Nederweert: Peel Landscape and Regional History

Peat bogs, ponds, heathland and small forests shape De Groote Peel National Park, a Natura 2000 site on the border of the Dutch provinces of Limburg and Noord-Brabant. The area provides a breeding habitat for many bird species. Culture and history are also part of Nederweert: walking trails pass archaeological traces, while mills and museums offer insights into crafts and the past.

Discover nature areas and routes

Buitencentrum De Pelen is located on the edge of the national park. It is the starting and finishing point for various walking and cycling routes; discovery and experience tours are available to borrow at the information desk, where various activities also begin. Nederweert also has a network of junctions for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, with GPX route descriptions. This makes it possible to plan trips according to the route and its length, rather than assuming one standard route for all activities.

Several walks have different points of focus. The 5.56-kilometre Ommetje Nederweert – Sarsven en de Banen starts in the Rowven nature area in Nederweert-Eind. Between junctions 82 and 11, it leads to a birdwatching hut. A detour to the Schaapskooi is possible via junctions 14 and 38, especially during lambing season. Another circular route through Nederweert-Eind passes the peat and heathland of Sarsven en de Banen, the prehistoric path near Rowven and the Tjongerjager viewpoint column.

The longer routes also differ clearly in their focus. The 13.9-kilometre Ommetje Nederweert walking route is part of the Liberation Route Europe; at several listening stations, you can hear stories from the Second World War. The approximately 12-kilometre audio tour “De vergeten Verdedigingslinie” is described as a walking or cycling route. It starts in Park de Heerlijckheid and loops around the Kanalenviersprong. Its listening stations tell stories about the Peel-Raamstelling, the Kanalenviersprong and the history of Nederweert.

The 10-kilometre Peerkesbosch walking route starts at Peerkesbosch in Nederweert and passes through the Weerterbos and Hugterheide. Forests, ponds and small areas of heath alternate along the way. The Weerterbos is part of KempenBroek, a cross-border nature area spanning the Netherlands and Belgium. Red deer live there; during the rut, the males bellow. Wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed at a particular time. A 6.02-kilometre circular route through Nederweert-Eind passes the Eynderhoof open-air museum, the sheep at Philomenahoeve and the Peel nature area.

Crafts, art and history

At the Limburgs Openluchtmuseum Eynderhoof, visitors can see how people in the Peel lived and worked. The museum presents traditional crafts in reconstructed buildings and has workshops for basket makers, shoemakers and potters. The permanent exhibition “Van Stenen mes tot Bronzen bijl” displays archaeological finds from Nederweert and the surrounding area. Eynderhoof thus offers a glimpse of both earlier ways of life and craft techniques.

The municipal art route leads to public artworks and offers an audio tour via the izi.TRAVEL app. The history of the defences can be understood in another way: the Peel-Raamstelling included concrete fortifications, trenches, and barbed-wire and steel obstacles, laid out in 1939–1940 as part of a defence plan. The “De vergeten Verdedigingslinie” route links this history with listening stations about the Kanalenviersprong and Nederweert. When planning your route, it is important to bear in mind that the stated length is approximate.

Individual buildings also have their own character. Molen de Korenbloem is a grain mill dating from 1870; Molen de Windlust is the only windmill in Limburg that presses oil. The Waterkrachtcentrale Nederweert is one of the oldest hydroelectric power stations in the Netherlands. The Sint-Lambertuskerk was built in Brabant Gothic style. In Ospel stands the Onze Lieve Vrouwe Onbevlekte Ontvangenis, a three-aisled cruciform basilica in an early Gothic form, dating from 1865. The British military cemetery in Nederweert contains the graves of 363 fallen service personnel. The permanent exhibition “Air War 1939–1945”, opened in September 2010, displays objects recovered from plane crashes in and around Nederweert.

Practical information

There is free parking at Buitencentrum De Pelen; check the parking rules before setting out. Bus 370 runs from Weert railway station towards Venlo and stops at Meijelsedijk/Moostdijk, by the Buitencentrum. As routes and stops may change, it is advisable to check before travelling. The Peelkiosk at the Buitencentrum serves drinks and lunch; check in advance whether it will be open during your visit. Molen de Korenbloem is open to visitors, according to the stated visiting arrangements, every second and fourth Saturday of the month or by telephone appointment. Check these arrangements before visiting.

The route lengths and range of themes provide a practical guide to choosing your stay: you can plan nature trails, historical audio stops and cultural heritage as separate focuses for your trip.

Discover more destinations: Ospel, Leveroy, Nederweert, Nederweert-Eind.

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