Brabantse Wal and Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide

The Landscape

The Brabantse Wal is a unique landscape full of variety. This small, green ridge starts just north of Bergen op Zoom and stretches all the way into Belgium. Along your journey, you will pass through forests and drifting dunes, heathlands and polders, clay and sandy soils, as well as both fresh and saltwater areas. What truly makes the Brabantse Wal special is the steep edge where the dry sandy grounds suddenly give way to wet sea clay polders. This striking contrast in the landscape is something you will hardly find anywhere else.

To the south of the Brabantse Wal lies a nature reserve of about 6,000 hectares that pays no attention to border markers: Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide (Cross-Border Park Kalmthoutse Heide). This unique park stretches across both the Netherlands and Belgium, forming one large, continuous natural area. You can cycle through a beautiful and varied landscape of heathlands, forests, drifting dunes, fens, and meadows. The park is rich not only in nature but also in history. Various remnants from the past recall a time of conflict and defense. Scattered throughout the landscape are old bunkers and forts, silent witnesses to military strategies from centuries ago. Well-preserved trenches also remain, offering insight into the tense border situations and wartime actions that took place here.