Celtic fields and witch persecutions - Someren 24 km

Celtic fields and witch persecutions with extension to approximately 25 km

On the Strabrechtse Heide you can still see what large parts of North Brabant used to be like. As you walk through the heathlands, you sometimes walk in ancient footsteps, because part of the route takes you past the Hoenderboom and the Celtic fields that were once here.

Witch persecution at the Hoenderboom
The boundaries of five surrounding municipalities once met at the Hoenderboom. You recognize this place by the copy of the old border marker that stood here. Near the Hoenderboom you will see the Grafven. Where dragonflies now skim peacefully over the water, a number of women were reportedly murdered at the end of the sixteenth century on charges of witchcraft.

The ancient Strabrechtse Heide
The Strabrechtse Heide is the largest contiguous heathland area in North Brabant. You walk along dry and moist heath, fens and drifting sand. You will find flowers such as the beautifully blooming bell gentian, around which the rare blue gentian likes to flutter around. At the edge of the heath you walk through a fragrant forest of Scots pine, spruce and larch.

The discovery of celtic fields
If you walk past the Hoenderboom, you walk further back in history than you think. Agriculture was practiced here as early as the Iron Age! At that time there were so-called celtic fields, or comb fields: small contiguous fields on which primitive grain types such as emmer wheat and spelt were grown at the time. The fields were bordered by a low wall. Remnants of these walls were found in 2013. It is the first discovery of Celtic fields in North Brabant. A great moment to take a moment to reflect on the rich cultural history of this heathland area.