Leende between Leenderbos and cultural heritage

Leende brings together landscapes, routes and local history. If you are looking for a hotel in Leende, you can plan your trip around whether you mainly want to explore Leenderbos, a range of cycling routes, or the town’s architectural and commemorative history. Regional specialties and a bespoke tasting experience are also among the local highlights.

Leenderbos and its natural environment

Leenderbos is protected as part of the Leenderbos, Groote Heide & De Plateaux Natura 2000 area and is also part of De Groote Heide Nature Border Park. In the forest lies Klein Hasselven, a pingo ruin: an island of living raised bog is surrounded by a narrow ring of water. This distinctive landscape feature gives the natural area a striking characteristic.

The section of Leenderbos described as part of the Natuur Fietsroute includes coniferous forests; at the same time, heathland restoration is underway there. Leenderbos also has a network of riding paths for horse riders and carriages. Nature experiences and route planning therefore have different focuses here: forest and heathland on the one hand, and a network of paths specifically designated for horse riders and carriages on the other.

Routes with different themes

The “Natuurlijk!” cycling route is 48.4 kilometres long. It passes through the municipality of Heeze-Leende’s three village centres, as well as its extensive forests and heathland. Route highlights include Leenderbos and Restaria ’t Klumpke in Leende. The route thus links several landscapes and places within the municipality.

The “Bevrijding 75 jaar Heeze-Leende-Sterksel” route has a different focus. It is approximately 50 kilometres long and includes 29 numbered locations, among them two sites where aircraft made emergency landings along Valkenswaardseweg in Leende. The “Smokkelroute De Groote Heide” cycling route is 44 kilometres long and is listed as Leende-Budel. The routes’ lengths and themes give you different starting points for choosing routes for your trip.

Architecture, craftsmanship and remembrance

Heimolen is a smaller reconstruction of the Leende standerd mill, which disappeared in a severe storm on 14 November 1940. It was built using old techniques and traditional tools. St. Petrus’Banden Church brings together further architectural features: it is a late Gothic cruciform basilica with an incorporated tower. Its furnishings include a neo-Gothic organ, built in 1863 by Mechelen organ builder Loret.

Leende’s war memorial is a stone column with two metal plaques. It commemorates residents of Leende who fell fighting the occupying forces between 1940 and 1949. The Strijpertunneltje is another local cultural landmark: the underpass runs beneath the A2 between Leende and Leenderstrijp. The mural in the tunnel was created in fresco technique together with residents of Leende.

Nearby Leenderstrijp is home to the remains of a church and chapel on Kapelstraat. The nearby Sint-Janskapel was originally built in the 15th century and rebuilt in 1843. Another regional landmark is the nearby Achelse Kluis. It lies on the border between Hamont-Achel in Belgium and Leende in the Netherlands, in an extensive natural area with fields, forests and heathland.

Regional specialties

Brokmop is a cube-shaped aniseed pastry from Leende, made by local bakers to a secret recipe. Premium Bier Leende offers interactive beer tastings tailored to individual preferences. If you are interested in local food and beer, these are two distinct options: a pastry originating in Leende and a tasting experience tailored to individual preferences.

Discover more destinations: Sterksel, Heeze.

For the broader travel overview: Heeze-Leende.