Holiday apartment in Zundert – heathland, hiking trails and culture

Around Zundert, literary heritage, varied heathland and forest landscapes, and distinctive hiking trails come together. Historic windmills, museums, an annual major event and convenient bus connections complete the picture. This means the municipality combines nature experiences with insights into the landscape, history and local traditions.

Nature and landscape

Oude Buisse Heide is located in the municipality of Zundert between Achtmaal and Schijf. Its paths lead through ancient forests, along meadows and fields, across wetlands and past farmhouses. Another distinctive landscape is De Moeren, where forests, heathland, ponds, meadows and fields alternate. In summer, the area also includes fields of poppies and cornflowers.

Landgoed Wallsteijn features a viewing pavilion overlooking the estates, avenues and a reflecting pond. At VRC Zundert, a nature education garden leads past the bird enclosures; presentations and guided walks are also offered there. In the De Reten nature reserve near Zundert, paths run through grassland, fields and heathland. Heid cattle graze on the grasslands, while stonechats and partridges breed in the area.

De Pannenhoef nature reserve lies between Etten-Leur, Zundert, Rijsbergen and Sprundel. Forest, wetlands and flower-rich meadows define its character. The circular route of the Brabant Monastery Trail also passes through the rural area around Zundert and leads to the surroundings of the Abbey of Our Lady of Refuge. Along the way, the paths pass through green fields, long avenues, wetlands and forests.

Hiking

Oude Buisse Heide has seven themed hiking trails. One of them is the Gedichtenroute, which passes a tea pavilion dating from 1840. In De Moeren, the white Rondelenroute is a 2.7-kilometre hiking trail. Near Zundert, the blue Koepelroute also runs for 11 kilometres through various estates, each with its own landscape character.

The Trappist Hiking Trail is a self-guided node-based hike of approximately 8 kilometres through the surroundings of the former brewery. Another 8-kilometre route is the Van Gogh Hike. It leads from the centre of Zundert into the surrounding countryside and partly follows unpaved paths.

The hiking route along Pannenhoef starts and ends at Panhoefseweg in Klein-Zundert and also passes locations in Rijsbergen. Its route includes a boardwalk and a viewpoint at the Bijloop. For the municipality, Visit Zundert provides hiking maps and a tear-off plan with tips about sights and activities.

Culture and history

Oude Buisse Heide has a literary heritage associated with Henriette Roland Holst. She donated the estate to Natuurmonumenten in 1945 and wrote most of her volumes of poetry, biographies and political books there.

The Akkermolen in Zundert is a post mill and grain mill built around 1600. It is open to the public on Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. and at other times by appointment. The Boerendag Museum de Karkooi offers an insight into rural life in the past. It displays wagons and carts, a reconstructed old farmhouse, historic household items, as well as tools, equipment and agricultural materials from earlier rural life.

The Boerendag Museum de Karkooi also includes a reconstructed old farmhouse living kitchen and an attached barn containing objects from earlier rural life. The museum is open from April to October on the last Sunday of each month from 1 to 5 p.m. Groups can also visit at other times by appointment.

The Corso Zundert parade takes place every year on the first Sunday in September. The Corso is considered the world’s largest dahlia parade. Museum de Weeghreyse features a permanent exhibition on the history of Zundert and its five church villages, as well as temporary exhibitions.

The spiritual side of the area is also connected to a specific location: the chapel next to the Abbey of Our Lady of Refuge is open to visitors.

Local highlights

There are strawberry vending machines at various locations in Zundert. Visitors can buy fresh strawberries there to take away or eat immediately.

Getting there

Bus route 374 connects Breda railway station with Zundert, Rijsbergen and Wernhout. The community bus to Roosendaal runs through the village of Achtmaal. More local pages: Wernhout, Zundert, Rijsbergen, Achtmaal.

To the main travel overview: North Brabant.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Uden, Gemert-Bakel, Geldrop-Mierlo, Bergen Op Zoom.