Holiday apartment in Oss: Discover nature along the Maas and culture

Oss lies on the edge of the De Maashorst nature reserve, which is considered the largest nature reserve in Brabant, while the Maas runs through the northern part of the municipality. This creates a meeting point of river landscapes, expansive nature and places with a history of their own. Lookout towers, hiking junctions, museums and historic churches combine to create a varied picture of the municipality.

Nature

De Maashorst is ideal for long walks and cycling tours, as well as relaxing on the heathland or at the gravel extraction sites. The nature reserve is home to badger setts and herds of European bison, tauros cattle, Exmoor ponies and sheep. Herperduin forms a distinct landscape area: covering around 400 hectares, this nature reserve lies within the municipality of Oss and forms the northernmost part of De Maashorst. Two wildlife crossings connect it to the rest of the nature reserve. Forests, remnants of wind-blown sand and several fens shape Herperduin, including the dynamic Ganzenven or Groot Ganzenven.

The almost 25-metre-high Herperduin lookout tower features information panels on the cultural history of the landscape area. The Hemelrijkse Waard offers a different perspective. The area was transformed from agricultural land into a river nature reserve; this included a three-kilometre-long channel along the Maas. From the 7.5-metre-high lookout tower, visitors can observe birds while exploring the rugged riverside nature. A hiking trail with wooden footbridges and car parks provides access to the area for nature visitors.

Keent also represents the connection between water and new nature. The area serves as a floodwater retention area and provides space for new nature. In 2015, a large section of the Maas bend that had been filled in during the 1930s was excavated again; natural banks and a riverside depression were also created. Keent can be explored independently on foot, and excursions are also offered there by Brabants Landschap.

Walking and cycling

The Herperduin circular walk is 9.6 kilometres long and can be extended to a total of 12 kilometres. The entire route follows designated hiking junctions. The Macharense Eendenkooi walk also follows designated hiking junctions throughout. Macharense Eendenkooi is one of the oldest duck decoys in Brabant; restored trapping facilities give a good impression of how it operated.

Waterfowl can usually be seen around the Kooiplas pond at Macharense Eendenkooi. Kooiwald serves as a resting and breeding area for many birds, while feeding and gnawing marks indicate the presence of beavers. For longer cycling tours, there is the Molenfietstocht in the municipality of Oss: the tour is 67 kilometres long and the stated duration is 3 hours and 30 minutes.

The Ravenstein town walk combines paved and unpaved paths. Thirty percent of the route is unpaved; the remainder follows paved paths made of tiles, asphalt and gravel. The town walk is considered suitable for people with reduced mobility.

Culture

At the Jan Cunen Museum, Villa Constance presents programmes on contemporary art and 19th-century art inspired by the history of Oss. Villa Curiossa features, among other things, a mammoth jaw from around 1930. It was found near Oijen during the canalisation of the Maas. A textile mill was established on the Bergoss factory site in Oss in 1916, producing carpets and furnishing fabrics; this made the factory internationally renowned.

Ravenstein preserves several remarkable churches. The Roman Catholic St Lucia Church was built in 1735 and is considered the only German Baroque church in Noord-Brabant. The Garrison Church was established as a Protestant church for the garrison remaining in the town and is considered the third Reformed church in Brabant. The De Peperbus Church Museum displays altar server clothing, a large collection of holy cards from Geffen and photographs of local religious leaders.

Local history also includes the Wilskracht Stadsbrouwerij Ravenstein. It brews local beer in the annex of De Nijverheid windmill and offers tours and tastings. The professionally designed “Speuren in Ravenstein” treasure hunt route is available from the Ravenstein Tourist Information Centre, Wilskracht brewery and Wijnhuis Napoleon.

Water

The Maas shapes the northern part of the municipality not only as a river landscape. The museum ship De Schokker can be explored on and inside the old Schokker vessel and is particularly impressive during a trip on the Maas. Water sports enthusiasts will find marinas in the municipality of Oss at Lith, Lithoijen, Megen and Ravenstein.

Getting there

The municipality of Oss is connected by the A50 and A59 motorways and three railway stations.

Other places

Other destination pages: Herpen, Ravenstein, Oss, Maren-Kessel, Macharen, Berghem.

To the main travel overview: North Brabant.

More destinations

More places under the same destination:

Rucphen, Helmond.