Into the Jeker valley

A complete different day, in the middle of Winter, and complete different snapshots take the viewer on a walk through this magnificent landscape between Mount Saint Peter and Mount Canne on the Dutch Belgian Limburgian border. Have a look and wonder where your next trip goes to. For the best quality of images go to You Tube: into the Jeker valley

Down the Jeker valley

Between Mount Canne and Mount Saint Peter floods the Jeker river in its bed through the valley. A narrow stream coming from Wallonia (Belgium). Its spring is some south from Liege and the river is called the Geer in this French speaking part of Belgium. The river crosses the Dutch border in Kanne and only floods a couple of kilometers on Dutch - Limburgian soil, before it ends in its larger sister the Meuse. The valley itself is a combination of park, nature and farmland with some very old and picturesque buildings; a wonderland for trotters, and a walk through more than worth while. For the best video quality go to You Tube: down the Jeker valley

An Xmas walk home

Through decorated Maastricht center, town park and Jeker valley: a Spring Winter walk through town and nature; a catholic town with in its center 5 churches on a tiny square kilometer. For the best quality view go to You Tube: An Xmas walk home

Mount Saint Peter

The highest summit of Maastricht, almost 200 meters above sea level, is not the highest in the area, but it is famous because of its long history of Marl digging, battles and beautiful nature. Walking routes cross the hill, and on a sunny day you never walk alone. If you do not know Mount Saint Peter you do not know Maastricht. For the best quality video watch it on You Tube: Mount Saint Peter

Daalhoeve lambs

At a farm in the neighborhood lambs are born; for me a reason to go and shoot a photo series, also from the other animals that are hold there. For a high quality show go to You Tube: Daalhoeve lambs

A walk in Wolder Field

The border side between Wolder (Netherlands) and Vroenhoven (Belgium) The first village a part of Maastricht and the second a part of Riemst. Once it belonged to one country: the Duchess of Limburg, now it is divided over two. A long history and a lot of battles later there is no border anymore today; still two different countries. For a great quality video go to You Tube: a walk in Wolder field

Walking the hills

The hills in the south of Limburg (Netherlands) are famous, not only of their marl, a left over from a ancient sea and full of fossils, but also because of the endless route to trot and walk. One of the most famous trails pass here: the GR that leads to Santiago de Compostella. For a better quality of this video watch it on You Tube: Walking the hills

Mount Saint Peter snapshot poem

Walking up the hill

some last farms still there

abandoned, some alive

some sheep surrounded by grass

Stairs to make it easy

for an elder guy like me

to reach the terrace

and eat and drink to pay for

A view over the Meuse

their yachts that glimmer in the sun

The far away town

and some fishermen ashore

Still people living here;

the lucky ones

Those who did not want to leave

or wealthy enough to afford

Is it a Mount for everyone

just walking the paths

crossing the slopes

barefoot like a native

Hallelujah, wintershades are still green

trees some leaves

as had their Spring

in Summer mood

But the shades are too tall

too long, and walk across myself

my only I to further away

and still nearing home

That high house is mine

I want, the cows in their stable

and wonder how a postman

will find you here

I do not want the lower living

with a car in the garage

that does not belong to this hill

Give me shelter, I pray

to the ghost of the Mount;

this Peter, who does not know

that he is named that far away;

so long from home

on an earth he did not know

The Kultuur-Fabriek walk

A walk from my office in Maastricht center, through the park and Jeker valley; a must do for everyone who visits: the combination of the medieval town and nature (culture) works very refreshing. For a better quality of this video visit You Tube: The Kultuur-Fabriek walk

Touristic snapshot song

Walking pass Wolder,
a former village, now town
as part of Maastricht
famous for its treaty in 1992
surrounded by cultured nature,
marl mines and hills

Going up Descending road
in winterwonderland sunshine
as only climate-change can bring;
all up to the top: Apostle farm
where Jesus got his wine
and bread instead

Overlooking the Jeker valley
The slot in the river in a distance
boxed between woods and meadows,
a motorway with little traffic
in speedy times old road to Belgium
where a border is no more

