, cycling, Indoor skiing, and golfing top the list of fun things to do in and near Brunssum. If you’re there in Spring, do yourself a favor by hopping over to the Keukenhof gardens for a day. It’s tulip heaven that even the toughest of dudes and manly men will appreciate.

SnowWorld Landgraf Indoor Skiing

Snowworld Landgraf offers Indoor skiing, a hotel and apres ski. Located only 12 km from Brunssum and open year round.

There are 5 ski slopes, 4 restaurants and the Snowworld Alpine Hotel. You can take ski or snowboard lessons, engage in a VR game, or even do the outdoor high ropes adventure course.

Bring your dogs to the hotel!

Enjoy Baby Lambs in Spring

In early April you can book a reservation to be in the reserve to watch the local sheep have their baby lambs and other festivities. Book here.

2-3 Day Guided Cycling Tour

The local tour company Trans Limburg will set up a guided bike tour with accommodations. Book a trip by bike here.

Brunssummerheide Golf

Directly within the Nature preserve sits the Golf Club Brunssummerheide. Call +31 (0) 45-5646300 to learn more and book a slot. They have 45 holes, a restaurant and a golf resort hotel, directly in the serene course.

City Break to Maastricht

Brunssum is only 30 minutes from the charming city of Maastricht, a destination for curious travelers wanting to feel the vibrancy and heart of the Netherlands. A day trip here is highly recommended for shopping, people watching and visiting super cute coffee shops.

Best Time to Hike in Brunssum

March – November

Easter would be the absolute best time to hike due to the regions incredible flowering bulbs. It would be a perfect hike to pair with a stunning trip to the Keukenhof Flower Gardens.

However the trails are accessible year round and are not especially muddy during the winter and shoulder seasons.

🥾😓 Feeling Overwhelmed Planning a Hike? Use my custom-built online Hiking Time Calculator for Non-techie People.

A Very Brief History of Brunssummerheide

Dating back at least 2,000 years, it’s a land having been ruled by the Spanish, German, Dutch, French and British throughout history. That means the food choices really are quite interesting and varied for central Europe. Indonesian food, Spanish tapas and even authentic Mexican food line the main street of this sleepy town.

The Brunssummerheide Nature Preserve hosts an array of wild animals. Schoonbeek sheep are a highlight along with deer, many birds and wild boar.

It has free admission.

Several NATO and United States military bases are located in the area and host a diverse population. It’s quiet, orderly and friendly.

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Bike or Walk to Germany

Who is This Guide NOT for and What are the Alternatives?

You’ll pass many quiet green spaces, but the hills in the Netherlands are gentle and it’s likely you’ll pass other walkers or people out walking their dogs.

This guide would be suitable for sport strollers. If you want to make a workout out of the hike it would also be great for backpacking your kid with a comfortable Osprey Baby Carrying Pack.

Cycling Pitstop Between Rotterdam and Basel

You’ll have a hard time understanding the extent of the bike paths in the Netherlands until you see it yourself.

The lanes are almost flawless, even here in the countryside. They are smooth, protected from car traffic and literally everywhere.

There are curbs built between the car lane and the bike lane. They are at least 8 inches high so that if a car starts to swerve, the tires will hit the barricade instead of the cyclist.

There are lights for cars and for bikes to avoid confusion. Be careful if walking, check for bikes and not only cars.

‍♀️ If bikes are your thing and you want to explore Limburg and Brunssum area by bike, this tour will book all of your accommodations and show you some off the beaten path gems.

Brunssummerheide Trail Guide

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Free Google Maps Guide: Just follow the blue dot to never lose your Way.

Komoot App with GPS Tracking: You get one free zone with this free app.

https://www.komoot.com/tour/689997168?ref=wtd

Location: Limburg, the Netherlands. 30 min from Maastricht, 5 minutes from JFC Brunssum

Trail Guide: Brunssummerheide Nature Walk

Type of Hike: Loop to Germany and Back

Distance: 4.6 miles, 7.4 km

Elevation: 175 ft up/down

Duration: Approx. 1.5 hours

Difficulty: Easy on soft paths, some paved sidewalks

Start/end point: Parkeerplaats SV Langeberg

Kid-friendly: yes

Stroller-friendly: yes

Dog-friendly: yes

Fees: None

Camino de Santiago: No

Something Good to Eat: Want to eat authentic Mexican in the Netherlands? The El Comal restaurant features vibrant colored decoration, delicious foods and a cozy fireplace right next to the tables.

Where to Stay in Brunssum: An Indoor Ski Resort!

Check out the links here from Booking – I always use them for my city and multi-day hikes because they are trustworthy and helpful to keep organized.

Best for Golf Lovers

Golfers will LOVE the Golf-Resort Brunssummerheide surrounded on all sides by lush greens and direct access to the Nature Preserve and it’s leafy hiking trails.

Best for Ski Lovers

Skiers will enjoy SnowWorld Alpine Hotel, a hotel located next to the largest indoor ski resort in Europe.

Mid-Range

The Parkstad City Hotel offers family rooms, breakfast and a great location for a stay to explore the Brunssum.

On a Budget?

Going budget and have an SUV? It’s completely legal to sleep in your car (but only one night in each place) in a parking lot. Make it comfortable with a comfy SUV air mattress.

Gear

These paths are not at all technical. Crocs or sandals would be okay. The nature reserve is extensive and it’s entirely possible to stay on wooded paths, but we thought it would be fun to “walk to Germany and back” so we took some paved sidewalks to achieve this.

We got to go through the prettiest golf course we’ve ever seen. I’m not really into golf and have many stressful memories of running 5K cross country races through them. So when I say it’s pretty, I really mean it.

But if you’re a little older and want to avoid plantar fasciitis or knee pain, a decent trail running shoe should help. Here’s my favorite women’s shoe and the men’s version as well.

Don’t be like me and get eye pre-cancer, protect your eyes from the damage inflicted by the sun with cat 3-4 sunglasses.

Bring your own water as there’s no spring to fill up your canteen. You should be able to stop at the golf course bar if you want to pay for a drink.

Best Hikes in the Netherlands

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy this Brunssumm city and hiking guide.

Please share your stories of your awesome outdoor adventures over on our facebook group European Hiking & Food Travel Planning.

If you’re going to pick one section of a hike in Germany to max out dramatic landscapes, castles, wine pit-stops and culture – this is the one for you.

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‍♀️ If bikes are your thing and you want to explore the Limburg Region- Check out this amazing tour. Check out a self guided bike tour.

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