A long weekend of surprises in the heart of Brabant
Ever heard of the legend of the Bockenreyders (Buck Riders)? Ever drunk a Bikse Rooie Fik craft beer or viewed the countryside through the eyes of famous artists? Allow yourself three days to be amazed by a part of North Brabant between Tilburg and Esbeek, close to the Belgian border. In the middle of the Van Gogh National Park, moreover, and a reason to ask yourself every day: is this really North Brabant?
Day 1. Countryside art
That’s a good way to begin! You can see nothing but the extensive countryside right to the horizon from the top of the 24-metre high D’n Flaestoren tower in Esbeek. The tower is a work of art in itself, with panoramic views over the Landgoed de Utrecht estate and even as far as Belgium. The estate was formed by the reclamation of wastelands. Nowadays it is a 2500-hectare nature reserve with coniferous woods, pools, heathland, streams and marshland. This diversity makes it a favourite with walkers, cyclists and animals.
The paradise for birds and the legend of the Bokkenrijders
When you stand at the top of the tower there is a veritable paradise for birds at your feet. Het Goor Nature Reserve and De Flaes are home to more than 130 species of breeding birds, including kingfishers and tawny owls. If you look carefully, you may see a colony of cormorants hiding in the trees from the Flaestoren tower’s highest balcony. You will need a single Euro coin for each person to climb the tower. You can park close to the tower at the Herberg In Den Bockenreyder restaurant, a place with a history as rich as the estate itself. Let this typical Brabant inn tell you its own legend; the stories are hidden everywhere. Meanwhile you can enjoy a ‘ferme ûtsmijter’, (ham and eggs on bread) and other delicacies from the farm. That will set you up for the rest of the afternoon!
"The Bokkenrijders was a notorious gang of thieves that was active in the eighteenth century in the Dutch and Belgian regions of Limburg. They could see in the dark and fly while sitting astride a goat. This legend was the inspiration for Villa Volta, one of Efteling’s exciting attractions.”
Art in the countryside on the Andreas Schotel walking route
You can drive from the Esbeek woods to the Dorpsstraat in less than ten minutes. One of North Brabant’s most unusual walking routes begins at the Andreas Schotel Museum. You can find out all about Andreas Schotel in this small museum (free entry); he was an artist from Rotterdam in the last century who liked to spend his summers with his family in a small summer house in the village of Esbeek. The North Brabant countryside and the hard-working folk of Brabant on the land inspired him to produce many sketches and watercolours.
His work comes to life – and sometimes to life size - along the 10-kilometre Andreas Schotel walking route. You can walk right across the farmland of the Landgoed de Utrecht estate, past the artist’s summer residence with numerous easels that display pictures of his work. The most striking ones are life-size sculptures that bring Andreas Schotel’s work to life in a natural setting and in an impressive way.
Slow down at B&B Zintuinen
After an active day out in the fresh air, B&B Zintuinen in Esbeek is a wonderful place to come back to. Geert and Anneke, a couple from Brabant have created a natural oasis in the farmland that invites you to slow down. You can stay overnight in an apartment which is next to a sensory garden. This is a genuine 7000m² ‘zintuin’ (garden of senses) and Geert and Anneke will tell you all about it enthusiastically. The old calf shed has been transformed into an intimate garden café where you can enjoy a drink and a homemade snack.
Day 2. To Hilvarenbeek by bike
The heart of Brabant is a wonderful region to discover by bike. Numerous routes have been mapped out in the immediate vicinity but you can also choose a route for yourself by using the junction network.
If you have your own bike with you, you can set off from B&B de Zintuinen. There is also a cycle shop in Hilvarenbeek where you can rent bikes.
Suggested route– 52 km
Suggested route– 52 km
Junctions: 48 - 49 - 68 - 26 - 25 - 81 - 81 - 83 - 24 - 20 - 23 - 08 - 09 - 90 - 22 - 85 - 33 - 32 - 12 - 10 - 05 - 05 - 42 - 42 - 01 - 48 - 01 - 42 - 05 - 05 - 10.
