Gravels in the Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide: do or don’t?

The Limburgish Heuvelland, the Veluwe and the Utrechtse Heuvelrug They are fantastic places to cycle. We all know that. But at Cycling Destination we love discovering places that are a bit less obvious. In this blog: Gravels in Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide. A nature reserve between Roosendaal, Bergen op Zoom and Antwerp. And as the name suggests, it is located in both the Netherlands and Belgium. 

Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide

The Kalmthoutse Heide nature reserve covers an area of approximately 60 km2 and, according to the park’s website, this natural area has considerable ecological and cultural historical value. Heides, dunes, forests, meadows and vernal meadows alternate at a rapid pace. All the ingredients for a beautiful bike ride! Additionally, it is an officially designated quiet area. That means that the sounds of nature dominate here. So you are sure to find peace and space. 

We are curious to see if the sound of our tires rolling over the forest ground is the only thing you hear here. So we bike from Breda via Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide to the neighboring Ossendrecht and back. Forget about our final destination, because Ossendrecht isn’t really a place on your bucket list. We chose this place because there were only a few hotels available in the middle of the autumn holidays. 

Are you looking for a nice hotel where cycling is welcome? Then take a look at which accommodations ‘Cycling Destination Approved

If you are cycling from Breda towards the Kalmthoutse Heide Park in Grenspark, we recommend that you go via the Vloeiweide near Breda, the Pannenhoef near Rijsbergen, Horendonk and the Wildertse Dunes. This way you will cycle as much as possible through natural areas. Another tip is to start in Bergen op Zoom and cycle via the Brabantse Wal to the Kalmthoutse Heide Park in Grenspark. This is a large nature reserve with a difference in altitude of as much as twenty meters, so you will have beautiful views. You can even see as far as Zeeland. 

Gravels in Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide

If we can believe Komoot, we can fully immerse ourselves in the gravel heart of this natural area. We therefore have high expectations of Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide! As soon as we approach the natural area, the surroundings are already beautiful. We cycle through a lovely wooded area along fine, quiet roads and gravel paths past villas. As soon as we enter the park, it transforms into a gravel paradise with beautiful sandy paths and views. “This is what we came for!”, I think happily. I say to my friend Thomas: “Wow, it’s really beautiful here, isn’t it?”. He nods in agreement. 

Sudden ending

Unfortunately, that gravel paradise comes to an abrupt end. A little later, as we cycle on a wonderfully wide bike path with smooth asphalt and look out over a beautiful meadow with grazing cows, we have to turn right. Suddenly we come across a fence that makes it very clear that cycling is not intended there. The only way to get into the area is by climbing over a step.  

Turn around a little

We therefore decide not to try it, turn around and cycle along the bike path past the meadow area. That way, we hope there is another exit we can take. But what turns out? At every exit, a sign (sometimes combined with fencing) is displayed stating that cycling is prohibited. And so it turns out that following the bike path is the only option. Through a number of equestrian trails, where we are allowed to cycle, we finally get a glimpse of this beautiful natural area. But we mostly cycle around it rather than through it. Too bad!

In the Dutch part of the Kalmthoutse Heide, gravel biking is quite good, but when we want to cycle back into the Belgian part the next day, we immediately encounter the same problem. Now it turns out that some parts of the area are even completely closed off to visitors. Much of the nature is also private property. And so we cycle more around the area, rather than through it. Too bad! 

Read also: Everything you want to know about bikepacking

Go cycling, mountain biking or hiking instead

Perhaps we just chose the wrong trails and that our gravel experience in this natural area therefore fell short. But the places where you are allowed to cycle are beautiful! Therefore, we recommend that you thoroughly research beforehand where you are allowed and not allowed to cycle. 

Or another option; leave the gravel to the left. The cycling path we talked about earlier is fantastic for cyclists. You can get to the other side of the river by using the bike junctions. beautiful round path around the park making. There are also several mountain biking routes They are worth trying! Please note that you will need a vignette for that. 

But if you really want to experience Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide in silence and see the most beautiful places, we recommend leaving your bike at home and walking.