Oisterwijk Forests and Fens

Dream away while you cycle past the mysterious fens in the Oisterwijk forests and let your thoughts run wild as you wander past the lush swamp forests and overgrown fields. The birds are not only well represented in the trees; Grebes, cormorants and various duck species also skim, swim and dive on and over the water. Special aquatic plants such as shore herb, marsh deer hay and rare desmids complete the idyllic picture. The impressive Abbey of Our Lady of Koningshoeven, also called the Trappist Monastery, deserves extra attention. In 1880, Abbot Dominicus Lacaes converted the sheepfold that stood on this site into a temporary monastery and in 1881 the first Eucharistic celebration took place. This is where the well-known Trappist beer originated; brewing this special beer became the main source of income for the monks.