Vrouwenheide

Last updated
Vrouwenheide
Mingersberg windmolen.jpg
Highest point
Elevation 218 m (715 ft)
Coordinates 50°50′40″N5°57′0.3″E / 50.84444°N 5.950083°E / 50.84444; 5.950083 Coordinates: 50°50′40″N5°57′0.3″E / 50.84444°N 5.950083°E / 50.84444; 5.950083
Naming
English translationWomen's heath
Language of nameEnglish
Geography
Netherlands relief location map.svg
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Vrouwenheide
Netherlands
Location Limburg, Netherlands
Monumental Bernardushoeve Ubachsberg-Mingersborg 20.JPG
Monumental Bernardushoeve

The Vrouwenheide (Women's heath) is a hill in the Netherlands and former heath land, just south of Ubachsberg in the municipality of Voerendaal. With a height of 218 metres above NAP it is one of the highest points in the European part of the Netherlands. [1]

Contents

Geology

The area is made up out of inliers and outliers. The Vrouwenheide is the highest point of the plateau of Ubachsberg. Between 1 and 2 million years ago it was part of the island of Ubachsberg in the Meuse river. [2]

With a height of 218 metres above NAP it is one of the highest point in the European part of the Netherlands. It was long believed that this was in fact the highest point in the Netherlands, because from the top you can see over the top of the Vaalserberg, to see the even higher hills from the German Eifel. [3]

Buildings

On the Vrouwenheide are several national monuments. Windmill Op de Vrouweheide, built in 1858, is located at 216 meters above Amsterdam Ordnance Datum, and built on an artificial hill to catch even more wind. As such it is the highest windmill in the Netherlands. [4] [5] The Bernardushoeve is a farmhouse built in the early 19th century and currently a restaurant. [6] [7] In the forest on the Vrouwenheide the remains of an old watchtower can be found. [8]

Activities

The Vrouwenheide has a lot of walking routes and biking routes pass through and is also home to a farmer's golf course. The Vrouwenheide is part of the Mergellandroute, a tourist route for cars and bikes through South Limburg, Netherlands, mapped out by the ANWB. Due to the hills, the Vrouwenheide and surrounding areas are part of the Amstel Gold Race, a road bicycle race. As such it was also part of the 2006 Tour de France (stage 3).

Panorama of the Vrouwenheide Panvrouwenheide.jpg
Panorama of the Vrouwenheide

Related Research Articles

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Jansgeleen Castle

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Ubachsberg Village in Limburg, Netherlands

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Torenmolen van Gronsveld, Maastricht

The Torenmolen van Gronsveld is a tower mill near Gronsveld in the municipally of Maastricht, the Netherlands, which is still in working order. The mill was built in 1623 and is listed as a Rijksmonument, number 28086. It is the most southerly windmill in the Netherlands and the oldest of the province Limburg.

Mergellandroute

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Eyserheide Village in Limburg, Netherlands

Eyserheide is a hamlet in the southeastern Netherlands. It is located close to the village of Eys in the municipality of Gulpen-Wittem, Limburg, around 15 km east of Maastricht. The name refers to a former heathland in the area. The village has a population of 90 people.

Op de Vrouweheide Windmill in Voerendaal, Netherlands

Op de Vrouweheide is a windmill located on the Vrouwenheide just south of Ubachsberg, Voerendaal, in the Dutch province of Limburg. Built in 1858 as a tower mill, on an artificial hill, the windmill functioned as a gristmill. The mill is a national monument since 17 January 1967.

De Windhond

De Windhond is a windmill in the city of Woerden, Netherlands. The mill was built in 1755 on an artificial hill of 9.3 metres (31 ft) in height that was part of the defensive enclosure (stadswal) of the ancient city. The mill itself is 5.7 metres (19 ft) high. The windmill sail spans 25.2 metres (83 ft).

Huls, Netherlands Village in Limburg, Netherlands

Huls is a hamlet in the southeastern Netherlands. It is part of the municipality of Simpelveld in the province of Limburg, about 20 km east of Maastricht. The village lies on a hill, north of Simpelveld, and south of Ubachsberg. In 2008 the village had a population of 350 on an area of 0.44 km2. On the hillside south of Huls lies Hulsveld, a hamlet sharing the same name with a population of 1630. Since the hamlets share a single built-up area, and are both located on the hill called Huls, the village Huls is sometimes mistaken to include Hulsveld.

Genhout Village in Limburg, Netherlands

Genhout is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Beek, and consists of two former settlements: the village Groot Genhout and the hamlet Klein Genhout. Since 2005, the two settlements are no longer distinguished. It is located about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) north-east of Maastricht.

References

  1. (in Dutch) Nederland heeft ook bergen, plazilla, 3 February 2012
  2. (in Dutch) Wandeling met gids Jos Littmann, Vrouwengilde Landgraaf, 10 May 2014
  3. (in Dutch) Nederland Bergenland, ANWB
  4. (in Dutch) Op de Vrouweheide, De Hollandsche Molen
  5. (in Dutch) Windmolenbiotoop inventarisatie Limburg 2010, Monumentenwacht Limburg, 2010
  6. (in Dutch) Bernardushoeve (monument nr37895) Description at monumentenregister.cultureelerfgoed.nl, official website for Dutch cultural heritage
  7. (in German) P. van Laake, Niederlande: 52 ausgewählte Wanderungen , 2011, page 183-184
  8. (in Dutch) wandelpaden.com