Ferry Days 2025: Cycling through the Meuse region

Cycle from bank to bank, hop on the ferry, and explore the most beautiful spots in Brabant, Gelderland, and Limburg. During the Ferry Days on May 16, 17, and 18, 2025, you will cycle along no less than 160 km of the Maas riverbank, from the Land van Cuijk to Heusden. Along the way, you will enjoy not only the beautiful nature and historic towns but also all kinds of fun activities.

Ferry Days 2025

On May 16, 17, and 18, the Pontjesdagen (Ferry Days) will be organized for the fifth year in a row. For three days, you can cycle along 160 kilometers of the Maas riverbank between the Land van Cuijk and Heusden. Most of the Pontjesdagen routes run on both sides of the Maas; you cross the river by ferry at least once on each route. Fun activities are organized along the way, and there are special sights to see. Take a quick look at the website at the bottom of the blog.

 

Heusden

The fortified town of Heusden led the way for centuries: it developed around one of the oldest moated castles in Northwest Europe and was one of the first Dutch cities to receive a city wall. Are you planning a visit to the fortified town of Heusden soon, and are you curious about what there is to experience in this historic town? Thanks to beautiful restorations, much of old Heusden has been preserved. Discover it all during a day out in the fortified town of Heusden.

 

Ammersoyen Castle

Ammersoyen Castle is a castle in Ammerzoden, in the Bommelerwaard. The castle is situated north of the village center and, given that the village has expanded primarily in a westerly direction, also on the outskirts of Ammerzoden. Ammersoyen Castle has played an important role in the history of Ammerzoden. Until the dissolution of the municipality of Ammerzoden in 1999, part of the castle served as the town hall. The castle is open for viewing; guided tours are offered and various events take place. It is also possible to host wedding ceremonies, parties, meetings, and similar events.

The Dutch Castles stamp sheet contains five identical stamps of Doornenburg Castle and five identical stamps of Ammersoyen Castle. On both stamps, contemporary color photographs are combined with old prints, floor plans, and coats of arms. On the Doornenburg stamp, the color photograph is on the left and the print on the right; on the Ammersoyen stamp, the order is reversed. A blue tint has been added to the monochrome prints, derived from the color of the Priority logo on the tabs. The contours of the floor plan—square at Doornenburg and with round towers at Ammersoyen—are layered over them. On both stamps, both the print and the floor plan extend onto the stamp above. On the Doornenburg stamp, three transparent coats of arms of former residents of this castle are depicted on the left: from top to bottom, the family arms of Van Doornick (1313-1385), Van Bylandt (1385-1481), and Van Homoet (1459-1474). On the Ammersoyen stamp, the family coat of arms of the Van Arkel-De la Kethullen family is depicted on the right. The Van Arkels inhabited Ammersoyen from 1496 to 1694. [/ One_half] [one_half_last]           Two castles also appeared in the series of personalized stamps from 2009/2010: Doornenburg Castle and Ammersoyen Castle.  

Ravenstein

The centuries-old Ravenstein is a fortified town with plenty to do for young and old. As the Ravenstein Tourist Information Centre, we are happy to help you plan a fun day out. You can also come to us for local delicacies, cycling routes in the area, and beautiful books. You can find us in the beautiful Ravenstein Town Hall, on St. Luciastraat, right in the centre.  

Wijchen Castle

Despite its elegant Renaissance appearance, Wijchen Castle has a long and turbulent history behind it. Throughout the centuries, the castle has been the setting for battles, forbidden love, and royal life. In 1903, Jonkvrouw Adriana Wilhelmina van Andringa de Kempenaer from The Hague purchased the castle, along with the garden and farms, for 26.850 guilders. On the night of Saint Nicholas' Day in 1906, the castle burned down completely due to a chimney fire. Only the standing walls were spared. Furniture, the library, and art treasures all fell prey to the flames. The Jonkvrouw wanted to have a villa built on the site of the castle, but she was ultimately persuaded to rebuild the castle. As early as 1907, the castle was fully restored under the direction of the Nijmegen architect F.A. Ludewig, based on a detailed description of the castle by the National Heritage Service from 1903. In 1908, Wijchen Castle stood once again in its former glory. After the death of the childless Jonkvrouw, the castle came into the possession of her nephews, the Van Humalda van Eijzinga family, in 1926. During the crisis years of the 30s, they failed to sell the castle. Finally, in 1932, at the initiative of Mayor H.L.J.M. van Rijckevorsel, the Municipality of Wijchen purchased Wijchen Castle for 32.000 guilders. Since then, the castle has been accessible to all residents of Wijchen and has housed the Wijchen Castle Museum since 1996.  

Country of Cuijk

The most besieged fortified city in the Netherlands. A water sports area of ​​international renown. A former Roman settlement. The oldest cultural landscape in the Netherlands. The Miracle of the Holy Blood in the Basilica of Boxmeer. The War Museum, the site of a memorable struggle for freedom. The State Forests. Tongelaar Castle and its wooded surroundings. The remains of the Peel-Raamstelling. During this edition of the Pontjesdagen, nine different cycling routes have been mapped out. Two of them also run through the Land van Cuijk: the Maas in het Midden route (50 kilometers) goes from Cuijk via North Limburg to Vierlingsbeek and back to Cuijk, and the Van Sasse route (45 kilometers) starts and ends at the Van Sasse Pumping Station in Grave. The coat of arms was officially granted on July 16, 1817. The coat of arms is derived from that of the Lords of Cuijk. The Cuijk region has only belonged to Brabant since the 16th century; before that time, it was alternately in the possession of Gelre and Brabant. The coat of arms has been used by the Lords of Cuijk since the Middle Ages and also appears in the coats of arms of other places in the region, such as Vierlingsbeek, Boxmeer, Nieuwkuijk, and Grave.  

<strong> More info: </strong>

Ferry Days 2025 (May 16, 17, 18): https://www.uitinderegio.nl/pontjesdagen/ Heusden: https://www.zuiderwaterlinie.nl/vestingsteden/heusden Ammersoyen Castle: https://www.glk.nl/ammersoyen/kasteel-ammersoyen Ravenstein: https://www.toerismeravenstein.nl/ Wijchen Castle: https://www.museumwijchen.nl/ Land of Cuijk: https://www.landvancuijk.nl/home/