Discover Wernhout: Nature, History and Hiking Trails

Wernhout combines local history, landscapes and tangible experiences. The village originated as an esdorp along the Aa or Weerijs; its earliest settlement pattern was a triangular square around which buildings developed. If you are considering a holiday apartment in Wernhout or a holiday home as accommodation, you can include nature, places of remembrance and creative activities in your travel planning.

Local History between the Aa or Weerijs and the Barony

Wernhout was first mentioned in a document in 1295. At the time of its first mention, Wernhout was probably a hunting ground or a warande. During the Eighty Years’ War, Wernhout belonged to Brecht in the Belgian province of Antwerp. In 1698, William III of Orange acquired Wernhout to round out the territory of the Barony.

De Gooren en Krochten: Marshland, Forest and Heathland

De Krochten is located within a two-kilometre radius of Wernhout’s village centre. In the surrounding area, De Gooren en Krochten consists of three marsh-like landscapes alternating with higher, drier areas, coniferous and deciduous forests, open heathland and various streams. New hiking trails run through De Waaijenberg and De Krochten in the surrounding area; they are 2.5 and 3 km long respectively. For planning your day, the different trail lengths make it possible to combine nature and exercise to suit your preferred scale.

Church, Remembrance and Visible Historical Traces

The Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help at Wernhoutseweg 149, 4884 AT Wernhout, is a municipal monument. It was inaugurated as a parish church on 16 and 17 September 1927. The war memorial in Wernhout commemorates seven local residents who lost their lives during the occupation as a result of acts of war. The former Napoleonsweg remains recognisable in the streetscape. In the courtyard of the former Sint-Vincentius Seminary in Wernhoutsburg, the outlines of the chapel and the old house have been preserved. A boundary stone from 1843 is one of the few remaining reminders of Wernhout’s former border post. Before the A16 opened in 1972, Wernhout was a busy stopping point and transit route.

Creative, Spiritual and Active Experiences

At its workshopruimte in Wernhout, Orange Lily offers creative workshops focused on hobbies, crafts and decoration. The space has nine participant places; for some workshops, the number of participants is limited to eight people. In the Maria Labyrinth, a granite and marble path leads 677 metres to a seven-petalled flower in the centre; afterwards, the route continues back for the same distance. Jochems-Milbou B.V. tree nursery at Wildertstraat 4a, 4881 MC Wernhout, welcomes visitors for an informal visit. For cyclists, the Fietsroute langs de Aa of Weerijs runs from Wernhout to Rijsbergen in the south of Noord-Brabant.

When choosing your holiday apartment in Wernhout, you can use your preferred mix of nature, history and personal activities as a guide. The various hiking distances, the cycling route, historical traces, workshops and the visit to the tree nursery offer different possibilities for planning your trip.

More Destinations for Your Travel Planning

For a further look at other destinations: Rijsbergen, Zundert, Achtmaal.

For the higher-level travel overview: Zundert.