Flirting with the border around Zundert

Varied tour in the border area of the Noorderkempen around Zundert, on quiet field roads with endless views, paved cycle paths through the forest and past a centuries-old inn, where the atmosphere of the past has lingered.

Text and photo Stan Verelst

The route

Departure at the church of Loenhout. LA direction Wuustwezel and immediately after, in front of café Onder den Toren RA, into the Kerkblokstraat. Follow it to the crossroads with the former secretary's or notary's house from 1645 on the left and restaurant 't Schaliënhuis (1) on the right. ● RD into the Dijkweg, direction KP 90. Cycle along the end of the agglomeration sign of Loenhout, venture into the open agricultural landscape and enjoy the beautiful views. Cross the Grote Beek and continue cycling to KP 90. RA, direction KP 01. 400 m further you come to a KP 90 again. ● LA on the German path, still towards KP 01. Continue cycling to the busy Bredabaan. LA along the dotted line cycle path until you can turn into RA Heivelden just before the De Grens party hall. At the end of this narrow asphalt road between fields, past a grove and greenhouses, you come to a T-junction with a chapel. ● RA and a little further into LA the Steenpaalweg. In the end you are on KP 01. RA towards FP 49. Just past the W-Stables riding school, you cycle unnoticed across the Belgian-Dutch border. You can also notice this in the signs of the bicycle network, which are slightly larger in the Netherlands. You bolt through and past a grove and turn further into LA the Kraaiheuvelstraat.

Break with a Zundertbier

Cross the Kleine Beek and cycle at the T-junction in the center of Achtmaal RA. After the square, LA, through the Pastoor de Bakkerstraat, past café De Toekomst and the church until KP 49. RA towards FP 46. Cross an intersection RD, cycle past café Den Thuur and then turn LA into Heiningstraat. ● You cycle past a collection point for scrap iron, greenhouses, an arborist and a dairy farm. When the vowels stop, you pull RA into the forest. At the crossroads of unpaved forest roads you are on KP 46. RD on the cycle path behind the posts, next to the unpaved Moersebaan, direction KP 79. After the forest you have a nice view of the surrounding landscape. ● The dirt road turns into a clinker path. Keep following the cycle path, including the Beukenhoeve and cycle along a lane to KP 79, at the end of the Moersebaan. On the other side is farm In den Kleinen Anker, built in 1670 and renovated in 1913. RA direction KP 88, past Herberg In den Anker (2), where you can enjoy the Zundertbieren. ● Cycle along the cycle path next to the Rucphenseweg and then turn LA into the Professor H. van der Hoevenstraat, a beautiful lane with a cycle path that is blocked off from the roadway with poles.

Say 'ns Aa

After the drive it continues through the open landscape. The cycle path behind the poles continues. At the crossroads with KP 88 RA, through the Heischoorstraat, direction Klein-Zundert and Zundert and KP 14. ● You cycle along a dotted line cycle path until you can take the Ettensebaan in the direction of Etten-Leur. Even now you are on a dotted cycle path, but now it is colored red. Turn onto RA into Luitertweg, direction Klein-Zundert and Zundert. ● On KP 14, turn LA into St-Willebrordusstraat, direction KP 12. You bolt past a tree nursery, cross an intersection and turn at the T-junction RA and continue cycling through the Palmbosstraat. Follow it to KP 12 on the busy N263. Cross that RD, towards KP 04. It now continues on the dotted line cycle path of the Voorste Schaapsdijk. Cross the Aa and cycle past a tree nursery to the priority road with KP 04. RA over the Oekelsebaan, direction KP 03 and then LA into the Laarakkerstraat. ● Along each side of the road there is a canal and you cycle between separate buildings. Then head into the forest.

French Job

When you get out, you cycle through the open countryside and along the edge of the forest. Where it goes straight ahead, at a tree nursery, you turn with the road RA. ● Continue cycling until you reach KP 03. LA, direction KP 47, over the Frans Baantje, a narrow asphalt strip behind poles for cyclists, next to a dirt road. You cycle through the forest and along the edge of the forest to a priority road. RD. This is also the Frans Baantje, but now a tiled road with an asphalt cycle path behind a grass strip. ● The cycle path briefly enters the forest, more or less parallel to the tile road. Cross an intersection and continue cycling to the T-junction. RA over the Gaardsebaan until you can turn into the Krochtenweg just before a farm, LA. It turns into a narrow paved cycle path behind poles next to an unpaved forest road. On the way there is a small piece of paved and then it continues again on a bicycle path behind poles. ● After a farm, the road is paved again and you cycle past a parking lot for walkers and cyclists to KP 47. LA through the Maalbergenstraat to KP 56. RD, towards FP 51. Just before the edge of the forest, turn LA into the wide dirt forest road. ● You cross the Dutch-Belgian border again and cycle over asphalt when you come out of the forest. At the end of the road LA. Where it gets straight to a dead end, RA.

Beautiful open countryside

You drive past the Tea Garden (3) and continue cycling to the quadrangle with KP 51. RA Blauwputten, direction KP 94. Ignore a first road on the right and turn into the second RA. You now cycle through a beautiful open landscape with beautiful views. ● Cross an intersection RD and continue cycling through Vaalmoer. At the T-junction RA. On the left you see a number of wind turbines. Then turn onto the first road into LA until you reach the priority road with the name sign of Meer on the left and that of Loenhout, RD de Vlamingstraat on the right. ● On KP 94, RA through the Muntweg, direction KP 95. Left wind turbines, cycle further along some farms through the open landscape. Cross a priority road RD and continue cycling through the Jonkerweg. Cross the Blauwputbeek and further on a dangerous intersection and turn at the T-junction with KP 95 RA, towards KP 90. ● Then turn LA into the Hoekweg. Cross the Sluiskensbeek and turn at the T-junction LA, past farm Den Dam and then RA into the Molenbosweg. Cross the Weehagensebeek and cycle past the loenhout agglomeration sign. At a dangerous intersection turn LA and at the end of the short street RA. Continue cycling along the Far-West to 't Schaliënhuis. You were here before and you know your way around. LA through the Kerkblokstraat to the church of Loenhout.