De Rips combines a distinctive forest landscape with architectural and local history. At Stippelberg, dunes, avenues and rhododendrons shape the scenery; in the village and Klotterpeel, buildings and places of remembrance tell stories of different eras. The walking routes vary in length and in the landscapes they describe—a helpful guide if you would like to include nature and history in your travel plans.
Stippelberg and Walking Routes
Stippelberg is a large nature area near De Rips. Many hills in its forest are dunes formed by drifting sand. Avenues around the country house and rhododendrons add to the landscape. In the varied scenery, you may encounter or hear deer and woodpeckers. The Landgoed Stippelberg walking route near De Rips is 7.5 km long. It passes imposing avenues by the country house and offers sightlines and views of a herb-rich meadow. The address of the Werkschuur De Rips is Stippelberg 1, 5764 PA De Rips.
The Ripse Boswandelroute is about 11 km long and leads through forest and nature areas. When comparing the two routes, you can choose between a 7.5 km route with avenues, sightlines and meadow views, and a longer route through forest and nature areas. You can therefore base your choice on the stated distances and the landscapes described.
Forest management has also shaped the landscape at Beestenveld: since 1979, more modern management has led to greater diversity in flora and fauna.
Architecture in the Village
De Rips’s village streetscape includes distinctive forestry workers’ houses and larger farms with an unusual architectural style. The modern Heilige Margaretha Maria Alacoquekerk has its own architectural character: L.C. van de Lee built the church in 1965; its unique saddle-shaped roof makes its form especially distinctive.
Villa Ledeboer represents a different architectural history. It was built in 1942 as a house in the woods for the owner and his family to stay in. The traditional country house combines English and German influences; its features include boarded gables. The villa has been preserved in a completely authentic state. Kapel Maria van Liefde was built in 1994 following the home’s resident’s near-death experience in 1990 and her vision of Mary.
Forest History and Places of Remembrance
The hand-built Bosmuseum is an open-air wooden museum on the edge of De Rips’s forests. Themed panels explain how the area changed from heathland to forest and how the village came into being. Old newspaper photographs show the land’s reclamation: first with six oxen, later with large steam ploughs. The museum thus connects changes in the landscape with local history. If you are planning a visit, check current access arrangements in advance.
In Klotterpeel lie the last remnants of the zigzag trenches dug in 1939, shortly before the Second World War. They formed part of the Dutch defences. The last surviving sections of the Koordekanaal are in Klotterpeel and Beestenveld. The Oude Handwijzer Klotterpeel also tells the story of former routes: centuries-old sandy roads crossed here. Topographic maps from around 1850 already showed a signpost there. The current signpost was erected near the original location in 2011 as a lasting reminder.
The De Rips war memorial stands on Burgemeester Wijtvlietlaan in the municipality of Gemert-Bakel. It commemorates the crash of a British Royal Air Force Lancaster bomber and Mayor Wijtvliet, who died in a concentration camp.
Discover more destinations: Handel, De Mortel, Milheeze, Bakel, Elsendorp, Gemert
Go to the main travel overview: Gemert-Bakel.
