The Netherlands and Belgium in one day

You don't often experience that much if you cross the Belgian-Dutch border today. This is of course all the fault of the special construction around Baarle-Nassau and Baarle-Hertog.

To start, you simply get on in Belgium, in the town of Poppel. The rural tranquility is striking, far away from the big cities you will find farmlands with beautiful farms. Just past the town of Weelde you cross the border with the Netherlands.

Then you cycle to the well-known enclaves of Baarle-Nassau and Baarle-Hertog, which hold each other in a stranglehold. Nowadays there are no arguments anymore, but the history of Baarle is anything but peaceful. It would go too far here to fully explain the division and the enclave issue because it started as early as 1190. Today, the Belgian Baarle-Hertog consists of twenty-two enclaves. Fifteen of them are in Baarle, a sixteenth enclave is in Loveren. The Dutch Baarle-Nassau, in turn, has seven enclaves within the Belgian enclaves. On this bike tour you will pass the south side of Baarle and cross the border a number of times. Just see if you notice anything.
You then go north towards Chaam. You will find many asparagus growers in this area. In the spring, this so-called 'white gold' is sold from the growers' yards. Raspberries were also grown in Chaam in the past, and there used to be a raspberry auction.

Once you have passed Chaam, take a dip into the forest. The Chaam forests once consisted of sand drifts and wet heathland with various fens. Many of these heathlands were reclaimed between 1900 and 1934 and are mainly forested with Scots pine. The area was drained and areas that were too wet were converted into grassland. The grasslands are currently being returned to nature. Original fens are being excavated again and interesting swamp areas are created. Just before Alphen you take a cycle path that goes over an old railway route, the Belselijntje. This railway route once served for passenger and freight transport, but it was completely broken up in the 1970s. The route goes through wonderfully quiet farmlands, fields and along streams where no motorist can reach.

You end the railway line in Alphen at an elongated white-painted building that is reminiscent of the former station. At Groot Bedaf you again pass the border that is naturally formed here by the narrow stream the Nieuwe Leij. This way you return where you started, in Belgian Poppel.