WHITE STONE
On the way from Bracht to Reuver, after two thirds of the distance, there is a place called “Weißer Stein” (White Stone). Scholars debate whether the name derives from an ancient place of justice (‘wise stone’) or from a white, former boundary stone. Six ways and paths converge here, including today’s Prinsendijk, which was a Roman road 2,000 years ago. It was once the border between the Duchy of Julich and the Upper Quarter of the Duchy of Geldern. There are also some preserved machine gun positions from the Second World War in the area.
Today, the Witte Stein – incidentally a significant mix of our two languages – is an day trip destination. On the Beesel side, there are two pubs, a huge playground and the ‘Natuurplezier’ campsite. If you decide early on to take part in the march, you can pitch your tent on the campsite. From there it is only 100 meters to the start/finish.
There are plenty of car parks around the White Stone, most of them on the Dutch side. Car drivers please note that the Beesel side around the White Stone is a cycling zone – cars are only allowed here as guests! Alternatively, you can travel here by train. Participants from the Netherlands first travel to Venlo or Roermond. The RS11 train connects the two cities, with the small railway station of Reuver halfway between them. From there it is 3,500 metres to the Witte Stein. Participants from Germany can take the regional express train RE13 (Hagen-Wuppertal-Düsseldorf-Mönchengladbach-Viersen) to the small railway station Nettetal-Breyell. From there we are planning a shuttle bus to the venue. The shuttle ticket can be booked when registering for a small fee. For participants from the surrounding area, we recommend the most local mode of transport, the bicycle.
Speaking of the White Stone! What even many locals don’t know: only around 200 meters from the original white border stone, which no longer exists today, stands the Grey Stone in the forest – This is a nice track for the warm-up before the start.