Cycling and walking adventures
The colourful Brabant landscape is an ideal starting point for the loveliest cycling and walking routes. Discover the beautiful Brabant countryside, such as the Maashorst, National Park De Groote Peel, the Brabantse Wal, National Park de Loon and Drunen Dunes, National Park De Biesbosch, the Kalmthoutse Heide heath, De Groote Heide heath, and the Oisterwijk forests and fens. And there’s always an urban centre close by. A cycling or walking adventure with the whole family is relaxing, active and fun! We have listed a number of child-friendly routes for you. Are you ready for an adventure?
Walk the Cotton Trail! Are you brave enough?
To discover an intriguing secret, travel to Geldrop-Mierlo, a colourful textile village on the edge of the Strabrechtse Heide heath, near Eindhoven. Home weavers once walked along the katoenpad (cotton trail) from their village of Mierlo to the manufacturers in Geldrop, but one day they stopped, and the path vanished. What mystery led to the trail’s disappearance? You can choose the long or the short route. The short route is most suitable for small children.
Black Kaat,
the Witch of Hellenende
The compelling story of Black Kaat, the Witch of Hellenende, has been told in the border region of De Kempen in Brabant for generations. She used to be a menace to the De Kempen region; now she is hidden in the beautiful countryside. People say she is buried under the gnarled Heksenboom (witch tree), on the Ten Vorsel estate. The 36-kilometre Black Kaat cycle route leads you along her history. But there is also a 10-kilometre walking route that will take you to the Witch tree.
Tread in Vincent van Gogh’s footsteps
Cycle through the Brabant landscape that inspired Van Gogh so much and visit the Van Gogh locations in Brabant. You can't get any closer to Vincent than this! The Van Gogh cycle route in Brabant consists of 435 km of pleasurable cycle paths, divided into ten unique routes. One of these routes takes you to Nuenen, the place where Vincent van Gogh produced no fewer than 194 paintings, including The Potato Eaters.
Many of the places Van Gogh painted can be seen in real life in Nuenen and its surroundings. The Opwetten Water Mill, for example. Audio posts tell the story. Cycling through this living collection is quite an experience! The route covers 49 kilometres.
Delve into history with forts and cannons
Do your kids love history and are they impressed by forts and cannons? Then the Zuiderwaterlinie trail is a must. The Zuiderwaterlinie (southern water defence line) is the oldest, longest and most used of all Dutch water defence lines. A unique chain of 11 fortified towns and their surroundings connected by the typical Dutch story of using the water as a defence strategy.
Visit the sturdy forts and savour the beautiful countryside. The hiking trail in Brabant is 290 km long, but you can of course walk part of the route or visit one of the forts, such as Fort de Roovere in Halsteren, near Bergen op Zoom. Here you can walk through the water without getting your feet wet, and climb the impressive Pompéjus lookout tower.
