The best family-friendly hikes and walks in Ontginningslandschap De Maatjes

Ludo Delcroix is the man, once a loyal domestique of a certain Eddy Merckx by the way! And, perhaps less known, father of singer Nathalie van Laïs.

A piece of the death line, important for this region.

Beautiful nature reserve and fully developing, still very quiet at the moment.

Valuable nature reserve and so beautiful and quiet in the early morning.

Wolfsheuvel in Wuustwezel is an excellent location for birdwatchers, partly due to the presence of a birdwatching wall at the fen. Here you can observe various bird species in peace, including the black woodpecker, buzzard and reed warbler. In addition, the area offers varied habitats such as forests, fields and meadows, which attract a rich biodiversity.

The nature reserve is located in the municipalities of Kalmthout and Wuustwezel, on the Dutch border. It is a small reed marsh with surrounding, sometimes wet grasslands and many rows of trees and wood edges. Together with its Dutch counterpart 'De Matjens', De Maatjes forms a cross-border nature reserve. It is especially important as a habitat for various species of reed and meadow birds. A beautiful area to come for a walk and enjoy the open landscape. From peat extraction area to nature The cross-border nature reserve was originally a stream valley with marshes, which is why it is relatively low-lying. Over time, the marshes have been used as a peat extraction area. This happened, among other things, with the construction of the Roosendaalse Vaart. These peat canals are still present in the area and ensure drainage of the area. At the same time, the regional agricultural area increased, especially on higher grounds. The share of extensively managed grasslands decreased. De Maatjes/de Matjens, the lower part of the original area, are the last remnant of the former marshland. European top nature De Maatjes is part of the European nature network Natura 2000 and is designated as a bird directive area. For example, it is a priority for De Maatjes that we work on restoring good water management, so that the conditions for bird species such as the curlew, hen harrier and bittern can improve. These are bird species that require a larger habitat than the current area. That is why, among other things, expanding suitable grasslands and reed land is important. With a number of targeted development works, the Agency for Nature and Forests is restoring the habitat of European protected bird species in De Maatjes. The improvement of nature not only makes the area more valuable for the characteristic marsh species, but also for visitors. The works fit in with the Blue Deal programme, which aims to restore wet nature. These areas are known for their sponge effect and form important carbon storage sites, so that their restoration counteracts the negative effects of climate change. Read more about the works. Lookout tower De Klot Be sure to visit De Klot, a 7-metre-high lookout tower from which you can look out over the wide area. The name 'de Klot' refers to a clog, a lump of peat or turf. You will also get more information about the peat past.

On Sunday 4 November 2012, the Wolfsheuvel domain was festively opened. Thanks in part to the efforts of the municipal council of Wuustwezel and the village council of Achterbroek, everyone can go for a walk in the 60-hectare area. In 2010, the Agency for Nature and Forest became the owner of the Wolfsheuvel domain, which is still often referred to as the Boerenbond forest. The forest, which had been closed off for years, was opened up for soft recreation in 2012. An information board has been installed and walking paths have been marked out. A bridle path has also been constructed in the domain and there is a separate play forest for children and youth associations where they can romp around to their heart's content.

The nature reserve is located in the municipalities of Kalmthout and Wuustwezel, on the Dutch border. It is a small reed marsh with surrounding, sometimes wet grasslands and many rows of trees and wood edges. Together with its Dutch counterpart 'De Matjens', De Maatjes forms a cross-border nature reserve. It is especially important as a habitat for various species of reed and meadow birds. A beautiful area to come and walk and enjoy the open landscape.