The Via Valentiniana runs from Maashees to Cuijk and mostly follows the route of the former Roman road. It is marked by numbered bicycle junction signs, as well as Roman banners, information boards and Roman helmets embedded in the road surface. Where the route diverges from the Roman road’s course, it passes through the Maasheggen landscape. The cycling route thus brings together a historical route and a cultural landscape as distinct points of reference.
The Via Valentiniana and the Maasheggen
The route markers make the Roman connection visible along today’s cycling route. At the same time, the Via Valentiniana does not follow the former Roman road everywhere: its deviations pass through the Maasheggen. If you are interested in the route, you can distinguish between the sections that mostly follow the historic course and those that pass through the landscape.
Cultural landscape and trail networks
The Maasheggen cover around 2,000 hectares and have almost 300 kilometres of hedgerows in total. Of these, 25 kilometres are laid hedges. The area has UNESCO “Man & the Biosphere” status and is the only area with this status in the Netherlands. The Maasheggen are also considered the oldest cultural landscape in the Netherlands. These figures give an impression of the size of the landscape and show that the hedgerows are one of its defining features.
There are numerous signposted walking trails in the Maasheggen. Routes range from short to somewhat longer and include options for experienced hikers as well as families. If you prefer to travel by horse or carriage, there is a dedicated horse-riding and carriage-driving network: it comprises 120 kilometres of trails, 122 routes and 60 junctions. These details describe two different ways to explore the landscape: on foot along routes of varying lengths, or on the designated network for riding and carriage driving.
Antoniuskerk and the history of Maashees
The present-day Antoniuskerk dates from 1951. It was built in the Reconstruction style to a design by architect C.H. de Bever and is on the municipal heritage list of Boxmeer. However, the history of the church site goes back further: a medieval chapel once stood there, maintained by the Gilde van Sint-Joris en Sint-Antonius Abt. This guild was founded in 1473. This makes it possible to distinguish the church’s more recent construction history from the older history of its site.
Archaeological finds also offer a glimpse into the town’s past. Extensive urn fields and numerous Roman objects found in Maashees suggest that Maashees was an important settlement in Germanic times. The finds complement the church history with a different kind of evidence: clues to the importance of the place in an earlier era.
Guidance for finding accommodation
If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Maashees, the different geographical points of reference can help you get your bearings: the Via Valentiniana runs from Maashees to Cuijk, while the walking trails and the horse-riding and carriage-driving network are associated with the Maasheggen. Antoniuskerk and the archaeological finds relate to the town’s history. Consider whether the cycling route, the trails through the cultural landscape or the history of Maashees is the main factor in your stay.
In 2025, new benches, bicycle racks and picnic sets were installed, among other places, on the beach near Maashees. If these facilities are important to your plans, check their current condition before visiting.
Discover more destinations: Boxmeer, Groeningen, Oeffelt, Sambeek, Overloon, Vierlingsbeek, Vortum Mullem
Return to the regional travel overview: Boxmeer.