The first section of this cycle route will take you through the beautiful countryside to Middelbeers. How about a coffee and something tasty? Take a break in the romantic garden of the Meesterlijk lunch room, where you can enjoy some delicious food from their own (bakery) kitchen while sitting on the grass. It’s no problem if you prefer to keep on cycling, in another 25 km you will be in the town of Oirschot. A coffee at Komaen bike cafe always goes down well. You can plan your trip to visit Oirschot from junction 23.
History, nature and hospitality merge with the imposing St. Petrus Basilica and authentic alleyways in the charming town of Oirschot. If you have time, pay a visit to Museum de Vier Quartieren and experience what Vincent Van Gogh painted and how he viewed the world. If you want a late lunch continue along the route to Oisterwijk and go into the centre. This is where you will find Restaurant De Tijd, in the middle of the Lind; the largest pavement café area in the Netherlands. From here it’s about another 13 kilometres bike ride to Hilvarenbeek.
Which is the loveliest square in the Netherlands? If you’re from Hilvarenbeek you will of course say it’s the Vrijthof. The medieval square has been a centre of activity for centuries, as witnessed by its 17th century linden tree. It is also known as the Gebodenboom (Tree of Commandments), as the tree was once a holy site where pilgrims said their prayers. The square is full of restaurants and street cafes, one of which is the Herberg Sint Petrus. This is the place to treat yourself to the best local flavours, such as the chef’s surprise menu. There are some special references to the rich history of this historic building inside the restaurant.
"The eye-catcher in this square is the adjacent Beekse Toren. This tower, part of St Peter’s Church, is 75 metres high and a lovely example of the Kempen region gothic style. You can climb the tower every Sunday during the summer months. The heritage gallery in the Tower Room can be visited free of charge from Tuesday to Saturday in the summer. During the rest of the year the tower is open to the public on special days.”
‘Bikse tripels’ at Brouwerij De Roos
If you enjoy beer, you should not leave the village before you have sampled a Bikse Tripel or Bikse Rooie Fik. The only authentic village brewery in the Netherlands is in Hilvarenbeek. Beer has been brewed at Brouwerij De Roos since 1877, and you can get a glimpse into how this was done in the museum, using a cast iron stirring vat and mutsaard (branches). And of course you can round off your visit with some tasting.
"Auberge De Hilver in Baarschot – Diessen is just 5 km from B&B de Zintuinen. This will give you time to freshen up."
Day 3. Tilburg
You might almost have forgotten, but the city is just around the corner! You can get from Zintuinen to the heart of Tilburg by car in quarter of an hour! This is a city you should experience before heading back home. Maybe you would like to visit a museum, enjoy some delicious food in a typically Brabant way, or simply wander around the shopping streets. You can find it all in Tilburg.
Craftsmanship and design in the TextielMuseum
Tilburg used to be the main textile city of the Netherlands. It was an industry that made the city important and which to this day gives it a rugged character. You can now find the TextielMuseum in a former textile factory. This is a museum where authentic craftmanship, industrial heritage and innovative art forms merge together. Listen to the audio stories of textile labourers who worked incredibly hard here day in, day out. Temporary exhibitions also explain to you the art of textiles, and you can see designers at work in the TextielLab.
On the other side of the centre, the city gives way to miles of countryside. You will find yourself in the middle of the Van Gogh National Park. The world-famous artist grew up in Brabant and it was here that he found the inspiration for his most famous works. Vincent van Gogh had his first drawing lessons in Tilburg when he was still young. The farmland around the city with its pastures and pollard willows appear in much of his later work. A 16-kilometre walking route starts from the Piushaven harbour and takes you through the varying landscapes that inspired him so much. You can walk through the Moerenburg Landscape Park with its unusual works of art and stretches of water. And you can take a break along the way, maybe in the historic Café Mie Pieters where a meal was served for 15 or 30 cents in Vincent van Gogh’s time. Koningshoeven Abbey is also located on this route, and it is here where monks have always brewed Trappist beer using an authentic process. You’ll never find a better excuse for a ‘tea break’! The guided tour is also well worth taking.
"The Piushaven harbour is really Tilburg’s culinary boulevard. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a good lunch before you set off on your walk.”
