Kerken offers a clear focus for cultural and cycling trips: churches and chapels shape a cycling tour through the municipality of Kerken. When planning, it is worth choosing between a historic detail at a single location and a route that takes in several churches. St. Dionysius in Nieukerk combines both perspectives: the church is one of the tour’s stops and also has a Roman votive stone set into its wall.

Churches and History in Kerken

A Roman votive stone dating from 190–192 AD is set into the church wall of St. Dionysius in Nieukerk. The date makes this a precisely identified historical detail. Compared with the cycling tour, the difference is one of scale: here, the focus is on a single stone at a particular church, while the route leads to several churches and chapels.

The tour takes in St. Dionysius in Nieukerk, St. Peter and Paul in Aldekerk, and St. Thomas in Stenden. Their church towers are connected with the history and community life of the municipality of Kerken. The tour thus links several churches to one another and to the municipality, while the votive stone draws attention to a single, precisely dated detail. Anyone who does not want to limit their cultural interests to a single church will find a specific focus for the cycling tour in these three named stops.

Compare Cycling Routes by Length

At the St. Anthony’s Chapel in Eyll, the cycling tour can be split into a 32.8 km northern route and a 17 km southern route. The northern route is therefore 15.8 km longer. If you want to weigh up the distance for your stay, you can compare the two figures directly: the southern route is the shorter option, while the northern route covers more kilometres. The chapel in Eyll is the named point where the tour divides into the two routes.

Cycling Guide to the Wider Destination of Kleve

In the wider destination of Kleve, cycling extends beyond the municipal route in Kerken. The district of Kleve has more than 1,500 kilometres of cycle paths and numerous themed routes. A pocket guide, when unfolded, shows all the junctions in the district of Kleve and includes information on how the district-wide junction system works. Also included is the 128-kilometre, signposted Niers Cycle Path. It runs from the source of the Niers in Mönchengladbach through the districts of Viersen and Kleve to the municipality of Gennep in the Netherlands. These details offer different kinds of guidance: an overview of the cycle-path network, an explanation of the junction system, and the route of a named trail.

The wider destination of Kleve also offers landscapes, traditions, and regional produce. The district of Kleve features picturesque riverbanks, green meadows, and extensive forests. Local traditions in the district include marksmen’s festivals, Carnival, and funfairs. Farm cafés in the district of Kleve invite visitors to experience products directly from the producer. These themes complement the regional guide with interests beyond churches and cycling routes: landscapes, living traditions, and a visit to a farm café each offer a different starting point for planning a trip.

Discover more destinations: Kalkar, Straelen, Appeldorn, Goch, Kleve, Haldern, Kevelaer, Geldern.

Back to the main travel overview: Kleve.