Holiday apartment in Cranendonck: Forest, Water and History

Cranendonck combines diverse landscapes with a tangible local history. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Cranendonck, you will find a base for hiking days, nature observation, cycling tours and cultural discoveries. The excursion destinations appeal to different interests: sometimes forest, water and marshes are the focus, while at other times the history of castles, smuggling and industry takes centre stage.

Forest, Water and Special Natural Areas

The Cranendonck landscape complex covers approximately 100 hectares. It includes former fields, including maize and rye fields, a single artificial pasture, and remnants of heathland or drift sand. The largest part consists mainly of forest with Scots pine. The Cranendonckse Bos contains plenty of water and marshes, creating a distinctly different landscape from the former fields.

Buulderbroek was designated a “Natte Natuurparel” by the province. This refers to a wetland with high or potentially high nature values dependent on groundwater. Buulderbroek is also an area with many birds and insects. For those interested in nature, the “Hou it Moi” birdwatching hut offers a good view of the water and birds without disturbing them.

The Immenhof is a bee and flower garden.

Hiking, Cycling and Outdoor Discoveries

In the vicinity of Cranendonck, the Weerterbos and Hugterheide hiking area has nine walking loops. These include a blue loop through the Hugterheide. The Cranendonckse Bos is easily accessible thanks to its constructed wooden footbridges. The IVN Cranendonck discovery garden includes, among other things, a barefoot path. The “Rondje Baronie & Cranendoncks Bos” walk passes the reconstructed foundations of the medieval castle.

There is also clear guidance for cycling tours: the municipality of Cranendonck has two marked mountain bike routes with a total length of 60 kilometres. The starting panel is located at the Baronie van Cranendonck in Soerendonk. The different walking loops and the combined length of the mountain bike routes help you take the desired activity and your own daily rhythm into account when planning your trip.

Smuggling History and Protected Village Landscapes

At the entrance gate to the Baronie van Cranendonck, the outlines of a former castle can be seen. Cranendonck Castle stood there from approximately 1250 to 1673. In the vicinity of Cranendonck, the Smokkel & Grens Museum Cranendonck displays objects and photographs of smugglers and customs officers from past times, as well as the connection with smuggling today. Groups can visit the museum with a guide outside its opening hours.

The Smokkelroute: commies comprises two routes: one from the perspective of the customs officers and one from the perspective of the smugglers. In the vicinity of Cranendonck, Budel-Dorplein developed around a zinc factory built in 1892 by the brothers Emile and Luciene Dor. The village was granted protected village landscape status in 2011.

Discover More Places

For further orientation, you can also explore Gastel, Maarheeze, Soerendonk, Budel and Budel-Dorplein.

For the overarching travel overview: Cranendonck.