Hill up Saint Peter
and call it Mount for lower countries
that will float one day,
but if you are here
you will keep all limps dry
almost 200 meters high

On Saint Peters Mountain
where once many battles were fought,
the last fight is the marl mine
to built your houses,
your streets and walls
digging us flat and leave with nothing

Looking shoulder back to where I live
that small village which is no longer
just a tiny border of a growing town
Not to differ anymore
swallowed like the rest
and what has yet to come

Staring into the deep
Lower ground that once was high
a hill digged out and replaced
by ponds and tire tracks
the naked slopes of yellow marl
bright coloring in winter sun

There are still and many paths to walk
to climb and train your muscles
and meadow slopes promising in Spring
a carpet of colors blooming
surrounded by forest that is left alone
maybe forever and at least for long

Looking down the river Meuse
that comes a long way
a waterway with ships and boats
rafting to the sea
where hills no more, no longer
obstructing men’s progress

Will I stay in this quite landscape
of birds and bees
and trees and green
My home-land it is,
no longer as it was
like all the world changing…

The Belgian side

Borderline walking south-east from Maastricht, and already very soon in the municipalities of Riemst and Lanaken, Belgian towns with small villages alongside the Albert canal. Here is a walk to Veldwezelt (Lanaken) with a lot of historical and archeological sites in the area. 50.000 years ago Neanderthals lived here, and more recent the duke of Alva defeated William of Orange. And the bridge you see in the film was the stage in WWII for a lot of killed British pilots. For a better quality of film go to You Tube: the Belgian side

A walk over Canner hill

Opposite Mount Saint Peter is Canner hill, with in between the Jeker valley. A real Chateau on its slope: Chateau Neercanne; now a Michelin star-restaurant. A beautiful environment with steep slopes, a a perfect area for walking. On the ridge Maastricht is planting a new wood; former farmland transformed into the Millennium forest. For a better quality of this video go to You Tube: A walk over Canner hill

Along the Canal to Kanne

This is a compilation film of a photo shoot from a walk alongside the Albert canal to Kanne; a walk on Belgian soil, starting from the border area in Maastricht (NL). There are a lot of caves in the marl banks, and some are possible to visit. Kanne is a small village in the Jeker valley. To see this video larger and in a better quality go to You Tube: Along the canal to Kanne

A walk over Louw hill

One of the hills, a minor one, in this area: the Belgian - Dutch Limburgian border near Maastricht. It is a perfect scenery for trotters, and if you you love nature, you have to see it in spring; when all kinds of rare flowers bloom. Again it is a shame that Blogger only shows videos this small. For the larger version go to You Tube: a walk over Louw hill

a walk home from Maastricht center

Photo collage of a walk home from Maastricht Central Station, through the town center, park and Jeker valley. It shows a compilation of beautiful sceneries where this area is famous for. Sorry that "Blogger" doesn't create a larger screen, but if you want the video in a better quality go to You Tube: Maastricht a walk home

A walk over Mount Saint Peter

This is a photo collage about a walk I did on February 3rd 2014, from Wolder over Mount Canne to Mount Saint Peter in Maastricht (NL) My goal was the former farm: Hoeve Lichtenberg on the slope above the river Meuse

Farm snapshot poem

At the farm, here nereby, lambs arrived

like each year, but not as Spring

in the middle of Winter

sun is shining in high temperatures

No noise they make, quite babies

Mums watch over the fence

and nurse, know them as their own

from where they came from

No father in the house

No lazy sofa or TV

Just mum in her stable

and soft hay her kids

Through a door to the next

where goats comb their beards

wet them in water, food stucks within

in stables full of sheep

happy to deliver

Snapshots of a bridge over the Canal

Colorful village that no-one knows;

that is on no map

and no road leads to it

To there, where no people live,

just water of the canal

With reed shores and high hills,

a church tower far away,

but its bells are silent,

don’t give a sound,

or maybe a whistle in the wind

Some birches listen carefully

to what no-one hears,

what cannot be told anymore;

the empty crossing over the Canal,

a bridge where no soul passes

Just the death, those who were once

and be no more

afraid of the water where so many drowned

waiting for help from the bell-tower

that never came…