Lovely cycling through the border region of Flanders and North Brabant

The starting point of this route is at the village of Schijf, a bit below Breda and Tilburg. Schijf stands for a piece of cut peat, which already explains the origin of the area. The village is situated on a hill and the surroundings consist largely of peat and heathland. The route runs first eastward and in a few places along the Turfvaart, dug in the seventeenth century, the former important logistical solution for local peat cutting. The surroundings are downright tranquil due to the extensive amount of forest and heathland with, especially around Klein Zundert and Zundert, sophisticated opportunities for that one ultimate nature photo. This region has proved eminently suitable for growing trees in hundreds of varieties and as much as 40% of the workforce is employed in this industry. Through the hamlet of Luitert, we arrive halfway along the route at the border with Belgium, through the villages of Wernhout and Wernhoutsbrug, formerly an extremely important connecting route between Antwerp and Amsterdam. Here we cycle right along the border until we reach the village of Langenschouw, a beautiful piece of nature that was once the subject of fierce discussions when the border was defined between the two countries. The last part of the route is again characterized by beautiful nature and a high chance of encountering various species of birds of prey.