Holiday apartment in Reusel-De Mierden: Discover nature and routes

Reusel-De Mierden combines nature reserves, cycling and walking node routes, and border history. Between remnants of raised bogs, heathland, forests and streams lie paths, museums and marked sites of remembrance. The landscape can be explored on very different routes – from short walks to extensive cycling routes.

Nature

The De Moeren nature reserve is the remnant of a largely excavated raised bog area that extends on both sides of the present-day national border. De Moeren contains wet heathland, dry coniferous forest and spontaneously grown birch woodland. A different landscape characterises Landgoed Wellenseind: covering 130 hectares, the estate contains almost all of the Kempen’s traditional landscape types. The meandering streams De Reusel and De Raamloop form the heart of the estate and merge in its northern section.

Het Beleven is a birdwatching area where spoonbills can regularly be seen. Suskes Klompenpedje, a 7.5-kilometre walking route, runs through this nature reserve. At Zwartven lies a protected natural monument on a high sandy ridge. The drifting-sand dune at Zwartven is also the second-highest point in Brabant.

Things to do

The Reusel-De Mierden route network offers opportunities for walking, cycling, horse riding and mountain biking. In addition, the municipality has a walking node network that visitors can use to create their own walks. The Littekens van bange dagen route is a 36.6-kilometre loop through Reusel-De Mierden.

The De Witte Vos cycling route is 53 kilometres long and consists of a northern loop of 28 kilometres and a southern loop of 25 kilometres in the vicinity of Reusel. As an exploration route, De Witte Vos includes smuggling challenges along the way, where participants can test their skills. The Snoeperkestocht vanuit Reusel is a route of approximately 49 kilometres in total.

Other named walking routes include Natuurpoort de Brandtoren, which is 12.5 kilometres long, and Rondje Cirkel Reuselse bossen, which is 6.5 kilometres long. The Blotevoetenpad Beweeg Natuurlijk is 1.5 kilometres long and includes ten challenges with various natural surfaces. Spartelvijver is a swimming pond in the woods with sunbathing lawns and a long sandy beach for children. The Outdoor Park Reusel has a high-ropes course and offers the possibility of abseiling.

Culture

The present-day H. Stephanuskerk in Lage Mierde is designated as a medieval parish church with a cemetery. The De bewogen jaren museum has a varied and extensive collection of everyday objects from the Second World War and the Dutch East Indies.

In the southern forests of Reusel, between cycling nodes 15 and 16, there is an example of the electric wire barrier D'n Droad. De Grote en de Kleine Cirkel are the names given to two landmarks that pilots used for orientation during the Second World War. The Reuselse Kei is a 550-million-year-old erratic boulder.

At the Smokkelmuseumke, visitors can get an impression of life along the border in the 19th and 20th centuries. Grenzpaal 204 is a location on the De Witte Vos cycling route. A cycling route developed by HWR Reusel and AWEG Arendonk passes notable sites associated with the Second World War and 80 years of liberation.

Orientation

The Visit-Reusel-De-Mierden information centre provides tourist information as well as maps and routes for cycling tours, walks and horse rides. BravoFlex operates daily from early morning until late evening by reservation. This demand-responsive service connects a nearby stop, without a fixed route or timetable, to a public transport interchange from which onward travel by bus or train is possible.

The Snoeperkes programme combines a cycling or walking tour based on node routes with twelve small tastings at 29 participating catering establishments. The voucher booklet costs  €22.95.

Further destinations:Geertruidenberg, Roosendaal, Oss, ’S-Hertogenbosch, Veghel, Waalwijk

To the overarching travel overview: North Brabant.