The Ulvenhoutse Bos is approximately 1,000 years old. This long history as a forest gives Ulvenhout a special starting point for exploring on foot and by bike. The routes differ considerably in length and course: options range from a 1.4-kilometre family trail to a 46-kilometre cycling route, and can be compared by their specific route features.
Forest Trails and Cycling Routes
The 1.4-kilometre family trail in the Ulvenhoutse Bos starts at De Fazant, Sint Annadreef 2. Those looking for a longer route will find the signposted red route in the same forest: a five-kilometre circular trail that runs along the edge of the built-up area and beside pastureland. The difference between the two options is clear from their length and course, without implying a walking time or a specific level of difficulty.
There are also different distances for cycling trips. The 11-kilometre Fietsallee runs through the forests of the Ulvenhoutse Voorbos and the forests of Chaam and Gilze. It follows a wide, paved cycleway. A 46-kilometre cycling route connects Ulvenhout, Breda and Dorst; in Ulvenhout, it can be started at junctions 84, 66 or 36. This offers two different approaches to planning: a shorter route through forest areas and a longer route that passes through three named places. For the longer route, the three starting junctions give you a choice of starting point in Ulvenhout.
Village History and Buildings
Ulvenhout’s written history begins with the Oud Hof, a tenant farm on the Mark managed by Thorn Abbey. In the 15th century, the Grimhuijsen estate was established west of today’s Dorpsstraat. The extensive parish of Ginneken, to which Ulvenhout belonged at the time, is also important to the history of religious life: a church barn built in 1742 served as its place of worship.
Later milestones can be traced through specific buildings and dates. The Franciscan Sisters came to Ulvenhout from Etten in 1845 and founded a girls’ school there in 1846. In 1868, they had the Sint-Theresiaklooster built at Dorpsstraat 44–46. The present-day Sint Laurentiuskerk was consecrated on 25 July 1904. Another landscape feature is the reconstructed outline of the “Oude Hof”, surrounded by a newly created meander.
Paulus’ Museum and Its Collection
The Paulus van Daesdonck Museum is housed in a Brabant long-gable farmhouse with a cross wing dating from 1903; the building is a municipal monument. In the front garden is a collection of stone posts with various associations. These include boundary posts from the Dutch-Belgian border, municipal posts from Nieuw-Ginneken and milestones from the road from Breda via Ginneken to Strijbeek and the Belgian border. The pieces thus represent various border, municipal and road connections.
The museum’s collection also includes a stoneware pouring jug from Langerwehe in Germany. It dates from the late 13th or early 14th century; its acquisition was reported on 18 March 2024. Together with the historic farmhouse and stone posts, the museum offers several distinct points of interest: building history, regional connections and a dated object from the Middle Ages.
Market Day in the Village
A general goods market is held on the Dorpsplein every Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. If you’re planning to visit the market, check the hours again before travelling, as operational details may change.
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