Walking routes
in the Peel
Eight walks through peat bog, heathland and forest
Looking for a walking route in the Peel? In the Land van de Peel you walk through peat bog, heathland and forest, over distances from 4.5 to 9 kilometres. Cross the boardwalks in De Groote Peel National Park, pass the Beuven pool on the Strabrechtse Heide or wander through the woods of the Stippelberg estate. Below you will find eight routes, each with its distance, walking time, starting point and what you will see along the way. Every route is signposted or can be walked via the walking junction network. Each one starts at a nature gateway, forest café or car park.
Choose by distance and atmosphere. Short, easy routes are the Natuurpoort Nederheide walk and Pak de Biezen, both 4.5 kilometres. Want to go further? Then the Grotelsche Heide and the Deurnese Peel are your longer walks at 9 kilometres. You can filter all walking routes in the Peel by distance and type in the full walking route overview.
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Boswachterspad, De Groote Peel National Park
On the border between North Brabant and Limburg you follow in the footsteps of forester Marijke Vaes. This forester's trail by Staatsbosbeheer, also known as the Mussenbaan route, starts at Buitencentrum De Pelen in Ospel. You walk along boardwalks through the marsh, past an observation tower with views over the whole area and past information panels about historic peat cutting. An easy route past farmland, wide views and open peat bog.
Length: 6.5 km, marked with blue posts.
Time: about 1 hr 40 min.
Start and finish: Buitencentrum De Pelen, Ospel, with a café at the start. No cafés along the way.
Tip: take this trail slowly. On the boardwalks you hear only birds and water, while the raised peat tracks and straight canals still show where the peat cutters worked.
Beuven route, Strabrechtse Heide
This is where you experience the full expanse of the Peel. The Beuven route takes you past the Beuven, the largest natural heathland pool in the Netherlands, straight across the heath. The first and last stretches run through woodland. Near the pool the landscape opens up, with sandy paths across open heathland. Don't be surprised to meet a Scottish Highlander, they graze here all year round. In August the heather turns purple.
Length: 5 km, easy to combine with other routes in the area.
Time: about 1 hr 15 min.
Start and finish: Boscafé Pastoorke van Moorsel, Lierop, with a terrace at the start.
Tip: take a moment at the Beuven to take in the landscape. Here the heath opens up and you truly feel how vast this area is.
Natuurpoort Nederheide walk
Short but varied. From Natuurpoort Nederheide in Milheeze you follow forest paths past the Bakelse Plassen lakes and through dense pine woods. On a sunny day, combine the route with a swim at Natuurbad Nederheide, which lies on the route. Fancy a few more kilometres? Extend the walk towards the neighbouring Stippelberg woods.
Length: 4.5 km.
Time: about 1 hr.
Start and finish: Natuurpoort Nederheide, Milheeze, with Hotel Restaurant Nederheide at the start.
Tip: on a warm day, end your walk with your feet in the water of the natural swimming lake on the route.
Landgoed Stippelberg
A true woodland walk that is beautiful in every season. From the car park you walk straight into the forest, past the English-style manor house and along stately forest lanes and boardwalks. Admire the Scottish Highlanders and climb the observation tower for the view across the heath. A solid walk with no cafés along the way.
Length: 7.5 km.
Time: about 2 hrs.
Start and finish: Boswachterswoning De Rips.
Tip: look closely at the small hills in the forest. These stippels, which gave the estate its name, were formed centuries ago by drifting sand.
Pak de Biezen, Aarle-Rixtel
Put on good walking shoes or boots. A route runs through the wet nature reserve De Biezen along country paths and boardwalks, straight through meadows and woodland. It is signposted from De Brabantse Kluis, an old longhouse farm with a convent that now houses an inn and restaurant. From the inn, follow the Pak de Biezen signs.
Length: 4.5 km, short version 3.2 km.
Time: about 1 hr.
Start and finish: Herberg de Brabantse Kluis, Aarle-Rixtel, with a restaurant and farm shop at the start.
Tip: take your time at the Brabantse Kluis afterwards. Look at the cows in the barns on the farmyard and stroll into the Zustertuin garden of the neighbouring convent, where missionary sisters still live and you can light a candle at the Marian grotto.
