Holiday apartment in Boekel – Peel nature and cycling routes

Boekel places particular emphasis on walking and cycling: according to the municipality of Boekel, these two activities are by far the most popular leisure activities in the municipality. Between the Peel landscape, signposted routes, historic sites and special leisure activities, this creates a varied picture of the town and its surroundings.

Nature

Voskuilenheuvel is a small remnant of the former undeveloped Peel plain. A nature walk through this area leads through woodland and heathland and past a waterlogged area with hollows. Plants and animals mentioned in connection with Voskuilenheuvel include heath claw moss, rushes, the red-pored polypore and the tree pipit.

At the edge of the Peel lies De Perekker Nature Park. There, the effects of the Peelrandbreuk fault are visible at the surface. The visitor centre in the nature park provides information about natural phenomena associated with this fault.

Cycling

The Boekel & Venhorst Monument Route is a 30-kilometre cycling route that passes several monuments in Boekel. At the same time, it offers cyclists the natural beauty of the Peel. In this way, the route combines two clearly recognisable aspects of the area without reducing its individual stops to a single attraction.

The Boekel & Venhorst Reclamation Route showcases the results of the large-scale cultivation of the Peel in Boekel and Venhorst in the early 20th century. The route is fully signposted with signs bearing the words „Ontginningsroute“, is 37 kilometres long and takes approximately three hours by bicycle. Its starting and finishing point is De Perekker Nature Park.

Culture

The De Kluis Museum is located in De Kluis, the oldest building on the Levendig Landgoed Huize Padua estate. The signposted Kloosterrondwandeling Boekel en Handel walking route also starts at Huize Padua and passes the De Kluis Museum, among other places. The walk is 6.7 kilometres long and takes approximately one and a half hours.

The castles Kasteel van Gemert, Kasteel Croy and Kasteel Helmond are located in the area around Boekel. The Missieklooster Heilig Bloed monastery is also located nearby. These sites expand the cultural setting around Boekel with several distinct historic destinations.

Traditions and leisure

The Auwerwetse Boekelse Oogstdag takes place every year on the second Sunday in August on the grounds at Mutshoek in Boekel. The programme includes demonstrations featuring old agricultural machinery and tractors. This means that the event visibly focuses not only on the season but also on agricultural tradition.

Knoppig! is a small private pick-your-own flower garden on Zandhoek in the village of Boekel in Noord-Brabant. On Saturday mornings, visitors can pick their own wildflower bouquet there.

Paintball Games Venhorst has four themed fields. All fields can be tried out when making a reservation. According to the operator, the Shipment field is an exact copy of the Call of Duty Modern Warfare game.

Surroundings

The parks De Lijnt, De Bergen, Boswachterij Sint Anthonis and Slabroek are also located in the area around Boekel. Together with De Perekker Nature Park and Voskuilenheuvel, they form a series of differently named park and nature destinations in the immediate vicinity.

For further regional orientation, you can find the town pages for Boekel and Venhorst here. Other destinations at this level: Sint Anthonis, Helmond, Eersel, Grave, Steenbergen, Roosendaal.

For the higher-level travel overview: North Brabant.