The Mandigerspad,
where the grass turns blue again

↓ Discover the walk

Distance8.2 kmblue circular walk

Duration± 2 hourswithout long breaks

Height difference5 malmost flat

Start, endEmmamolenNieuwkuijk

72/100

★★★★☆

A peaceful nature walk with rare grassland and a surprising amount of history.

GPXGPX of the MandigerspadView or download the route on Hiiker ↗ PDFDownload walking mapOpen the map of the circular walk ↗

This makes the route special

Rare flowers in the blue grassland
The Kuijkse Wiel and the clear ditches
Little reed warblers, skylarks and loaches
The historic Heidijk and the Peat Ship
Chance of seeing special butterflies, including the burnet blue

To take into account

Take the walking map with you for the larger loop
After rain, the grass and dike paths can be boggy
Stay on the path in the vulnerable nature reserve
The flower splendor is greatest around the end of May and June
You can find catering at the Emmamolen

Start in Nieuwkuijk

The Mandigerspad starts at the Emmamolen

The stone mill from 1886 forms a striking starting point on the edge of the village, with the open landscape immediately in view.

As the blades slowly turn, you leave the buildings of Nieuwkuijk behind you. The route takes you without a long run towards the silence of the Vlijmens Ven.

The Emmamolen is not always open, but the terrace is a nice place to have a drink before or after the walk. You can find more routes on my overview of all walks.

Advertentie

Emmamolen at the beginning of the Mandigerspad in Nieuwkuijk — Built in 1886
The Emmamolen marks the start and end of the circular walk.

An old dike breach

Along the quiet Kuijkse Wiel

Before you walk deep into the nature reserve, you pass the Kuijkse Wiel. This deep gorge was created when a dike collapsed and the water sought a new path with great force.

Nowadays the water lies still between reeds and alders. If you leave early, you have a chance of seeing an egret or another water bird along the shore.

Kuijkse Wiel along the Mandigerspad — Kuijkse Wiel
A quiet pond that recalls the power of an old dike breach.

Nature returning

The Vlijmens Ven is a landscape full of recovery

The area was previously used intensively for agriculture. The soil has now been restored, ditches have been redesigned and grass clippings containing seeds of native plants have helped restore the original nature.

Large daisies grow along the path and more and more colors appear in late spring. Narrow dikes, wet grasslands and ditches full of arrowweed and frogbit alternate.

Seepage water from the depths nourishes the area and provides space for special stoneworts, marsh plants and fish.

Clear water and wet grassland

Each step shows a different stage of nature recovery

Not every plot develops at the same rate. The differences in former agricultural use are still visible, but that is precisely why the walk is varied.

In some places the grassland blooms profusely, while elsewhere water, reeds and bare soil predominate. The Mandigerspad shows how much patience nature development requires.

Recovering grassland in the Vlijmens Ven during the Mandigerspad — Vlijmens Ven
Flowers, ditches and wet grasslands together form a vulnerable mosaic.

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Listen and watch

Living among reeds and mud

The most striking residents do not always show themselves, but their song, movement and tracks reveal that the area is full of life.

Aerial acrobats and ditch dwellers

Reed Warblers, Loaches and Skylarks

The little reed warbler climbs up along the reeds while singing. Large and small mud crawlers live in the muddy ditches, rare fish that depend on this marshy landscape.

The skylark sounds high above the field. In the spring the male rises singing, then suddenly dives back to the ground.

Reeds and grassland as a habitat for birds along the Mandigerspad — Reeds and open air
Pausing for a moment increases the chance of not only hearing the birds, but also seeing them.

Advertentie

Since 1359

The Heidijk and the old peat canal

The Heidijk, constructed to protect the area against flooding, is located in the middle of the area. The centuries-old dike is completely integrated into the landscape, but still plays a role in modern water management.

The Peat Ship viewpoint is nearby. The shape refers to the ships that transported peat to ‘s-Hertogenbosch between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries, pulled by men on the towpath.

Heidijk and Turfschip in the Vlijmens Ven — Water and history
The old dike connects the story of peat shipping with current water management.

A rare color palette

Blue grassland and hope for butterflies

Purple, yellow, pink and red appear among the fresh green of one of the rarest grassland types in the Netherlands.

In the spring, marsh scallops, great burnet and delicate witchfish bloom here. Thanks to years of restoration, the blue grassland has expanded considerably.

The great burnet is important for the burnet blue. Nature managers hope that this special butterfly will be able to reach the Vlijmens Ven again from the nearby Moerputten. The route then leads quietly back to the Emmamolen.