The Biesbosch begins on the water

Anyone wishing to reach De Biesbosch National Park from Drimmelen must cross the water. You can rent a boat, book a crossing or join an organised excursion. So the water here is not just a backdrop; it is part of finding your way around. Drimmelen has its own harbour facilities on a continuous waterway.

The Biesbosch is a freshwater tidal area with expanses of water, reed beds and creeks. Its shallow, fish-rich waters attract osprey and white-tailed eagles. Activities include beaver safaris and looking for birds in the early morning. Biesbosch MuseumEiland and Biesboschcentrum are starting points for exploring the Biesbosch. From Drimmelen, you can explore the landscape by electric boat, canoe or sloop, or on a sightseeing cruise.

Routes between village, polder and water

The municipality of Drimmelen has an extensive network of waymarked junctions for walkers and cyclists. One specific example is the cycle route along the Amerdijk: it runs from the village of Drimmelen to Lage Zwaluwe and offers views of the surrounding area. Het Beverpad also connects Lage Zwaluwe and Drimmelen. The path is about five kilometres long and offers views of the River Amer and the Biesbosch. A bicycle ferry also runs from Lage Zwaluwe to the Biesbosch in about 15 minutes; check the latest departure times before setting off.

The Geluksroute offers another perspective on the area. It leads to six places chosen by residents of the municipality because they make them especially happy. Along the way, the route passes through open polder landscapes, along rows of monumental dikes and by the water. It thus combines local residents’ selection of favourite places with the landscapes that define Drimmelen.

Wetlands and birdlife

The Grote Zonzeelse Polder is home to 150 different bird species and is used by birdwatchers and walkers. Raising the water level created a distinctive area there, especially for meadow birds. Gat van de Ham also brings together landscape history and nature: it is a remnant of an old creek area south of the River Amer. Visitors can walk, cycle and fish there; the quiet surroundings provide a nesting area for many bird species.

The Historisch Haventje was formed by the St Elizabeth’s flood of 1421. Its varied vegetation provides a nesting area for species including reed warblers and bluethroats. At the Oude Begraafplaats in Oud Drimmelen, the outer walls of a medieval church demolished in 1793 have been preserved. The old trees around the cemetery provide shelter for various bird species.

History in the landscape

Kleine Schans Terheijden was built in 1639 to protect shipping on the Mark and the Breda–Moerdijk connection. There is also a walking path by the schans. Linie van de Munnikenhof reveals a different form of defensive history: it consists of distinctive earthworks and ditches and was part of the Zuiderfrontier. Today, the line is a 42-hectare nature area suitable for cycling and walking, and accessible at all times.

At Eendenkooi Terheijden, wild ducks were lured with decoy ducks to a trapping structure on a pond surrounded by woodland. The historic duck decoy was probably established in 1639. Zwarte Schuur also tells the story of how the landscape was used: it was built towards the end of the 19th century as part of a farm complex on the arable polder de Lepelaar, on an island in the Brabantse Biesbosch. It can be visited on a guided tour; because it is on an island, the visit includes a boat trip. A walking path on the island starts and ends at the Schuur.

Mills, brewing and local produce

Terheijden is home to the working Molen De Arend. Built in 1742, the grain mill still grinds grain and is open to visitors. Its shop stocks more than 30 varieties of bread flour, as well as just as many baking mixes for cakes and tarts. Also in Terheijden, Dorpsbrouwerij welcomes visitors on brewing days and offers beer tastings at events. If you’d like to brew your own, you can make craft beer there under supervision; no prior experience is required. Local products such as strawberries, eggs, potatoes, asparagus and meat are also available in the municipality of Drimmelen.

De Winput has its own appeal, too: the swimming lake has a beach where you can swim and play. There is nature and there are walking opportunities in the surrounding area. If you’d like to discover cultural sites as well as water and landscape, Hooge Zwaluwe is home to Molen Zeldenrust, a Dutch-style smock mill.

Discover more destinations: Drimmelen, Made, Wagenberg, Lage Zwaluwe, Terheijden, Hooge Zwaluwe, Waalwijk, Maasdonk.

For the regional travel overview: North Brabant.