LF-Routes (''Landelijke Fietsroutes'', Dutch for ''countrywide cycling routes'') are long-distance cycling routes that form a network in the

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Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

. The routes, criss-crossing both countries, are primarily intended for recreational multi-day bike tours, such as cycling holidays. Some routes are also part of a wider international network. Most of the LF routes have been signposted in two directions, inscribing one direction with the letter "a", the other with the letter "b": the North Sea Route LF1 southbound from

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to French

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is called LF1a, while in the other direction it is called LF1b.

History

In 1987, Dutch cyclists' organisations founded a "countrywide cycling platform" to create a network of long-distance cycling routes throughout the Netherlands. This platform published maps and guides and started signposting its routes in 1990. Belgium introduced its first long-distance route, not yet called "LF" by that time, in 1964: it connected youth

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s and was therefore called Jeugdherbergenroute, which later became the LF50. Belgium signposted its first LF-route in 1990 as well (the LF1 North Sea Route) and two years later, the GR organisation took over the planning of Belgian LF-routes. At the maximum extent, both countries had created a network of 36 routes, of which 5 were only in Belgium, 15 in the Netherlands and 16 in both. Some routes also extend into France and Germany. However, due to the expansion of the

numbered-node cycle network The numbered-node cycle network ( nl, fietsknooppuntennetwerk; german: Knotenpunktbezogene Wegweisung/Knotenpunktsystem für Radwanderern ormaland bike-by-numbers", informalref name="Jerichow"/>) is a wayfinding system. It spans the Netherlands ...

, Belgium reduced its official network in 2012 (routes marked ) and the Netherlands is doing the same between 2017 and 2021 (routes marked ).

Routes

Tours from combined LF-Routes

Although a network like the Belgo-Dutch LF routes enable almost endless combinations of sections, a few themed routes have been officially established:

Notes

References

{{Reflist, 3

External links