The second completed long-distance hiking trail is now a reality: the Southern Waterline trail in the Netherlands! I started this trail in Bergen op Zoom in January 2022 and completed the final part in Grave on 30 December 2024. So it took me almost three years to complete it. This blog is a recap of this remarkable hiking trail.
The time has come: the last hike on the Southern Waterline trail! At least, nothing is what it seems this time. This stretch goes from Reek to Grave (in the Netherlands), and I actually expect the hike to be quite long and boring. It is certainly long (21 km is long for me), but it is by no means boring. There is something for everyone: expansive views over the polder and the Maas river, but you also pass through the woods and heathlands of the Rustven nature reserve and the Reekse Heide en Bossen. And you can soak up some culture in the charming fortified town of Grave.
Wooden shoes trails are fun! I’ve already picked out the next one. In this blog just a short description of the trail (a trail shortener 😉), a few photos and a simple sketch to illustrate. No need for a hiking map, the info on the wooden shoes trails website is clear enough. This time a report about the Lint and Linie trail.
Wooden shoes trails are fun! I’ve already picked out the next one. In this blog just a short description of the trail (a trail shortener 😉), a few photos and a simple sketch to illustrate. No need for a hiking map, the info on the website is clear enough. This time a report about the Slagmaat trail.
Wooden shoes trails are fun! The next trail is already here. In this blog just a short description of the trail (a trail shortener 😉 ), a few photos and a simple sketch to illustrate. No need for a hiking map, the info on the wooden shoe trails website is clear enough. This time a report of the Goilberdinger trail.
A great round trip around and through fortified town of Heusden in the Netherlands, with as many as three beautiful windmills and picturesque streets. I then walk back to the Zeedijk from the previous hike via Oudheusden. This part follows the Southern waterline trail through the village of Doeveren and along the Bergsche Maas river back to Heusden.
Today I start again in Dinteloord, but this time I walk in the other direction, towards Willemstad. I pass two forts of the Southern Waterline: Fort de Hel (the Hell) and Fort Sabina. I end my hike in fortified town Willemstad. No, not on the island of Curaçao, but in the province of North Brabant in the Netherlands.
This time I hike the Southern Waterline trail in the Netherlands in the opposite direction. It is difficult to get very early to the village of De Heen, where I ended last time. It’s easier to go to Dinteloord instead. My plan is to add a trail from Natuurmonumenten at the Dintelse Gorzen to my trail. The Southern Waterline trail only goes past it. A good time to walk an extra detour through this area.
I divided the trail of the Southern Waterline between Halsteren and Steenbergen in the Netherlands into two parts, so that I could make a side trip to Blauwe Sluis. This place is outside the trail, but worthwhile for a visit because of the longest picnic bench and fishing jetty in the Netherlands, as well as bird watching hut de Roode Weel. The first part goes from Halsteren to the outskirts of Steenbergen and the second part from Blauwe Sluis to Fort Henricus and town of De Heen.
A new adventure has begun: the Southern Waterline hiking trail. In this blog, you can read all about the section between Bergen op Zoom and Halsteren in the Netherlands.
