De Loonse en Drunense Duinen is a national park in the province North Brabant in the Netherlands. It is located near the villages of Drunen and Loon op Zand. In 2002 the 35 km² area was declared a national park.
background
The national park consists to a large extent of dry sand drifts and coniferous forests, but also includes the elongated Zandleij stream valley in the De Brand nature reserve near Ulvenhout.
In addition to the Loonse and Drunense Duinen, the national park includes:
- The "Plantloon" estate near Waalwijk. This extensive and heavily frequented hiking area combines agricultural area with beautiful avenues. The Dalgenwiel, a dike breakthrough on the river, is best known Meuse.
- The nature reserve "De Brand" in the valley of the Zandleij
- Castle and estate "De Strijdhoef", also in the Zandleij area.
- In the east, an agricultural area of around 200 hectares called "Hengstven" is being converted into a biological nature reserve with meadows rich in flowers.
- The northern border of the area is formed by the Drongelens Kanaal (officially: Abwasserkanal 's-Hertogenbosch-Drongelen). The cycle paths along this canal form a very attractive route that continues into the center of 's-Hertogenbosch.
- To the southwest lies the Huis ter Heide nature reserve, separated by the N261 road and the village of Loon op Zand.
- North of the Drongelens Kanaal, not far from the city of 's-Hertogenbosch, are the Vlijmens Ven and the Moerputten, nature areas with a completely different character.
history
The inland dune was created in the late Middle Ages. It consists of a higher, somewhat rougher and sandy central part, which is surrounded by a somewhat more fertile, but nonetheless nutrient-poor land. The area was able to maintain modest farming communities until the late Middle Ages. In times of relative prosperity, population pressure increases and the cycle of grazing and fertilizing is interrupted. Normally the sheep and goats eat grass and other plants, in this way they draw energy from the land. They return this energy to the soil through their dung.
When the farmers clear trees and let their animals graze more and more in the higher-lying, rough area, the development changes. The sheep's dung is used to enhance the value of one's own fields. In this way they withdraw energy from the vulnerable central area and over time the roots of the plants that hold the sand die off. The soil is exposed and the wind carries away the thin, fertile layer: the loose sand begins to blow. Once started, this process is almost unstoppable. The sand buries entire villages under itself: the medieval villages of Efteling and Westloon are still buried under it.
From the 14th century oaks were planted to hold back the sand dune, and around the 18th and 19th centuries fir trees and beach grass were tried. The area is now stable and there are even plans to clear trees in order to preserve this sand drift, which is unique in Northern Europe.
landscape
The landscape is very varied. There are coniferous and deciduous forests, sandy areas and dunes up to 24 m high. At the edges there are nice meadows and water landscapes.
Flora and fauna
Sand drifts
The living conditions in the sand drifts are extreme. The temperature can rise a lot around summer, the soil is dry in most places and contains only a few nutrients. So bad conditions for many plants and animals. Pioneering plants such as sand sedge, silver grass and blue whistle grass grow on the open sand drifts. These tough varieties hold the sand in place with their strong roots and clear the way for lichens and mosses. The cup lichen is beautiful, especially in spring when the red-brown fruiting bodies develop with spores. The yellow-white Clavaria argillacea, which is on the red list, lives between the mosses.
Transitional area to forest / heather
The transition area from bare sand to forest or heather is particularly interesting. Merchant beetles crawl around in search of prey, characterized by crickets, grasshoppers, predatory flies and hover flies. There are also saw wasps, bumblebees, digger wasps and parasitic wasps as well as special butterfly species such as the ocher velvet butterfly, the little night peacock butterfly and the green hairstreak.
The many insects in turn provide a source of food for the forest lizard, the moor frog and special species of birds such as the heather and skylark, the goat milker, the common redstart and the stonechat.
pagan
The heather is characterized by a rich flora. Common heather grows in the dry heathland, together with creeping willows, lichens and hair moss. The wetter areas are covered with bell heather, creeping willows and blue pipegrass. In some places there is a lot of bulky rush and bristle grass, and in places where small heather lakes form from time to time, hydrophilic plants such as bulbous rush, marsh bear moss and sundew grow.
