Discover Beerse: Nature, Art and Architectural History

Beerse combines varied landscapes with art, architectural history and a wide range of opportunities for active days. Between heathlands, forests and canal banks, you will find paths for walking and cycling, while the Sint-Cornelius Chapel, the Sint-Lambertus Parish Church and the Transfo2340 Visitor Centre offer insights into the history of the area.

Heathland and paths through nature

Eksterheide is a 170-hectare nature area with numerous pine trees, oak-birch forests, ponds, nutrient-poor grasslands, and wet and dry heathlands. The blue nature trail through Eksterheide is 7.2 kilometres long and starts at the corner of Konijnenstraat and Reeënstraat. The Hoge Bergenpad leads to the observation tower at Eksterheide. The shortest access route is 1 to 1.5 kilometres long and starts at the junction of Klampovenstraat and Oostmalseweg/Beersedijk.

De Schrieken in the southwest of Beerse also shows another side of the landscape. The protected landscape includes deciduous and coniferous forests, swamp forests, a fen, reed beds and bluegrass meadows. Those who would like to try different routes during their stay can also go walking in the Kempense Hoven network. A free tourist map of Beerse contains seven suggested walking loops. The Beeldenroute is another walking route in Beerse.

Cycling with landscapes, architecture and art

For cycling days, the Haarlebeekroute offers three loops of 11.1, 16.6 and 14.3 kilometres. It is a mountain bike route through Lille and Beerse; its central point is the De Lilse Bergen recreation area. The route is also connected to the mountain bike routes of Merksplas-Hoogstraten and Herentals-Kasterlee. For gravel routes, Beerse provides five starting points in the Noorderkempen network.

The René-Van-Steenbergen Route can be explored on foot or by bicycle. Along the way, you pass houses from the interwar period as well as the functional, understated architecture of the post-war period. The Jan-Vaerten Route features twelve reproductions inviting you to stop along the way. The vaART Route leads past artworks at around ten locations along the Dessel-Turnhout-Schoten Canal. This allows you to focus on a sporting route, architectural observations or public art, depending on your interests.

Chapels, churches and the history of Beerse

The Sint-Cornelius Chapel is a large, freestanding Gothic chapel dating back to at least the 15th century. Behind the altar is a partially preserved 16th-century mural of the Last Judgement. The Sint-Lambertus Parish Church is a freestanding neo-Gothic church built in 1907–1909 to a design by the architect J. Goethals. It contains a triptych by Rochus Thielen from 1574.

At the Transfo2340 Visitor Centre, themes characteristic of Beerse and Vlimmeren are presented through the life stories of six notable personalities. Photographs and objects are combined there with touchscreens and a virtual reality experience. Since 2021, the art collection and life story of the painter Jan Vaerten have also been included. The Transfo Visitor Centre is open every first Sunday of the month from 14:00 to 17:00 or by appointment.

The industrial past is also part of the history of the area. When the Dessel-Turnhout Canal was extended to Sint-Lenaarts between 1863 and 1866, interesting layers of clay came to light in Beerse. As a result, around twenty brickworks and tile factories were established along the canal.

Which accommodation suits your travel plans?

Those who primarily want to walk through Eksterheide can consider the desired proximity to a suitable starting point as a separate selection criterion when searching for accommodation. For cycling travellers, the various loops of the Haarlebeekroute, the René-Van-Steenbergen Route and the Noorderkempen gravel network offer different focuses. Culture enthusiasts can plan their days around the Sint-Lambertus Parish Church, the Sint-Cornelius Chapel, Transfo2340 and the art trails. A holiday apartment or holiday house in Beerse can thus be selected according to the planned pace and preferred experiences, without nature and culture having to compete with each other.

For further regional orientation, Brecht, Rijkevorsel, Herselt, Geel, Boechout, Herentals, Grobbendonk and Wuustwezel are also worth considering.

For the broader travel overview: Province of Antwerp.