North-Brabant
North-Brabant
Kampina
Starts in Boxtel, ends in Oisterwijk
Length 16 km
I never walked this route. It passes over a large moor area, followed by woods and small lakes created by height differences in the sandy areas. ("ven" in Dutch, I could nod find a proper translation for this word). People say it's a superb route.
Maasheggen
Starts in Boxmeer, ends in Vierlingsbeek
Length 13 km
Maasheggen literally means hedges of the Maas. You walk through an area with many hedges, first along the river Maas, later through river sand dunes. I never walked this route. If the water is the Maas is very high, it may be possible that you cannot use some parts of the route.
Mookerheide
Two days walk.
First day starts in Cuijk ends in Groesbeek
Second day starts in Groesbeek, ends in Nijmegen
Lengt 16+16km
Groesbeek does not have a railway station, but there is a bus to Nijmegen twice an hour. After Cuijk you need a ferry. If the ferry is not sailing, you can go by train to station Mook-Molenhoek and pick up the route from there, but the this part is not marked.
In Groesbeek you can stay in Hotel De Oude Molen, Molenweg 48, Groesbeek, phone 024 - 3971478 http://www.hoteldeoudemolen.com You get a free lunch package for the second day.
For the Dutch, the Mookerheide has significant historical meaning. In 1574 the troops of William of Orange lost a battle here and may soldiers died and were buried in mass graves. You also pass a military graveyard from the second world war. Near Nijmegen you have a view over the Ooijpolder, which is a very beautiful part of the typical Dutch river landscape.
North-Brabant has an interesting variety of landscapes. Like in Limburg the population is clearly distinct from the people living in the part of the country that is above the rivers. Roman Catholics, instead of protestants, it really feels a bit like being abroad. They love the good life, carnaval, beer, but also hard working in the many industries in the area, of which Philips a very well known world wide.
Where is it?
Landscape
In the west, you may find the Biesbosch, a swamp like very wet area with still the influence of the tide coming through the sea arms in Zeeland.
More to the east, you find a mixture of intensive agriculture, sand dunes, moor, woods and a number of industry cities. It is nice, but a large roads with relatively much traffic. Personally that aspect I don't like at all.
Towns
Nice larger towns are 's-Hertogenbosch (briefly called "Den Bosch") which is a very nice town with a pleasant atmosphere and Breda. Eindhoven and Tilburg are large industry towns.
Woudrichem and Heusden are both old strongholds. Near Woudrichem you find the mediaeval castle Loevestein, which is well preserved and famous because the Dutch scientist Hugo de Groot escaped from prison by hiding himself in a book case.
More information