A stone baptismal font from the 15th century and two bells cast in 1529 and 1530 give the H.H. Antonius en St. Brigidakerk in Netersel a precise historical profile. Jaspar Moer cast both bells. In Bladel, the Maggiblokje tells a different story of everyday life: the day-labourer’s house dates from 1850 and is now a municipal monument. Its dimensions are clearly specified: 6 metres wide, 5 metres deep and 4 metres high.
Historical traces and local stories
In Hapert, the Graanmolen still grinds grain and maize. It opens for visits when volunteer millers are operating it. As a round stone ground-sail windmill, it is considered the only mill of its kind in the south of Noord-Brabant. Heemkunde Pladella Villa shares the past and present of the municipality of Bladel. The Heemkamer Pladella Villa is open on Wednesdays and by appointment; check visiting times before your visit.
A memorial wall in the Bladelse bos on the Neterselseweg, the road from Bladel to Netersel, commemorates the victims of the crashes of the “Picadilly Filly” and “Clay Pigeon” aircraft on 17 September 1944. The Kabouterberg is another notable historic site: this Bronze Age burial mound lies northwest of Hoogeloon in the municipality of Bladel and is one of the largest burial mounds in the Netherlands and Belgium. It is also known as Zwarte berg and Zwartenberg, and is a stop on the “Kabouter Kyrië” cycling route.
Kabouterkoning Kyrië is a folk tale from Hoogeloon. There, the free, approximately 2.5-kilometre-long Kabouterkoning Kyrië Adventure Trail winds through the Koebosch as a family trail. The Heksenboom offers a different kind of landscape story: the monumental beech on Landgoed Ten Vorsel dates from around 1890. Its name is linked to the legend of Zwarte Kaat.
Stream valley, fields and woodland trails
The Dal van de Groote Beerze is a 298-hectare management area run by Brabants Landschap. It includes several areas in the valley of the Groote Beerze between Bladel, Hapert, Casteren, Netersel and Westelbeers. The stream valley has a boardwalk as well as footbridges and cycle bridges. These trail features are part of a landscape that can be experienced in different ways on foot or by bike.
The “Ommetje Hapert” runs along the Ecozone and through the countryside around Hapert; there are views of fields along the way. At high water levels, the Ecozone can be temporarily flooded. The Bladel MTB route passes through several woodland areas, including the Cartierheide and the Hapertse Heide. The route is 33.8 kilometres long, marked with green international MTB signs and graded blue as intermediate. Check the route markings and grading locally before setting out.
Routes with different themes
A longer walking route connects the five villages in the municipality of Bladel. The “Verbindende route 25-jarig jubileum gemeente Bladel” is 24 kilometres long and passes through extensive pastures, along streams and through forests, wetlands, heathland and villages. Both the route length and the types of landscape help you choose a tour.
“Bladel herinnert” is a 35-kilometre cycling route past notable Second World War sites; it starts at Visit Bladel. “Onze Boeren in Beeld” has a different focus: this app-based cycling tour passes through the municipalities of Bladel and Reusel-De Mierden. At various farms, QR codes provide audiovisual insights into local food production. Content and participating farms may change; check the details before your tour.
Views and regional food
The Mariatoren is an approximately 22-metre-high observation tower and information point. From there, views extend to the Cartierheide, De Pan, the industrial estate, the motorway and even the Belgian border. The tower is located at exit 29 of the A67 and can be reached on foot or by bike from De Pan in Hapert. As access conditions may change, check the route before your visit.
Kaasboerderij De Ruurhoeve offers a cheese-making workshop. The farm shop sells its own cheese, as well as regional products, local beers and wines; its selection may vary. Encounters with the landscape and history are complemented by a culinary perspective on the area.
Discover more destinations: Hapert, Bladel, Hoogeloon, Netersel.
Discover more destinations: Rucphen, Baarle-Nassau, Haaren, Best.
Return to the main travel overview: North Brabant.
