Walking tour of Schaapsloopven and Valkenhorst

Your walk starts with a cup of coffee at Hotel De Valk. First you walk to Valkenhorst with its bird sanctuary. It is named after the falcons that used to be caught here to be sold to noble courts at home and abroad. You will also pass close to the former fishing ponds. These are now a bird sanctuary and partly inaccessible. Then you will discover the newly renovated Schaapsloopven in Valkenswaard. The water had become too rich in nutrients due to leaves falling into the water. The thick silt layer on the bottom caused the ecological values to deteriorate rapidly. In addition, the sunfish had settled in the fen, a fish that does not belong here and eats the larvae of dragonflies and amphibians. The adjacent heathland was also immediately paved on a small scale.