Ossendrecht: Nature Trails, Polders and Museums

Ossendrecht can be discovered from several perspectives: marked trails lead through natural and cultural landscapes, while the museums each focus on a different aspect of history. During your stay, you can combine nature, village history and the history of the Second World War.

Dunes and biodiversity

The Ossendrechtse Duinen are designated as a quiet area. There are two marked walking trails: Haas and Mier. The Haas walking trail passes through the habitat of the smooth snake and the nightjar. Woodlarks, stonechats and tiger beetles also find a habitat in the Ossendrechtse Duinen near Ossendrecht and Putte.

The Abdijbossen offer another facet of nature: various bird species nest there, including jays, great tits, blue tits and robins. The Volksabdij near the Abdijbossen is one of the nature gateways to Brabant, the Brabantse Wal and Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide. The 30-minute Abdij walking trail loops around the Volksabdij through a stately park forest and a stretch of heathland.

Walking between forest and polder

There is an elevation difference of about 30 metres between the Abdijbossen and the adjacent Noordpolder van Ossendrecht. In the Noordpolder, you can walk along old ditches, fields and pollarded willows. The pattern of ditches is being preserved for its cultural and historical value. Along the way, you will encounter both striking landscape features and traces of a deliberately preserved cultural landscape.

For a longer walk, the Brabantse Wal route is one option: it is 5.6 kilometres long and starts at the Groene Halte Postbaan in Ossendrecht. On the Zoomroute, you leave the escarpment of the Brabantse Wal near Ossendrecht.

Getting to the Groene Halte Postbaan

You can reach the Groene Halte Postbaan from Roosendaal station by bus towards Bergen op Zoom; get off at the Postbaan stop. If you plan to travel by bus, check the timetable before departure.

Museums and local history

Museum Den Aanwas is housed in a national heritage monument dating from 1743, the home of a former large-scale farmer. The museum tells a life story against the historical backdrop of life in southwestern Brabant at that time. The museum’s approximately one-hour audio tour takes you through the village of Ossendrecht, offering another way to explore local history.

In 2026, Museum Den Aanwas is open on Sundays from 5 April through 25 October, from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm. Please confirm the opening hours before your visit. The activities have different durations: the Abdij walking trail takes 30 minutes, while the audio tour of Ossendrecht takes about an hour.

The Oorlogsmuseum Ossendrecht is a private museum founded by Jan de Jonge, with a special collection of objects from the Second World War. The museum can also offer a so-called Battle Tour. This visits monuments and battlefields in the area around the museum, as well as sites of the Battle of Antwerp and the Scheldt. If you would like to plan a tour, check in advance whether one is available on your preferred date. This lets you choose between the life story at Museum Den Aanwas and the Oorlogsmuseum’s focus on the Second World War.

Local products

Landwinkel Hoeve Melsen in Ossendrecht offers dairy products from local farmers and artisan farmhouse cheese. The selection may vary by season.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Woensdrecht, Huijbergen and Hoogerheide.

Back to the main travel overview: Woensdrecht.