Top 17 Natural Monuments around Halderberge

Lovely to enjoy the flowing water here for a moment.

De Oude Buisse Heide is a historic estate of approximately 200 hectares in the municipality of Zundert, near Achtmaal. It is known for its unique combination of nature and cultural history, partly because it was the former summer residence of the artist couple Henriette and Richard Roland Holst. Cultural Heritage: The Roland Holst couple hosted famous guests here and found inspiration for their work. Henriette donated the area to Natuurmonumenten in 1945. Historic Buildings: On the estate, you will find the Buisse Hoeve, the Angorahoeve (the former residence), and Richard Roland Holst's Studio. Some of these properties are available for rent as holiday homes through Buitenleven Vakanties. Vincent van Gogh: The famous painter also developed his love for nature in this area.

The Wheel of Raeybergh, historical interpretation: The street name 'Raaiberg' is a reference to a place of execution dating from the Middle Ages. The name 'Raaiberg' is a corruption of the word 'radberg', a hill or mountain on which a wheel was placed. A wheel is mounted on a large, thick pole on which the condemned person is tied and 'radbraakt' (the breaking of all the bones) with a heavy bar, after which, after a painful death struggle, death follows. In 1340, Nout Goetlief is said to have been broken on the wheel on 'het wheel van Craeybergh', and in 1767 it is Elias Breukeleer's turn to suffer the same fate. The symbolic gravestone is dedicated to him with the text in old Flemish: "Here Elias Breukeleer was back-broken And his head beaten. He had to endure the pain for punishment. His body tied to the wheel For crying and screaming. A warning for the passer-by With wrong ways" The current 'Raeybergh wheel' was erected here in 2021, a good stone's throw from the place where the original stood.

In Essen and Kalmthout, executions were carried out at at least two locations in the 17th century. The most important and perhaps also the oldest location is located at the Boterbergen, but the Raeybergh was also a notorious location at the time. In cases of murder and manslaughter, among other things, the criminal was broken on the wheel and the body was placed on a wheel, as a warning to those who also had bad thoughts. The location was always located near a post office, to warn strangers that crime was severely punished. Moreover, they were also located in a remote area because no one wanted to live near such a horrible place. Incidentally, the bodies were left until they had completely decomposed.

Be surprised by the rich history of this estate. The Oude Buisse Heide is a typical cultural landscape. Vincent van Gogh got his inspiration from the surroundings of the Oude Buisse Heide. It is a wonderful area for cycling or walking through old forests and along meadows, fields, fens and farms.

Along the Oostdijk between the Tonnekreek and Willemstad is 'De Wachter' a special work of art. De Wachter stands exactly on the spot where the storm surge on 1 February 1953 hit and flooded the Ruigenhilpolder. The work of art is an eight-metre-high hill, on which sheep can graze. The work of art De Wachter, by artist Marius Boender, was built along the Hollandsch Diep at the spot where the dike broke during the Flood Disaster in 1953. The reason for the monument was the completion of the dike reinforcement in 2001. The work of art is an eight-metre-high, pyramid-like clay hill, overgrown with grass. You can climb the work of art via a path that winds over the work of art. There is a good chance that you will do so in the company of grazing sheep. The creation of the work of art was a challenge, because factors such as weight (not too heavy), weather resistance (rain and wind) and construction (not subsidence under pressure from visitors) had to be taken into account. Source: https://www.visitmoerdijk.nl/nl/locaties/2645610321/de-wachter

The De Roode Weel wheel was created after a dike breach. It is located in a nature reserve that is part of the Cruijslandse Kreken. This area near the fortified town of Steenbergen is a true paradise for bird lovers. Because it is the domain of, among others, the marsh harrier, water rail, common snipe and little owl. They can be 'secretly' spotted from the birdwatching hut since the beginning of 2018. This architectural masterpiece is located at the bottom of the dike and offers a magnificent view of the Roode Weel. It is made of Accoya wood, just like the picnic jetty at De Blauwe Sluis. This creates unity between the various objects along the West Brabantse Waterlinie. Want to know more? Click through to https://www.zuiderwaterlinie.nl/vestingsteden/natuurgebieden/cruijslandse-kreken

Take a seat and discover the main characters in this water feature. Each season is colored differently. It's up to you to recognize the players. Information boards give tips and reveal external characteristics.