Torrenven route, Mariahoutse Bossen
The Mariahoutse Bossen are a hidden gem. Along forest paths you walk to the Torrenven pool, where everything suddenly falls silent. The area is small, so you can easily combine routes here and make the Torrenven route shorter or longer as you like. There are no cafés along the way.
Length: 6.5 km.
Time: about 1 hr 40 min.
Start and finish: the car park by the athletics track in Mariahout. Follow the Torrenvenroute signs.
Tip: stand still for a moment at the Torrenven. Here the silence is part of the walk.
Grotelsche Heide stream walk
Staatsbosbeheer mapped out this longer route across the Grotelsche Heide near Bakel. You walk through woodland and heath and along the meandering Esperloop stream. Spot the Angus cattle along the way and finish with a coffee at Grotel's Genieten.
Length: 9 km.
Time: about 2 hrs 30 min.
Start and finish: Restaurant Grotel's Genieten, Bakel, with a terrace at the start.
Tip: follow the Esperloop for a while. The stream winds through the heath and is the quietest part of the route.
Deurnese Peel, via Griendtsveen
Easy to walk and yet adventurous. Route maker Perry Vermeulen says it himself: it doesn't get more beautiful than this in the Peel. From Natuurpoort De Peel you walk towards the Deurne canal, across small footbridges deep into nature and past traces of the peat-cutting past. The highlight is the walk through Griendtsveen, a protected village and one of the prettiest villages in Brabant. Halfway you pass Herberg de Morgenstond, ideal for a break with the Peelplank full of local produce.
Length: 9.1 km.
Time: about 2 hrs 30 min.
Start and finish: Natuurpoort De Peel, Deurne, with a terrace at the start. Walking junctions 6, 5, 12, 18, 19, 21, 62, 18, 17, 11, 6.
Tip: stop at Herberg de Morgenstond and try the Peelplank with local produce.
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Veelgestelde vragen over wandelen in de Peel
For about an hour, the Natuurpoort Nederheide walk and Pak de Biezen are a good choice, both 4.5 kilometres. The Beuven route takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes. For a longer walk, choose one of the routes from 6.5 to 9.1 kilometres. In the full walking route overview of Land van de Peel you can filter by distance yourself.
Allow about an hour for the short routes of 4.5 kilometres and two to two and a half hours for the longest routes of 9 kilometres. Add time for breaks, because most routes have a café at the start or halfway.
Yes, but not every route is suitable. In Someren you will find the Allemansroutes, seven signposted routes from the tourist information point. They are level and free of major obstacles, and accessible by wheelchair, pushchair or mobility scooter. In De Groote Peel National Park a wheelchair-friendly observation tower can be reached via a paved path. The boardwalks through the peat bog are narrow and not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. For the other routes, check the surface beforehand, because they partly run over sand or wet ground.
Parking is free at the nature gateways in Deurne, Milheeze and Someren. In Asten you park at Museum Klok & Peel, in Bakel at Grotel's Genieten, in Aarle-Rixtel at the Brabantse Kluis and in Lierop at Boscafé Pastoorke van Moorsel. Every route on this page starts at a car park, nature gateway or forest café.
Yes, on a lead. Dogs must always be kept on a lead in the nature reserves of the Peel, including the Strabrechtse Heide and De Groote Peel National Park. During the breeding season from 15 March to 15 July, parts of these areas are closed.
Six of the eight routes start at a restaurant or forest café, such as Boscafé Pastoorke van Moorsel in Lierop, Grotel's Genieten in Bakel and Herberg de Brabantse Kluis in Aarle-Rixtel. On the Deurnese Peel route you pass Herberg de Morgenstond in Griendtsveen. There are no cafés along the Landgoed Stippelberg and Torrenven routes.
Yes, in the rain the peat bog and heath feel even quieter and more expansive. The boardwalks in De Groote Peel National Park remain passable and the Boswachterspad has a good path. Wear boots for Pak de Biezen, because that area is wet. Stay off the open heath during a thunderstorm.