Discover Koewacht: Flax culture, walking trails and monuments

Koewacht can be explored through three themes: flax culture, memorial sites and routes through the landscape.

Flax Culture and Local History

Koewacht is a centre of flax culture. The history of flax processing is presented at the ’t Vlasschuurken Museum, in the setting of a traditional Zeeland-Flemish flax-breaking room. The museum provides information about the cultivation, processing and use of flax over the centuries. The exhibitions also cover processing techniques, historical and modern flax products, and the impact of the flax industry on the local community. This connects the craft side of the subject with its historical and social context.

A permanent exhibition is devoted to the history of Vlasroterij Sint Andries. If you would like to see this particular exhibition, check the museum’s current information before your visit.

The Roman Catholic church at Kerkplein 2 is listed as a municipal monument. The memorial plaque of the Koewacht war memorial is right next to it. In the area around the village, the remains of fortifications form part of the Staats-Spaanse Linies, cultural and historical defensive lines dating from the Eighty Years’ War.

Circular Routes and the Waterside Landscape

The 3.9-kilometre circular De Vennepad route runs from the village centre to De Vennen and along the banks of the Boschkreek. The Boschkreek is crossed by an adventurous hand-pulled ferry; the route then follows the Tragel between several pastures back to the village centre. Check trail conditions and local availability before setting out. The Langs Linies en Kreken walking network also offers routes from one waymark to another in the area around Koewacht.

The landscape along the Tragel also gives an impression of its former small-scale character. Remnants of a cultural landscape with pollarded willows among the pastures, as it existed before the land consolidation of the late 1960s, have been preserved between the Tragel and the village centre. East of the Tragel, the Zoute Vaart, a ditch or watercourse, forms the border with Belgium. Improved water quality in the Boschkreek has benefited fish species such as the spined loach and the sunbleak.

More Routes and the Air Watchtower

South of Koewacht, the Karnemelkpolder has walking trails and a walking connection to Perenboomsgat. Another option is the Boom- en fortendijken walking route, which passes the Koewacht Air Watchtower and is available in 5, 12 and 17-kilometre versions. The three route lengths offer a straightforward comparison if you want to choose a route based on distance.

The Air Watchtower is more than 21 metres tall and is described as the tallest in the Netherlands. Historically, it was part of Ring 3 (Breda), Sector T, and Tower 1 of the Koewacht, Kloosterzande and Nieuw-Namen triangle; its call sign was 3T1. The tower adds a distinct historical point of interest to the routes, while the nearby fortification remains recall a different era of defensive lines.

Events and More Places to Visit

The International Meikermismarkt Koewacht is scheduled for the first Sunday in May 2027 as its 41st edition. If you are planning your trip around this date, check the latest event information. The municipal outdoor swimming pool in Koewacht measures 40 by 25 metres; if it is renovated, the dimensions should be checked again.

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