Tour of Snep and Canal of Deurne

Your route starts at Peelpavilion Onze Stek near Meijel. The village is not only the gateway to the Groote Peel, but is also close to the extensive forests around Heiboem. First you walk towards the Canal of Deurne, which you walk along for a while. This canal was dug in 1874. Initially it was intended for drainage of the peat area and for the transport of the peat that was excavated in the Peel. De Snep is one of the nature reserves that are part of De Pelen. It is managed by Staatsbosbeheer. In 2011, a fen and forest were created in the northern part as a natural compensation for the construction of a business park. The southern part is a Peel remnant: a wetland area because the peat was excavated for peat extraction.