Holiday apartment in Best: Nature, history and wooden-shoe tradition

Best is known for its rich poplar-growing past and the many wooden shoes produced there. At the same time, the town is located in Het Groene Woud, a large natural park landscape between ’s-Hertogenbosch, Eindhoven and Tilburg. Within a compact thematic area, landscapes, wartime history, craftsmanship and paths through nature come together here.

Nature

Nieuwe Heide is a wetland area with numerous marsh pools, including Langven. A walking route through this area leads through wetlands, inland dunes, woodland and heathland. These landscapes were shaped by the effects of wind in this part of Noord-Brabant around 10,000 years ago. Aarlesche Heide also contains various traces of nature and the past: visitors can see prehistoric burial mounds, lichens and viviparous lizards there. Aarlesche Heide lies within the municipality of Best and was used for many years as a military training area by the Dutch Ministry of Defence.

Around Best lies De Mortelen, a varied landscape with raised fields, small ponds, and flower-rich meadows and woodlands. Red deer live in De Scheeken; the area lies on both sides of the A2 and the Eindhoven–Den Bosch railway line. At De Pailjaart, visitors can see insects, frogs, roe deer and Aberdeen Angus cattle. The various landscapes therefore range from marsh pools and heathland to meadows, woodlands and agriculturally shaped areas.

History and culture

Museum Bevrijdende Vleugels presents authentic aircraft, vehicles and personal stories about Operation Market Garden and the liberation of the Netherlands. The collection includes armoured vehicles, aircraft, dioramas, photographs and weapons used during Operation Market Garden. When visiting on Saturdays or Sundays from April through October, a flight simulator operated by real pilots is also available there from 12:00 to 16:00.

Museum Bevrijdende Vleugels can be reached by train to Best railway station and then by the community bus to the Museum Bevrijdende Vleugels stop. The stop is directly in front of the museum entrance. The Joe Mann Monument commemorates the liberation of Best: it commemorates Joe Mann and everyone who fought for the liberation of Best. The Joe Mann Natuurtheater was founded in 1954 and is of cultural-historical significance within the tradition of open-air and nature theatres in the southern Netherlands.

The De Volharding grain mill was built in 1851 and fully restored as a windmill from 2009 to 2011. On Saturdays from 10:00 to 15:30, it offers free guided tours and demonstrates the milling of spelt and wheat. On Saturdays from 10:00 to 15:00, the mill shop sells, among other things, bread flour and baking mixes.

Routes and experiences

The “Best Bijzonder!” network comprises ten nature walks created by IVN nature guides. The routes can be started in the centre or at their respective starting points. For travelling on two wheels, “Fietsrondje Best” is listed as a 35.2-kilometre cycling route. The “Kunst in Best” route allows visitors to explore public artworks on foot or by bicycle.

On the Beleefpad, there is a workshop called “pimp your klomp”, where visitors can decorate their own wooden shoe. In this way, the experience draws on a craft tradition closely connected with the history of Best.

Crafts and cuisine

Brouwerij Strijder is a small craft brewery on the grounds of Bevrijdende Vleugels in Best. It offers a brewery tour with explanations of the brewing process, followed by a beer tasting with matching snacks. This places historical exhibitions and an insight into craft beer production side by side on the same grounds.

More local pages: Best.

To the higher-level travel overview: North Brabant.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Reusel-De Mierden, Mill En Sint Hubert, Werkendam, Geertruidenberg, Maasdonk, Drimmelen, Valkenswaard.