The Oisterwijk Fens

A beautiful, and therefore very popular walking route in Brabant. Tip: walk it on a weekday, then you will often have the mirrored fens to yourself. This path takes in no fewer than fourteen of them. Varying from incredibly large - the Kolkven - to tiny - the Heiven. Framed by trees, walking through the forest. The alternation of forest, heath and fens also makes it a bird paradise. Halfway along the route you will find an old forester's house with quaint red and white shutters, the Venkraai is a nice place to eat, recover for a while and continue to the Voorste Goorven. Nowadays a popular Instagram spot, and unofficially the most photographed natural water in Oisterwijk. A little further on you suddenly walk over loose stones. This is rubble from Rotterdam, which was bombed flat during the war. Prisoners had to build these paths so that the Germans had passable paths for their vehicles - the ammunition depot was hidden deep in the forest. These kinds of stories also work well on an exciting trip with (grand)children.

Length: approx. 10 kilometers

Start and end point: Visitors' Centre of the Dutch Society for the Preservation of Nature, Laan van Tienhoven 4, Oisterwijk

Marking: blue wooden arrows

Dog allowed? Yes, on a leash.

Walking for Goodies:

*Boshuis Venkraai is a La Trappe rest stop for beer cyclists, the beer menu is very extensive.

*Hotel Meneer van Eijck is nicely situated in the woods.

*There are several places to stop in Oisterwijk itself, but for sausage rolls you should of course go to Robert van Beckhoven, his bakery is housed in a beautiful historic factory.

Source: DPG media / Claudia Straatmans