Historic watermills in the Limburg Kempen

This route through the Belgian-Dutch border area takes you through the Stramprooierbroek nature reserve. Along the way you will enjoy the beautiful Flemish landscape and visit three historic water mills just across the Dutch border. The starting point of this route is De Potter, where you can buy artisanal ice cream since 1926. The ice cream parlor in Bree is widely known for its delicious, fresh vanilla ice cream. But that's not all: twenty flavors are freshly prepared every day. De Potter is also the ideal end point of your ride: you can choose a delicious meal from the extensive brasserie menu. Today's route takes you through the Stramproyerbroek nature reserve, which is located between Stramproy, Bree and Kinrooi. It is the swamp of the A-brook, which once flowed in a basin and was in places up to one kilometer wide. The area was drained around 1870 with the Lossing drainage canal. You will find alder forests, willow thickets, open swamp zones, wet grasslands, oak forests and heather remnants. In the natural forests, nature can take its course: there is no intervention. Nowadays, drainage is prevented with weirs. The large buttercup and common rush feel at home here and many special dragonflies and butterflies are observed. Across the Dutch border you cycle past the Broekmolen water mill, built in 1738. The flour mill was fed by the Abeek. The mill with three pairs of grinding stones milled for more than two centuries, until the mid-1950s. The Broekmolen is now able to turn, but it no longer grinds. You can visit him by appointment. Water mill The Uffelsemolen or Uffelse Molen is a former ban mill, where local residents were obliged to have their grain milled. It was built in the 13th or 14th century and belonged to a farm next to the mill. In 1726, the farm and mill burned down completely and were rebuilt again. The mill no longer has any ongoing work and is out of operation. Watermill De Armenmolen is located on the Ittersebeek. This flour mill from 1686 was built to give less fortunate people the opportunity to grind their grain. He held his position until 1950. The mill still looks quite authentic on the outside. He no longer has water rights, but the wheel still turns as much as possible. The mill is inhabited.