Eersel: Village History and Walking Trails

The area around Eersel’s market square is designated as a nationally protected village conservation area. There are also various ways to plan a trip combining history, walks and nature: historic buildings, cycling and walking routes, and seasonal traditions. If you’re looking for a hotel in Eersel, you can plan your stay around whether you’re most interested in village history, longer routes or nature experiences.

Village history and historic sites

A guided circular walk through Eersel’s historic market square explores the Acht Zaligheden, the Teuten and the cigar industry. The sites and attractions covered include the little church, the Mariakapel, the water pump, the Boterlinde and the Contente Mens. Check the current tour arrangements in advance if you’d like to take this guided walk.

The Monumentenroute also focuses on cultural heritage. It is about 33 kilometres long, follows the cycling node network and can be started at any point and adapted to suit your plans. The route passes a special selection of more than 120 monuments in the municipality of Eersel. Sites along the way include churches, chapels, rectories, atmospheric village centres and the Omroepsteen in Eersel. Check whether the route is available before setting out.

In Steensel, the tower of St. Lucia is the surviving remnant of the medieval St. Lucia Church, which dates from the late 14th century; a bell from 1495 hangs inside. The tower can be climbed by prior arrangement. Confirm the visit arrangements in advance. In Duizel, De Veste is a former Roman Catholic rectory, surrounded by a moat and stone gate pillars. It was built in 1754 and remodelled in 1871. The historic church tower there is the surviving remnant of the medieval Church of St. John the Baptist, which was demolished in 1927.

The AART MUSEUM in Knegsel presents the symbolic realism of Aart de Lange Pzn, who is present at the museum. Admission is free, and visits are possible daily by appointment. Confirm your visit arrangements when planning your trip.

Walks, routes and nature

Natuurpoort TerSpegelt has walking trails ranging from two to seven kilometres, routes planned via walking nodes, a dog-friendly off-leash walk, a fitness trail and an accessible walk. It is also a starting point for exploring the Brabantse Kempen, the forest and the Cartierheide on foot or by bike. A Kabouterpad, various mountain bike routes and a bridleway also start there. Check current route conditions before your visit.

Further afield in the region, the waymarked TOP nature walk follows the Cartierheide. It is 6.5 kilometres long and follows numbered node signs. The wet heathland, birch bog woodland and bog myrtle thickets there create a different landscape from the meandering streams and green meadows of the De Kleine Beerze nature area in Vessem. De Kleine Beerze also has quiet paths, a woodland garden, a vegetable garden, a beach, a swallow wall and a viewing tower.

Other opportunities to observe nature depend on the season: Grootmeer and Kleinmeer near Wintelre are naturally formed heathland pools in higher-lying terrain. In spring, thousands of toads, frogs and salamanders travel from the forest to the pools and back again. The surrounding Cartierheide area also includes habitats for round-leaved sundew, marsh gentian, smooth snakes, sand lizards, slowworms and moor frogs; wildlife sightings are seasonal and not guaranteed.

To compare route lengths, it’s worth considering how you’ll travel: the Monumentenroute is a cycling route of about 33 kilometres, while the walking trails at Natuurpoort are between two and seven kilometres long. The Cartierheide walking route is 6.5 kilometres. A walk called “Around the Rietven” leads through eastern Vessem, past the Rietven and Doodsberg, through woodland and by the remains of the Leeuwerik-Hoeve and a geological monument. The pilgrimage route through Vessem follows part of Pelgrimspad Part 2, a network of walking routes about 250 kilometres long through the landscapes of Brabant and Limburg.

In Wintelre, Bosschuur De Meren is a starting point for woodland walks. Facilities listed there include a play forest, a barefoot trail and a gnome forest for children. Facilities may change, so check the current arrangements before visiting.

Traditions and planning your visit

Local traditions are part of the yearly calendar, too. During Dauwtrappen on Ascension Day, the Koninklijke Harmonie De Goede Hoop marches through the streets early in the morning, around six o’clock, playing wind and percussion instruments to wake the village. Check the current programme if you’d like to experience the tradition. Since 1661, people from Eersel have made a pilgrimage to Werbeek in Belgium on the last Saturday in June to honour Maria ter Sneeuw; here, too, it’s a good idea to confirm the current arrangements.

There are eight guild associations in the municipality of Eersel. The Wintelre guild was first mentioned in 1320, and the Vessem guild in 1398. The Lambertuskerk in Vessem regularly hosts concerts in various musical styles, including classical and chamber music. Check the current concert schedule to plan your visit.

For practical information, the Visit Eersel Informatiepunt helps visitors find walking and cycling routes, learn about local events and discover local products. Opening hours may change. If you’d like to combine a hotel stay with specific outings, you can use it to plan routes, events and seasonal activities while keeping the different trails and visiting conditions in mind.

Discover more destinations

Vessem, Eersel, Steensel, Alphen-Chaam, Sint Anthonis, Woudrichem, Oirschot, Valkenswaard

For the main travel overview: North Brabant.