10 most beautiful places
The 10 most beautiful spots of Oisterwijk
Do you like to go out with your camera? Then Oisterwijk is a town you should definitely visit! Oisterwijk has a lot to offer. From beautiful nature to a historic center full of beautiful architecture. I went out for a day and share my route with you!
Hi! My name is Evelien Oerlemans and I blog about photography and photogenic spots on fotografille.nl. At the invitation of Visit Oisterwijk I set out to discover the most beautiful places in the municipality of Oisterwijk. And beautiful places, there are plenty. Come discover it for yourself and book a few nights in one of the nice places to stay!
Photo route along the most beautiful spots of Oisterwijk
1. Discover Castle Nemelaer
I started my route at Nemelaer Castle in Haaren (municipality Oisterwijk). A vast estate where you can walk and bike, culminating in the photogenic mansion which used to be a castle. The mansion, despite restorations and renovations, still has original parts from the 14thand 15th centuries. Castle Nemelaer can be visited by appointment, see more information here. But you can also admire the outside of the castle without an appointment.
2. Natuurgebied Kampina: walk along the Belversven
From Castle Nemelaer you cycle in about 10 minutes to nature reserve Kampina between Oisterwijk and Boxtel. A vast area with an enormous diversity of nature. From fens to vast heathlands and from forest to a stream.
I walked the 5 kilometer Belversvenroute and was treated to all the beauty that the Kampina has to offer. During the varied route you discover a new piece of Dutch nature after every turn. My personal favorites? The narrow paths through the ferns, the little bridge over the Rosep stream, fens with water lilies and vistas across the water.
Tip: Visit the Kampina at the end of the summer. Then all the heather is in bloom and you will find plenty of purple-colored fields. Extra beautiful for your photos!
3. Horses, cattle, birds and more
Did you know that cattle and horses are used to preserve the heathland on the Kampina? These herds graze here so that young trees and grasses have no opportunity to crowd out the heather. Good for nature, but also very cool to photograph! During my walk along the Belversven I unfortunately did not encounter them, but during an earlier walk I was lucky enough to get the horses in front of my lens.
In addition to large grazers, this nature reserve is also full of birds, insects and amphibians. For example, it is an ideal place for the bluethroat, the reed warbler and kingfishers are regularly spotted. You can also encounter frogs, butterflies and even lizards in the Kampina.
4. Take a look at the Nature Theater
About 10 minutes by bike from the Kampina you will find the Nature Theatre of Oisterwijk. An open-air theater that dates back to 1915 and is still in use! In the summer there are various performances for young and old. So be sure to take a look at the Uitagenda of Visit Oisterwijk. Outside the performances, the grounds of the nature theater are also accessible throughout the year. Be surprised all kinds of nice details in the forest around the theater. It felt like I had stepped into a fairy tale. So don't forget to look around you. The Nature Theater is located between several fens. So it's definitely worth taking those in.
Tip: fancy a bite to eat or a drink? On the grounds of the Nature Theatre you will find Boscafé De Rode Lelie. A cozy place to take a break, including a playground for the kids.
5. Natural area: Oisterwijkse Bossen en Vennen
A visit to Oisterwijk is not complete if you have not visited the Oisterwijkse Bossen en Vennen. Like the Kampina, this nature reserve is very large and varied. Therefore, I started at the Visitor Center of Natuurmonumenten. Here you can get information about the area, buy products in the store and book all kinds of activities. Natuurmonumenten is in the building Groot Speijck, where you can also find a cozy restaurant.
After a tour of the visitor center, I headed into the woods. Here you can walk within a few minutes to the Speijckven or the Brouwkuipven. But you can also go from here to the popular Voorste Goorven, the Diaconieven or (a little further on) the Groot Kolkven. Each fen has its charm and is photogenic. Especially the fens with islands do well on photographs. At the Groot Kolkven there are boats along a jetty, which also makes for a nice picture.
6. The village heart of Oisterwijk
Now that you have discovered all kinds of places in the nature of Oisterwijk, it is time to head towards the center. After all, the historic center of Oisterwijk also has a lot of beautiful things to see. Wander through the old streets such as the Dorpsstraat and De Lind. Discover the photogenic Oude Raadhuis, walk through the Trouwlaantje and admire the 'Marialinde', a lime tree from the 14th century that stands behind the Oude Raadhuis.
In these streets you will find dozens of restaurants, lunchrooms and cafes where you can immediately feel the Burgundian Brabant atmosphere. Click here for a list of catering establishments in Oisterwijk. But there are also many stores and galleries worth visiting.
7. Authentic facades
Don't forget to look up every now and then as you walk through the village heart of Oisterwijk. The stores and restaurants are mostly located in authentic buildings with beautiful and photogenic facades. Each facade is unique and full of beautiful details.
8. Industrial hotspot: leather factory KVL
After the historic center, the industrial part of Oisterwijk is not to be missed. Indeed, across the railroad tracks you will find the site of the old leather factory. This place has been refurbished in recent years and is now the bustling hotspot for creative entrepreneurs. You'll find plenty of old buildings with new uses, and don't forget to visit the EKWC (European Ceramic Work Center), a workplace for artists working with clay. Tours can be booked through the website.
Every first Tuesday of the month, there is a free tour of approximately 75 minutes of the entire KVL site. The tour goes through buildings, past companies and, of course, Robèrt van Beckhoven 's store cannot be missed. But even without a tour, the Leerfabriek KVL is an interesting place to visit.
9. From the water: nature reserve Moergestels Broek
The beautiful places I have mentioned so far in the article are mainly in the village of Oisterwijk. But the other villages in the municipality are also worth a visit. For example Natuurpoort Reuselhoeve in Moergestel, where you can do all kinds of activities. From climbing in the climbing forest to checking out the view from the observation tower. But most photogenic is a canoe trip through nature reserve De Hilver.
10. Off the beaten path
The route I have described above will take you to many beautiful places. But there always remains more to discover. Deviate from your route and see what you find! Go to the lesser known fens or walk a route you have not walked before. That way you will encounter something new every time.
As you can see, Oisterwijk has a lot to offer. In addition, Oisterwijk is the perfect base to further explore Brabant. Public attractions such as the Efeling, Beekse Bergen, Loonse and Drunense Dunes and also the cities of Eindhoven, Tilburg, Den Bosch and Breda are surprisingly close by.
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