Along streams and canals

When you think of North Brabant, streams and canals don't immediately spring to mind. Yet, here too, you can drive for miles along the green banks of waterways.

Royal waterways
Between Haghorst and Best, you'll cycle along the Wilhelmina Canal for a long time. It's wonderful to pedal along the rippling water and under the green canopy. On hot days, you'll especially enjoy the cool breeze. You'll also follow the course of the Beatrix Canal. This waterway, over eight kilometers long, connects the south of Eindhoven with the Wilhelmina Canal. At the end of World War II, both canals were dry for a time due to hostilities.

The Beerze
Not only life, but also the scenery is beautiful in Brabant. You'll ride through meadows and farmland, but also through the forests and fields of the Oostelbeerse Heide. Along the deciduous forest of the Baest estate, you'll ride for a while along the Beerze stream, which gave Middelbeers its name. In this village, you'll see the Himbergen, a striking remnant of a corn mill from 1884.

Batadorp
The route also takes you through the surprising village of Batadorp. Many Dutch people probably only know Batadorp as a hub on their way to the sunny south. However, the name also refers to the nearby neighborhood and factory that was built here in 1934 for the originally Czechoslovakian shoe factory Bata. This allowed employees to live close to the factory. Besides housing, Bata also built schools, a hair salon, and a medical center. Bata also built similar villages elsewhere in the world, allowing the company to avoid customs duties. The original buildings of Batadorp are now considered industrial heritage and a true historical attraction.