Tour at Groot Aderven

The Oisterwijk forests and fens are very centrally located in Brabant and are part of National Landscape Het Groene Woud, a chain of large nature reserves in the middle of Brabant, approximately from Tilburg to Schijndel. This short walk that starts at Het Boscafé gives you a nice impression of the beauty of both forest and fen. At Het Boscafé you leave the car behind and immediately say goodbye to motorized traffic. Walking on the narrow walking path you are completely absorbed in the Oisterwijk forest and you only hear the birds around you. The forest area consists largely of Scots pines. These were planted at the end of the 19th century for wood production. The wood was used for mining and shipbuilding. However, the forest is becoming more and more varied due to the renewed planting policy of, among others, Natuurmonumenten. Pay close attention to hear a woodpecker drumming. These birds are great fans of the combination of beech and oak with Scots pine.

Halfway through the route you will become acquainted with the highlight of Oisterwijk's nature: the Oisterwijk fens are almost all very picturesque and attractive due to their heavily wooded, jagged or straight banks, the occurrence of islands and the vegetation with the very fragrant gale and water lilies. You walk between the Groot and Klein Aderven. Both fens were created by wind erosion, which follows from their location in a west-southwest-east-northeast direction. Along the banks of Klein and Groot Aderven, yellow iris, bittersweet and pittrus bloom in spring. 

You first pass Klein Aderven on your left. Immediately stop here and take a look at the shore, because on this walk you will only pass the northeastern tip of this fen. Klein Aderven has very strange inhabitants: American dogfish. These fish are resistant to very acidic water, large temperature fluctuations and even short-term drying of the fen. They are actually aquarium fish that were presumably released here. Klein Aderven is also one of the wintering places for toads in the Oisterwijkse Bossen. If you continue walking, you will soon find Groot Aderven on your right. You follow this fen along the entire northern bank. In both fens you will most likely find various water birds such as Canada goose, tufted ducks and mallard ducks. 

Don't forget to look up and maybe spot a buzzard in the treetops. Be careful not to trip over the tree stumps! If you want to walk another route when you return to Het Boscafé, which will introduce you to the beautiful nature reserve Kampina, then do the Rondje Oisterwijk 200156.