Hopping across the border at Baarle

The division of Baarle
The starting point of this route is at the town hall of Baarle-Hertog. From here you set course through this remarkable village that consists of 30 enclaves. These are parts of a country that are completely surrounded by the territory of another country. For the history of the origins of Baarle you have to go back to the Middle Ages, when Duke Hendrik I of Brabant was lord of Baarle. He donated parts of Baarle to the lord of Breda, who later became part of the House of Nassau. This is how parts of the village came into being that belonged to'Baarle-onder-de-Hertog\\\' and parts that belonged to'Baarle-onder-de-Graaf-van-Nassau\\\'.

Enclaves as a border
After Belgian independence, it took until 1843 before the official national border between Belgium and the Netherlands was established. At Baarle it proved difficult to determine the border. Since 1995, the borders of the 30 enclaves have formed the official national border. Among other things, drawing pins in the ground, crosses on the road and the national tricolour on the house numbers indicate the borders in this area.

Historical sights
In addition to Baarle, you will find more sights on the route, such as a reconstruction of the Schakelhuis and the associated 'Death Wire', an electric barrier used by the Germans during WWI. In Baarle, you will find an interactive model and the Paal van Baal, an imitation of a border post that commemorates the signing of the border treaty in 1974. You will also follow part of the Bels Lijntje, a former railway between Tilburg and Turnhout where it is now wonderful to cycle among wild flowers, butterflies and bees.

Discover the children's version of this route here .

This is a signposted route that you can recognise on site by the hexagonal signs with a blue arrow.

Want to know more about the background of this region before you explore the route yourself? Then take a look at our inspiration page about De Kempen .

Photo copyright: Mie De Backer