Food and drinks
Geniet van de gastronomie van de Kempen. Op loopafstand of op fietsafstand.
You can visit our restaurant across the road, Nonsense Pub, Gift & Craftshop, for a delicious lunch, snack, or dinner prepared with fruits and vegetables from our very own garden. The restaurant also has an extensive beer menu.
Please feel free to come and have a look in our garden! And while you are out enjoying yourself on the terrace, your children are provided for as well, because there is plenty of room for them to play. We also welcome dogs and horses at our campgrounds!
And of course there are plenty of places nearby where you can enjoy a drink and have a bite, ranging from snack bars to restaurants.
Hiking
Starting from the campground, there are various hiking routes that take you to, for example, the Cartierheide heath.
An attractive area featuring fens and many species of plants and animals. Staatsbosbeheer, the Dutch Forestry Agency, maintains the heath through cutting sods and having the area grazed by cows. This area is definitely worth a visit.
There is also a network of hiking routes in the area, which you can use to easily plan your own hike. We have also marked out several routes ourselves, ranging from 3 to 15 kilometres in distance. You can borrow a map of these routes at our restaurant, Nonsense Pub, Gift & Craftshop. Apart from these, there are also various large-scale, nationally recognised walking routes that run through the De Kempen area, such as the Vennekespad (‘fen path’) and the Grenslandpad (‘border land path’), which offer a variety of wooded areas, heathland, and agricultural areas.
Cycling
Within a stone’s throw away from our campground, there are various points where you can access the so-called ‘cycling network’.
This cross-border network offers many opportunities to explore the surroundings, enjoy the beauty of nature, and the countless restaurants with their pleasant terraces. Do be sure to visit our Belgian neighbours; go see the Postel abbey, or take the Maaij, Liskes, and Malpie routes down to the so-called ‘Achelse Kluis’ or St Benedict Abbey in Achel. De Maai – De Liskes and De Malpie are very characteristic nature reserves that feature their own distinctive flora and fauna.
We are working on a new cycling network in South-East Brabant. The current signs for “centrum” (city centre) and “richting fietsnetwerk” (way to cycling network) will be replaced by more than 100 extra junctions which will enable cyclists to explore the Brabant region even better. New routes will also be added. Lastly, all the current cycling signs will be replaced with up-to-date map images.
This work will be done in phases and will be completed before 1 May 2016. During the period of transition, all routes will have small signs containing information and a current map regarding the new junctions in the new situation. All information regarding the current situation and activities can be found on the website www.routesinbrabant.nl. There you will find everything you need to know and you can digitally plan your route.
You will also find information on the map about the new cycling network and your region. NOTE: Cycling maps that you already own may be outdated and therefore contain information that is no longer accurate in the current situation.
For more information visit: www.visitbrabant.nl
Mountainbiking
This area also has plenty of opportunities for more sporty (off-road) cyclists to enjoy themselves.
The marked-out mountain biking routes in the De Kempen Forestry make up 145 kilometres altogether. After you have completed your ride, you can hose down your bike at the cleaning area across the road at Nonsense Pub, Gift & Craftshop, and clean yourself up in the showers at our campground. For a small fee, these facilities are also available for external visitors.
Swimming
Er zijn ontzettende veel mooie plekken om in de zomer even af te koelen in en aan het water.
The E3 beach in Eersel, around 10 kilometres away
An excavation site featuring natural water and a beach park for all ages. From April, the beach is open daily, from 10:00am to 6:00pm. “Recovering from the stress of everyday life, lazing about in the sunshine, relaxing on the beach or on the lawns, 100% bliss! In the middle of the forest, close to Eersel, there is a unique spot: the E3 beach. This extensive, white sandy beach stretches from the edge of the forest right down to the water’s edge. There are various luscious green lawns for those who do not like the feeling of sand between their toes. In the sunshine, in the shade, in the hustle and bustle or in a quieter spot; there is a perfect place for everyone on these extensive grounds.”
Across the border with Belgium, in the town of Mol, around 7 kilometres away, you will find the Zilvermeer (‘silver lake’)
“At the heart of the Zilvermeer Provincial Recreation Domain lies the swimming pond, which features two whirlpools, a water screen, and a water cannon; these transform the waters into a roiling sea and imbue the pond with a sense of adventure. A climbing tower with several water slides is the pond’s crowning glory. Swimming is perfectly safe for small children, because the pond is very shallow for the most part.” The Zilvermeer lake is open for recreational visitors daily from April, from 08:30am until 9:00pm.
Closer to home, around 3 kilometres away, is the SterrenStrand (‘Star beach’)
Part of the Ter Spegelt campground. This playing/swimming pool is more suitable for the little ones. “Enter a world of sand surrounding the 5-starred facilities of Ter Spegelt. Climb in the spectacular climbing castle (8 metres high!) and meet Freule, the lady of the castle. Play ‘the floor is lava’ on Timo Timing’s challenging path. Visit Zilva’s Harbour to discover ways to transport water and sand; there is a new discovery to be made in each little house! Find the secret entryway to the underground labyrinth, a maze of hallways that is bound to keep you entertained for hours. The SterrenStrand playground is surrounded by natural waters that are approx. 40 centimetres deep, perfect for playing in, splashing about, and making a mess with water and sand.
For the true swimming fanatics, Eersel has an indoor pool, called De Albatros (‘the albatross’).
“The De Albatros Pool consists of two pools, an Olympic-sized swimming pool featuring 3 25-metre lanes and ranging in depth from 1.10 to 2 metres, and a teaching pool that measures 12 by 6 metres and ranges in depth from 0.40 to 1.10 metres. All of the necessary facilities are available; separate large changing rooms for men and women, changing stalls, toilets, and a separate changing room for disabled people featuring a toilet, showers, and lockers. There is also a toilet for disabled people in the viewing area that looks out over the pool. All of the facilities are easily accessible for disabled people. Moreover, the pool not only has sufficient changing room space and special toilets, but also broad stairs and a bath lift, which make it possible for disabled people to swim in our pool as well.” For the current opening hours and recreational swimming hours, please go to http://www.zwembad-albatros.nl/recreatief-zwemmen/
There are several other swimming facilities across the border in Belgium, such as the city pool in Lommel, the Aqua Mundo at the Lommel Centerparcs location, and many more.
Fishing
There are various sites in the area (within a range of 10 kilometres) where you can go fishing if you are in possession of a fishing permit.
One-day permits can be obtained from the reception desk at our campsite.