Woods
The plants and animals that like the sandy subsoil live in the forests that surround the dunes. but seek shelter from the sand drifts. Badger, fox and deer appear here. Green woodpecker, black woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker and nuthatch also live here. Foxes and small martens such as polecats, weasels and ermines can be found in the more densely overgrown parts.
Quarry landscape
The damp soils of the forests and fields in De Brand create a colorful carpet of flowers. Countless wood anemones, lesser celandine, marsh marigolds and other colored plants can then be seen. In sunny places in the forest and at the edge of the forest, the great schiller butterfly and the little kingfisher flutter. The aurora butterflies are numerous in both the forest and the grasslands. There are also numerous hoverflies, mosquitoes and other groups of insects.
The old oak forests are home to special birds such as the oriole and the honey buzzard. The bluethroat and the water rail live in the reed beds. The wet pasture areas in turn form a popular feeding area for the gray heron. The De Brand nature reserve is the most important amphibious area in Brabant with, among others, the moor frog, the mountain newt and the great crested newt. Besides this rich collection of birds, amphibians and insects is in the Loonse en Drunense Duinen the badger active almost every night.
climate
The nature park in the southern province of Noord-Brabant is one of the warmest areas in the Netherlands in summer. Very high temperatures are regularly measured over the sandy soils. Sun lovers get their money's worth here. The number of summer and tropical days is here - among the highest in the country.
getting there
By train and bus
- When arriving from south and West Germany with the ICE you have to get in Utrecht Change centrally to the intercity in the direction Maastricht. With this train it goes up 's-Hertogenbosch.
- When arriving from North and East Germany with the IC from Berlin you have to be in Deventer switch to the intercity to Roosendaal above Nijmegen. Here too you have to be in 's-Hertogenbosch get out.
The Buurtbus 239 (from Veolia) Mon-Fri hourly (8.20 a.m.-1.20 p.m.; 14.17 p.m.-17.17 p.m.) to the bus stop Capucijnenstraat in Biezenmortel. From there it is a 20-minute walk to the "De Rustende Jager" entrance. The same bus goes back at 17.35 h. This line does not operate on weekends. It is then advisable to use the regional taxi (Tel: 0900-5495490 - reserve up to one hour before the desired departure).
By car
The best way to get to the national park from southern and western Germany is via the BAB40 (Dortmund - Duisburg - Straelen) or BAB61 (Speyer - Alzey - Koblenz - Mönchengladbach - GÜG Schwanenhaus). Both lead in from the border Venlo onto the A67 in the direction of the cross Leenderheide. There you drive on the A2 in the direction Utrecht and Amsterdam.
From northern and eastern Germany you can travel via Utrecht at. From there, take the A2 towards Eindhoven.
On the A2 it goes at the cross Vught on the A65 towards Tilburg. After a short time this turns into a trunk road (N65). The fourth crossing is in Helvoirt. There you take the Udenhoutseweg direction Biezenmortel. At De Runsvoort to the left and then the first street on the left. The rest area is at the end of this street De Rustende Jager on your right.
Fees / permits
Entry to the national park is free for pedestrians and cyclists. Mountain bikers (€ 1.00) and riders (€ 4.00) have to pay a small fee for the maintenance of their routes.
mobility
The park is criss-crossed by hiking, biking and riding trails, which are laid out in such a way that these groups don't come to our enclosures too often.
All motorized traffic is not permitted and will be caught in the parking lots at the entrances:
Tourist Attractions
Humans have contributed to the formation of the landscape over the centuries. The drifting sands near built-up areas caused great troubles. The places Westloon and Efteling were even completely covered by the drifting sand. The inhabitants of the former Venloon have built a new village:
- 1 Loon op Zand
- The picturesque 2 Giersbergen is a good example of a hamlet that has been able to defy the blowing sand for around 750 years. This farm supplied agricultural products to Ter Kameren Abbey in Brussels. Many of these historical landscape structures have been preserved. In the immediate vicinity of Giersbergen you can still find old paths, farms and hedgerows.
- Another area of great cultural and historical value is the estate 3 Plantloon in the northeast of the national park. It includes the medieval hamlet of Achterste Hoeven and a cultivation from the 19th and 20th centuries. Magnificent avenues, dikes and open fields give the area the appearance of a country estate in the English landscape style. Also noteworthy is the peat canal, which was dug around 1400 to transport fuel from Kaatsheuvel to ’s-Hertogenbosch.
