Saint-Oedenrode

Van Hortensiastraat, 5492 HR Nijnsel, Netherlands
To Lieshoutseweg 9, 5492 HS Nijnsel, Netherlands

Routing Walk - most beautiful

The Heroes of Kien

The Heroes of Kien is the vibrant center of Regional Park de Kienehoef. You can enjoy delicious dishes, unique arrangements, and take a break from your hike.

Farmstead Arbeidslust: the Farmers of Kien

Farmstead Arbeidslust (also known as Kienehoeve) has a rich history and a promising future. Its origins trace back to the late eighteenth century, when Jacob Kien developed the monumental farmstead with lands in the 18th-century reclaimed landscape. Nowadays, over 250 years later, the Farmers of Kien are active at Farmstead Arbeidslust.

Farm shop of The Farmers of Kien
The Farmers of Kien have opened their own farm shop at Farmstead Arbeidslust. It is a self-service shop where you can find products from their own land. The range is entirely based on the seasons. The shop has a changing assortment of vegetables and fruits. There is also meat from their own red cattle and pasture pigs. All animals are kept in a humane manner and are free of antibiotics. In addition to vegetables, fruits, and meat, fresh free-range eggs are also available in the shop, coming from their own mobile chicken cart. Furthermore, there is a varying selection of ice cream, artisanal jam, bakery products, and much more. So feel free to take a look! The farm shop also has a lovely terrace overlooking the vegetable garden, animals, and apple orchard. The farm shop is maintained by Zorg Hoeve Arbeidslust.

Nature area Dommeldal

Dommeldal lies between the built-up areas of Boxtel and Sint-Oedenrode. The name Dommel may be derived from 'dodde' (reed) or 'dud' (marsh). The Dommel starts at the Donderslagsche Heide, just over the border in Belgium, flows into the Netherlands at Borkel, and merges in Den Bosch with the Aa to form the Dieze, which flows into the Maas.

From source to mouth, the Dommel is 95 kilometers long. The area consists of meadows, raised fields, and groves. The meadows are pasture and hay lands. Further away from the stream, on the higher grounds, are raised fields that have been used as farmland for centuries.

At the center of the valley lies the Groot Duijfhuis, a farm with a gentlemen's room and a free-standing dove tower from 1661, dating back to the fourteenth century. Close to this tower is a beautiful original Jeroen Bosch barn.

Nature area De Scheeken

De Scheeken is a man-made landscape near Boskant between Liempde and Sint-Oedenrode. The poplar tree is very popular here. In the second half of the eighteenth century, more and more poplars were planted for clogs manufacturing. From the pattern of sandy paths and moist marshlands, the characteristic Meierijse "Peppellandschap" developed.

Nature area Dommelbeemden

The Dommelbeemden is located on the eastern banks of the river Dommel, between Nijnsel and Sint-Oedenrode. The nature reserve consists of one hundred hectares of poor hay meadows, a dried-up stream meander with small marsh areas, and traditionally managed meadows.

Adjacent to the Dommelbeemden, you will find the Moerkuilen, a peat pond created by peat extraction. This peat pond is situated amid a wet forest and is bordered by overgrown sand hills. The observation tower in the middle of the Dommel valley provides a beautiful view over the meandering river.

Sint-Odaberg

The name Sint-Oedenrode can be traced back to the legend of a daughter of a Scottish king. In her childhood, this daughter, named Oda, became blind.

According to the story, she was healed of her blindness after a visit to the grave of Saint Lambert in Liège. She decided to dedicate her life to God and lead a reclusive life. Her birth and death years are unknown, but she is believed to have lived in the early eighth century.

According to the legend, during her wandering through Texandria (the name of this area in medieval texts), a noble lady assigned her a place where she could build a hut. For this, forest was cleared. This is where the name "Rode" comes from. Saint Oda is said to have lived on a hill by the Dommel. This Vresselse hill has long been known as the Odaberg. Later, she is believed to have settled in what is now the center of Sint-Oedenrode.

Nature area de Moerkuilen

The Moerkuilen is a peat pond in the Dommeldal. Here you will find various species of water lilies, fountain herbs, snake root, and sedge species. This pond was formed in a low area with peat soil that was excavated for turf extraction, hence the name peat pond. This fish-rich peat pond attracts many birds. Surrounding this pond, a wet forest has developed, bordered by overgrown river dunes. There is a varied flora, including fishing and duckweed.