The best hikes from bus stations in Beestenveld

Beestenveld owes its name to the former use of this 'wild' ground; a field where cows and sheep grazed under the care of a shepherd. The Klotterpeel is named after the peat, or 'klotten', which were dug here from the 14th century onwards. Both areas bordered the Peel in the 19th century. The many drainage ditches show that it used to be quite wet here. And it is precisely because of this wet subsoil that no forest was planted in the Klotterpeel. Here you can still see the landscape of the Peel of yesteryear: fens, bordered by sphagnum moss and heather. Habitat of the common frog. You can best experience this beautiful area while walking. For example, via the many, stately avenues, laid out in 1891 during the large-scale reclamation of the heath. They were used for inspection and maintenance, but also as a buffer against forest fires. Or discover the Koordekanaal, which was dug in 1939 by Dutch soldiers as a defensive work for WWII. The embankment now offers a beautiful view over the water and surrounding forest. The canal is rich in dragonflies, damselflies, (heath) frogs, toads, and viviparous lizards. Bird lovers will also get their fill here, as in the woods you will find, among others, the raven, the tawny owl, and the black woodpecker.

The Koordekanaal is an artificial waterway in the nature reserve Het Beestenveld (located next to Landgoed Stippelberg and De Rips). The canal was constructed around 1939 as part of a defense line just before the Second World War. Various hiking routes run through the area, leading past the remains of the canal. To discover the surroundings, you can consult the route descriptions and hiking maps via Staatsbosbeheer Rondje Koordekanaal or view the hiking possibilities on the Wandelzoekpagina route Langs het Koordekanaal.

Marialaan car park, from here you can start various hiking tours in the Stippelberg nature reserve

the peelse loop a narrower canal runs through the stippelberg nature reserve

This used to be an important crossroads. Centuries-old dirt roads intersected here, enabling passage through the isolated Peel region. A signpost was already noted at this location on military topographic maps dating from around 1810. Important roads through the Peel region. The signpost indicated the direction of the road running from Gemert to Venray. This was therefore the main major Peel thoroughfare. During the French period, around 1810, this road was referred to as "le grande chemin de Gemert à Venray" (the main road from Gemert to Venray). The signpost also indicated the direction of the road running from Deurne/Milheeze to Oploo. Back then, there were no trees yet, and all you saw was an open plain with heathland. Imagine this: it's foggy and you're on foot or with a horse and cart. How useful, then, to have a signpost on your path, pointing you in the right direction. The adjacent Kruisberg (Cross Hill). This was so named because the adjacent "mountain" was bisected by the road structure in the shape of a cross. In the center of the cross stood the old signpost, which disappeared around 1950. The current signpost was installed in 2011 near the old site as a permanent reminder.

This area has a lot of moss and green, but you don't see it very often anymore

the forest ranger's house of stippelberg is beautifully maintained

A steep climb