- On the south side of the national park, the lands with the associated castle are loaded 4 De Strijdhoef for a walk.
The whole area shows traces of intensive human use. Until the beginning of the nineties of the last century, the dunes were used as a military training area. In addition to shrapnel and cartridge cases from the recent past, tools from hunters from the Stone Age can sometimes be found. The drifting sand sometimes makes these objects appear in the sand from one day to the next.
activities
hike
From the inns Bosch en Duin, De Drie Linden, De Roestelberg, De Rustende Jager and De Klinkert there are short hiking trails marked with colored stakes (3.5 - 5 km):
- The Roestelberg walking route (5.5 km, approx. 1.5 h) starts at Café Roestelberg and is marked with yellow posts.
- The Bosch en Duin walking route (4.3 km, approx. 1 h) starts at the Bosch en Duin café-restaurant near Udenhout and is marked with green stakes.
- The Kapucijnenberg hiking route (3.9 km, approx. 1 h) starts at the De Rustende Jager car park near Udenhout and is marked with red posts.
- The Zwarte Berg walking route (4.3 km, approx. 1 h) starts at the hostel De Drie Linden near Drunen and is marked with white stakes.
- The Fellenoorderoute (4 km, approx. 1 hour) starts at Eetcafé De Klinkert and is marked with yellow posts.
Longer distancesthat include the surrounding area (approx. 20 km each) are also marked with stakes (arrow straight / left / right on a small green sign for the hiking trails). Since 2009 there has also been a Hiking route networkwhich includes 125 km of hiking trails through the national park. This network is made up of individual numbered nodes ("Wandelknootenpunt"; note the green markings) and hiking trails in between. A printed map and guide are available at the individual inns as well here available.
To go biking
- There is a marked one through the entire national park Bike route ("Fietsroute"), which runs on extra wide paths.
- There is also a route for Mountain bikerswhich, however, is subject to a charge (€ 1.00 per person and day, € 5.00 / annual ticket). The permits are available at the service area De Rustende Jager, Coffee shop De Drie Linden and cafe De Roestelberg.
horse riding
- It was almost 100 km Bridle paths created. Their use is also chargeable (€ 4.00 / week or € 10.00 / year). These passes are available at De Roestelberg, De Rustende Jager, Coffee shop De Drie Linden, Coffee shop De Klinkaert, the Down the Ruiterhuis, the manege (riding stables) Duykse Hoef, Manege Pullens and arena Van Loon.
miscellaneous
- The supervising nature organizations also lead Excursions by.
shop
- The nature organization that looks after the national park Natural monuments maintains a in Oisterwijk Visitor center (Van Tienhovenlaan 5, Tel: 013-5231800), in which you can not only learn a lot about the nature of the region, but also purchase maps and other material about the national park.
- Open: Tue-Sun 10 am-5pm (Nov-Mar 10 am-4pm).
- Between Easter and October there is also a mobile information cart in the national park around the national park, where maps and brochures are also available.
kitchen
accommodation
Hotels and hostels
- Hotel Wilshof, Kreitenmolenstraat 1, Udenhout. Tel.: 31 13 5111994.
- Hotel-Restaurant De Kruishoeve, Cromvoirtsepad 5, Vught. Tel.: 31 (0)411 642079. Near the recreational lake De IJzeren Man located. The hotel gives price examples for arrangements, e.g. B. Efteling package (BB / HB entry to the Efteling) from € 53 p.p. excl. Tourist tax.
- Conference hotel Guldenberg, Guldenberg 12, Helvoirt. Tel.: 31 (0)411 642424. Price: B / B single € 84.25 p.p.p.n .; Double € 56.25 p.p.p.n.
- 2 Auberge De Moerse Hoeve, Heibloemstraat 12, De Moer. Tel.: 31 (0)13 5799988. Price: double room € 72.00 breakfast € 10.00; Efteling arrangement € 74 (B&B entry), children (4-12) € 45.
- 3 Fletcher Hotel-Restaurant Prinsen, Julianastraat 21, Vlijmen. Tel.: 31 (0)73 5119131. Pleasant atmosphere with an excellent restaurant.Price: single € 64-84; Double € 39.50-49.50 p.p.p.n.
