Vaalserberg and the Drielandenpunt

At 322 metres the Vaalserberg is the highest point in the European Netherlands, which says more about the country than about the hill. It is a wooded rise above the town of Vaals where the Dutch, Belgian and German borders meet at a marker set into the ground, and the spot has been turned into a small day-out complex: two observation towers, a hedge maze, kiosks and a large car park. From the towers the view runs over the hills and valleys of southern Limburg and the wooded country across the borders. The roads climbing up from Vaals are among the very few sustained gradients in the Netherlands, which is why they are busy with cyclists all summer.

The landscape

• The border marker - the point where three countries meet, set into the paving with a stone at each side.
• The observation towers - two towers on the summit, both charged, giving the only wide view in the region.
• The hedge maze - a large labyrinth planted beside the summit, aimed mainly at children.
• The climbs from Vaals - short steep roads through beech woods, a fixture of Dutch road cycling.

When to go

April to October, with clear autumn days giving the best visibility from the towers. Sunny weekends and school holidays fill the car park by late morning. Weekday mornings are quiet. Winter is often in cloud, and the woods around the summit are at their best in late October when the beech turns.

Before you go

This is a wooded hilltop with a car park and kiosks, not a mountain, and the height only matters as a statistic. Both towers charge admission, and without climbing one you see almost nothing through the trees. It is a family destination rather than a walk in nature, and it is crowded and noisy whenever the weather is good. The borders themselves are only markers.

Nearby

Vaals sits below the hill, and the hill country of southern Limburg spreads north towards Valkenburg.