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Bergen op Zoom · North Brabant · Markiezaat
The Brabantse Wal · Circular walk
The Brabantse Wal,
where the land rises above the polder
A complete day walk full of landscape, history and distant views.
This makes the route special
- Forests, heathlands and old beech avenues
- Panoramic views from the escarpment
- De Kraaijenberg and the Markiezaat nature reserve
- Hildernisse farm and the drowned villages
- Rare sunken roads near Lindonk
To take into account
- At 20.3 kilometers this is a solid day walk
- Cross the A4, A58 and Antwerpsestraatweg carefully
- The loop to the bird hide adds about 2 kilometers
- Check the opening hours of visitor centers and catering establishments in advance
- Bring plenty of water and something to eat
Start in Bergen op Zoom
The walk on De Brabantse Wal starts in the middle of the forest
From the Nature Podium you can walk without a long run between pines, oaks and winding sandy paths.
At the Nature Podium you will find information about nature, the environment and the landscape of the Brabantse Wal. If you have time, you can drop by here before you leave.
After the Climbing Forest the crowds quickly disappear. Wide forest paths become narrower and silence takes over. You can find more routes on my overview of all walks.
The circular walk starts with quiet sandy paths through the forest.
Heath and drifting sand
From enclosed forest to open landscape
After the first forests, open heathlands and stretches of drifting sand appear. In August and September the heather turns purple, while the landscape turns warm golden brown later in the year.
A long beech avenue forms a green tunnel. The old trees and filtered light make this a place where you almost automatically slow down.
The seasons give the open landscape a different color each time.
Water extraction area
An important drinking water supply lies beneath the sandy soil
Along the way you will pass various extraction wells and information panels. The soil of the Brabantse Wal filters rainwater and supplies clean drinking water to thousands of households in West Brabant.
The combination of height, sand and forest makes this area not only unique in terms of landscape, but also important for the regional water system.
The Brabantse Wal is at the same time a nature reserve, a water buffer and a striking geological monument.
Molenbeek
A piece of England in Brabant
The decor changes again around Molenbeek and the riding school. Rolling meadows, small hedgerows and grazing horses give the landscape an almost English atmosphere.
It is a natural place for a break. This is followed by a less idyllic but necessary section, with crossings at the A4, A58 and later the Antwerpsestraatweg.
Meadows, hedgerows and horses give this part a rural character.
The striking steep edge
The climb to De Brabantse Wal
After the crossings, the most characteristic part of the walk begins, the gradual climb to the view above the polder.
A height difference of up to twenty meters
At the top of the wall the view changes completely
From the edge you look over the lower polder landscape where the sea used to have influence. On a clear day the view extends for tens of kilometers.
A bench on top of the shore is an ideal place for a long break. The steep edge protected residents from the water of the Scheldt for centuries and still gives the area its unique shape.
The panoramic view is one of the absolute highlights of the route.
Visitor center De Kraaijenberg
View over the Markiezaat
The Kraaijenberg is located directly on the shore. When the visitor center is open, you will find information about nature, culture and water management.
Even outside opening hours, the viewpoint behind the building remains worthwhile. You look out over the Markiezaat, a former estuary that is now largely a nature reserve.
Behind the visitor center the panorama opens over the Markiezaat.
Optional loop, about 2 kilometers
The bird hide on the water
Those who still have enough energy can walk back and forth to the bird hide. The quiet spot overlooks a large pond where birds breed and search for food.
In the spring you can see spoonbills and cormorants here. With a bit of luck, a white-tailed eagle may even appear above the water.
The extra kilometers are rewarded with birds and silence.
Storm surges and disappeared villages
Hoeve Hildernisse at the bottom of the steep edge
Along the shore lies Hoeve Hildernisse, a historic farm in a rare location outside the higher sandy soil. The farm is located in a landscape that has been threatened by water for centuries.
There used to be a village on this spot. Heavy storm surges swallowed the settlement in 1530 and again in 1570. The steep edge here makes visible how close land and water were together.
The historic farm is located in a landscape full of traces of the sea.
Lindonk
Rare sunken roads in Brabant
After a section along the railway you reach Lindonk. Here there are roads that have worn deep into the sandy soil, a phenomenon that hardly occurs in North Brabant.
Centuries of erosion and passing carts made the paths deeper and deeper. The high edges give this part of the route a private and almost foreign character.
High sand walls enclose the age-old path.
Back to the Nature Stage
Through forest and heath to a well-deserved conclusion
A painted tunnel under the highway takes you back to the tranquility of the woods.
Pine forest and heathland accompany the last kilometers. Those who still have time and energy can make an extra loop to Mattemburgh Estate with its stately avenues.
After about 20 kilometers the walk ends at the Nature Stage. Frituur De Bos Hut is located close to the starting point and provides a relaxing end to this long tour.
After the open views the route returns to the sheltered forest.
Captured along the way
Photos of De Brabantse Wal
A brisk day walk in which altitude, history and vast nature constantly alternate.
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