- Hotel Royal, Raadhuisplein 13, Drunen. Tel.: 31 (0)416 277719. Three-star hotel in the center of the village.Price: Standard single € 55.00; Standard double € 67.50; Luxury double room € 95.00.
- 4 NH Waalwijk, Bevrijdingsweg 1, Waalwijk. Tel.: 31 (0)416 674684. Four-star hotel with restaurant and brasserie.Price: rooms from € 77.00.
Bed & Breakfast
- 5 Hoeve De Mertel, Biezenmortelsestraat 8, Biezenmortel. Tel.: 31 (0)13 5111764. Price: Double or 4Z (bathroom / toilet on the corridor) € 25.50; Children (-12) € 22.50; Double or 4 room (with bath / toilet) € 30.50; Children (-12) € 27.50; without breakfast - € 7.50; Surcharge 1 night € 4.00; Surcharge single room € 3.00; Use of kitchen p.p. € 2.50; Tourist tax € 0.84.
camping
There are numerous campsites around the national park. The organization of the Duinboren ("Dune farmers") is particularly connected to the national park and maintains its own campsites on some farms:
- 6 Farm camping and horse boarding house De Kommer, Udenhoutseweg 1, Loon op Zand. Tel.: 31 (0)416 361583. Price: Tariffs (2008): Adults € 4.00; Children (-12) € 2.50; Car € 3.00; Caravan / tent € 3.00; Motorhome € 6.00; Dog € 1.50. Water, electricity, taxes included; Horse (in box with litter and feed) € 12.00; in the pasture € 7.50. Entrance ticket for the national park incl.
- 7 Mini campsite De Klokkenweide, Klokkenlaan 37, Loon op Zand. Tel.: 31 (0)416 362034. Price: Tariffs (2011): 1 adult all-in € 11.00; 2 adults all-in € 15.00; each additional person (all-in) € 4.00. The all-in price includes caravan / tent, car, electricity, shower and taxes. Log cabins from € 250.00 per weekend.
- 8 Mini campsite De Runsvoort, De Runsvoort 2, Helvoirt. Tel.: 31 (0)411 641379. Price: Tariffs (2010): Stand space (incl. 2 people) € 16.50. Each additional person € 4.50; Child (0-6) € 2.50; Dog € 1.00.
- 9 Mini camping Weideblik, Oude Bosschebaan 35, Helvoirt. Tel.: 31 (0)411 641880. Price: Tariffs (2011): Stand space (incl. 2 people) € 17.50. Small trek tents (2 people) € 12.50; Each additional person € 4.00; Child (-12) € 3.50; Dog € 1.00; Tourist tax € 0.85. Use of washing machine / dryer € 4.00.
- 10 Hoeve De Mertel, Biezenmortelsestraat 8, Biezenmortel. Tel.: 31 (0)13 5111764. Price: Tariffs (2010): Stand space (incl. 2 people) € 15.50. Each additional person € 3.50; Dog € 2.50; Tourist tax € 0.84. Use of washing machine / dryer € 4.00.
- Mini campsite De Stamhoeve, Oude Bosschebaan 23, Biezenmortel. Tel.: 31 (0)411 641603. Price: Tariffs (2011): Stand space (incl. 2 people) € 16.50. each additional person € 4.00; Child (-12) € 3.50; Dog € 0.50 (1st dog free); Tourist tax € 0.85.
- 11 Farm campsite De Zandkant, Oude Bosschebaan 14, Biezenmortel. Tel.: 31 (0)13 5111545. Price: Tariffs (2011): Stand space (incl. 2 people) € 15.00. Small trek tents (2 people) € 12.00; Each additional person € 3.25; Child (-12) € 2.25; Dog € 1.00; Tourist tax € 0.85. Use of washing machine / dryer € 3.00. Horse (in box) € 11.00; (in the pasture) € 5.00.
- 12 Mini campsite De Zwammenberg, Zijstraat 20, De Moer. Tel.: 31 (0)13 5156010. Price: Stand space (incl. 2 people) € 16.00. each additional person € 2.75; Child (-12) € 2.50; Dog € 1.00; Tourist tax € 0.95.
security
trips
map
literature
Web links
National park website (Dutch)
