Experience the green stream valleys in Kerkrade

Sloping forests, sloping meadows, standard orchards, the crystal-clear stream and the wide view of the Cranenweyer reservoir make the Anstel valley a characteristic South Limburg landscape. Here you will also find the fourteenth-century Kasteel Erenstein, with its historic garden. A little further on is the eighteenth-century farmstead Nieuw-Ehrenstein. At both places you can enjoy Burgundy.

The Worm valley is a beautiful area of nature near Kerkrade, extending across the border between the Netherlands and Germany. The woodland and grassland of the Worm valley are situated beside the fast-flowing little river, the Worm (or Wurm in German), running along the border. Kingfishers are often spotted here, as are beavers. In Haanrade, on the outskirts of Kerkrade, a herd of Galloway cattle graze in the pastures beside the Worm. This is also where you can find the historic Baalsbruggermolen water mill, a 900-year-old water mill that was formerly part of the Rolduc Abbey.

The Bosquet of Rolduc Abbey is a park-like area of hillside woodland around this centuries-old abbey. The woodland features a number of attractive ponds. The name of this woodland dates from the time of the French occupation. The woodland is also known as the ‘Devil's Forest’ due to the steep slopes.

The former mining area on the boundary between Kerkrade and Landgraaf has been transformed into a tourist gem in recent years: Gravenrode Park. This beautiful green area has a surprisingly varied landscape, with woodland, brooks, a reservoir, farmsteads, and castles and manor houses. 

The Botanical Garden is a wonderful place for a walk, enjoying the beautiful greenery around you. The garden was developed in 1939 in the style of an English landscape garden. The many winding paths make the 1.5-hectare garden seem larger than it actually is.

The Peschbeemden meadows lie to the southwest of the district of Bleijerheide in Kerkrade. This multifaceted area of nature has a wealth of flora.

The Pferdelandpark is a beautiful landscape park between Aachen, Herzogenrath, and Kerkrade. Various landscape gems can be found in this cross-border area, such as the 'Höhenpromenade' and the 'Maulbeerhügel' (Mulberry hill).