De Meinweg

De Meinweg is about eighteen hundred hectares on the German border east of Roermond, and its shape is geological: the Peel Boundary Fault runs through here and has stepped the ground into terraces, so the park climbs in benches from the Roer valley with streams cutting between them - real relief in a country that mostly has none. The terraces carry dry heath, oak and birch woodland, drift sand and wet stream valleys, and the mix supports a long species list: the park is known for its reptiles and amphibians, among them adder, smooth snake and sand lizard, and wild boar and roe deer live in the woods. Marked trails cross the terraces, and the park is part of the German-Dutch cross-border park Maas-Swalm-Nette.

The landscape

• Terraced ground - the Peel Boundary Fault stepping the plateau into benches.
• Adders - on the dry heath sections.
• Stream valleys between terraces - wet ground cutting down through the steps.
• A cross-border reserve - German protected land continuing on the far side.

When to go

April to October. A day.

Good to know

Adders are present and bite when trodden on - stay on paths and keep dogs leashed. Ticks are common. Wild boar are active at dusk.

Nearby

Roermond and the Maasplassen are west; the German border runs along the park.

Key facts