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Japiejoo

The water of Gebrook
Ponds and streams are typical for the area of this cache. This is not strange when we look at the name Hoensbroek. The original name was Gebroek of Ingenbrouck, in which 'broek' means swamp. In the dialect of Limburg Hoensbroek is called Gebrook, which litteraly means the swamp. In 1338 knight Herman Hoen obtained the rights over Gebrook, that's how the name Hoensbroek is formed. This knight was also the founder of the castle, the Gebrookhoes, now known as Kasteel Hoensbroek.
Through time a lot is changed in this area. The map below shows the situation at 1866. We can see the Molenbeek, the Auvermoer and the Geleenbeek and the pond/moat around Kasteel Hoensbroek. In 1960 the Droomvijver is added.
A last but surely not insignificant part of this water area is the closeby located sewage treatment plant, which is located here since 1974.

Municipality Hoensbroek, 1866¹

The Molenbeek The Molenbeek (Mill stream) divaricates from the Auvermoer close to the Dem. The stream flows through the current Kasteel Hoensbroeklaan, north of Kasteel Hoensbroek to the Laervoetpad. The Molenbeek flows not much further into the Geleenbeek. Adjacent to the Laervoetpad we find the 'Draekermolen' (Dragons mill), which we can trace back in literature up to 1370. The Drakenmolen uses the water of the Molenbeek. From 1388 to 1916 it is owned by family Hoen. In 1916 it is sold to family Peters. In 1949/1950 the Molenbeek is removed and the mill, at the time already powered by electricity, is stopped. After some more changes of ownership the building is used currently as a veterinary clinic and since a short time also as nursery school De Droomvijver.

Mill the Drakenmolen, 19802

The Auvermoer The Auvermoer is one of the oldest water streams in this area. The origin of the name Auvermoer, which is nowadays called Caumerbeek, can be found in the degeneration of the Dutch words, Alde-moer, alde-moeder, oude moeder. The last 2 words mean old mother. This stream originates at the former mill Bovenste Caumer in Heerlerbaan and has a length of 11 km. The stream runs from the Koumerberg to Kasteel Hoensbroek and runs south of the castle to the Geleenbeek. In 1972 they encapsulated the stream to flow under the ground, as can be seen in the pictures of April 19, 1972. In 2011 they started to remove the concrete structure to show the flow of the stream again.

Encapsulation Caumerbeek, 19724

The Geleenbeek
The Geleenbeek originates at Benzerade and flows into the river Maas near Stevensweert, called Oude Maas. The entire basin of the Geleenbeek includes about 170 km of waterway.
In this area the Auvermoer (Caumerbeek) flows into the Geleenbeek. The Molenbeek used to do this as well at almost the same location. The valley of the Geleenbeek belongs to an area which holds to most castles of The Netherlands. Kasteel Hoensbroek is one of them.

Castle pond/moat Kasteel Hoensbroek The castle pond or moat of Kasteel Hoensbroek is as old as the castle itself en is located in a swamp area. The oldest parts of the castle, and also the pond, date back to 1250. The first Gebrookhoes was a square building, build from yellow/grey Kunradersteen. The castle is expanded, renovated and modernised through the years, but the pond around it survived it all. Kasteel Hoensbroek is nowadays one of the largest and best maintained castles of The Netherlands. In between the castle pond and the Auvermoer another pond is located. This pond is locally known as the kweekvijver (breeding pond).

Kasteel Hoensbroek, 12503

Droomvijver In 1960 the Droomvijver (Dream pond) is excavated right across the street from Kasteel Hoensbroek, between the Auvermoer and the former Molenbeek. A pond which measures 230 x 250 meter, with 2 piers and a small island of 50 x 20 meter, as can be seen on the aerial picture from 1971. The fishing water is the home base of fishing club Haal Op. On and around the pond a lot of flaura and fauna can be found. A walk around the pond is worth the time.

Aerial picture Droomvijver, 19714

Sewage treatment plant
The sewage treatment plant is build at this location in 1974 and is one of the 12 plants managed by Waterschapsbedrijf Limburg. The maximum treatment capacity is 216000m³ wastewater every 24 hours. The plant treats the water from the municipalities Beek, Brunssum, Heerlen, Landgraaf, Nuth, Schinnen, Sittard-Geleen and Voerendaal. The refined water flows into the Geleenbeek.

The geocache
As should be clear by now, the theme of this cache: Water. In this wet, swamp area this has to be. Please keep in mind that it can be very wet and muddy here, so be prepared.
Enjoy the geocache and the surroundings.

Reference
1. Atlas en kaart
2. Molendatabase
3. Kasteel Hoensbroek
4. Rijckheyt