Curfsgroeve, Nature area and quarry in Valkenburg aan de Geul, Netherlands
Curfsgroeve is a nature area and former limestone quarry in Valkenburg aan de Geul covering about 41 hectares in total. The open-pit section covers roughly 25 hectares with walls that drop about 40 meters and display clear layers of limestone formations.
The quarry was operated by the Ankerpoort company until 2009, when it was handed over to the province of Limburg and placed under the care of Het Limburgs Landschap. This transition shifted the site from active extraction to nature conservation.
The site shows how limestone mining shaped the South Limburg landscape and the lives of local people over many generations. This connection between work and nature is still visible in how the land looks today and in the memories of those who lived here.
Visitors can join organized excursions led by Het Limburgs Landschap to explore the former quarry and learn about its geological features. Wearing comfortable shoes is important, as the terrain can be uneven and steep in places.
The site contains the chalk-Paleogene boundary marked by a thin clay layer, an important geological marker visible in the rock walls. Many fossils have been found at this layer, including remains of ancient mosasaurs.
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