You will not see watermills during this 15.2 km stage, but you will see plenty of beautiful nature! Fortunately, some of the history of the watermills that stood along the Dommel on this route has been preserved. You can read about it along the way. But above all, don't forget to enjoy the beautiful landscape of Brabant and the ever-flowing water of the river.

The Dommel Path
The Dommel Path takes you over a distance of 125 kilometers from Peer to ’s-Hertogenbosch and back again. With this 6-day hiking route, averaging 20 kilometers per day, you will follow the river from south to north and tell the story of the watermills. And upstream from north to south, the story of nature along the Dommel. Check out the entire Dommel Path at visitbrabant.com/dommelpad.

The Pearls of the Dommel
A hundred years ago, more than fifty watermills stood in the catchment area of the Dommel River. From its source in Peer to its mouth in Den Bosch, the mills performed their work. The water flowed, the mills turned, and with the energy generated, grain was ground into flour, rapeseed was pressed for oil, or runes were made from oak bark. These runes were used in leather tanning. If you follow this hiking route along the Dommel, you can see for yourself what remains of the watermills from the past. Additionally, the Dommel winds through a beautiful part of Belgium and the Netherlands. Incredibly beautiful!

Crossing Points
The mills were often built at narrow points in the river where the gradient was greater. The water of the Dommel flowed with force there, allowing the watermills to turn well. And since the mills formed a kind of dam in the water, these were also suitable places for people to cross the river.

Bracelet of Pearls
To function effectively, the watermills from a century ago could not be too closely spaced. Old maps also show that the mills formed a kind of bracelet of pearls along the banks of the river. For a long time, the mills were our only large energy providers and thus were of great importance to the economy of that time. Therefore, they often belonged to fortified farms, castles, or defense structures.

Influence on the Landscape
Since the water was held back by dams at the mills, the area upstream became wetter. This influence sometimes extended up to two kilometers. Over the years, these reservoir areas received “watermill landscapes” with wet, peaty soils and associated vegetation, which can still be seen today. Ready to see all this? Let's go!

The Groote Heide
The Dommel Path runs through the Groote Heide, a diverse nature border park of six thousand hectares, stretching from the Dutch city of Eindhoven to Belgium near Pelt. The landscape along the Dommel has been shaped by a bracelet of watermills that hold back the water. Discover the local stories and all the beauty that this border region has to offer at degrooteheide.eu.

About this Route
The Dommel Path is marked by the hiking network of Brabant and Belgian/Flemish hiking junctions. Follow the signs and simply hike from one numbered point to the next. Arrows will guide you to the number you have chosen. Is there something wrong with the route signage? Let us know at visitbrabant.com/meldpunt. You can also call us at 0800-4050050 (toll-free).