6 ways to enjoy the beautiful autumn colours in the Brabant countryside to the full

It might often rain or storm, get dark earlier or become a bit colder, but you still need to get outdoors in autumn. What beautiful colours! Yellow, red, brown, orange; trees and bushes in the Brabant woods undergo a phenomenal transformation. Not to mention the toadstools that pop up everywhere! From the turkey tail mushroom to the giant fungus… Which ones can you identify? These are the loveliest places in North Brabant where you can enjoy autumn to the full. Won’t that make you happy?

You will find a varying landscape of pools, plains, forests and sand dunes in the Deurne Peel. Moreover, this is one of the most abundant regions for birds in Western Europe as well as being a beautiful walking area with a rich history of peat extraction. Natuurpoort De Peel, close to the former peat village of Griendtsveen, is an excellent starting point for exploring this region on the border of the provinces of North Brabant and Limburg. You’ll get some beautiful photos here!

The Oisterwijk Woods and Fenlands are centrally located in North Brabant and a short distance from Tilburg in the green heart of Brabant. It’s a wonderful area to walk through, with fairy-tale pools, great places to eat and drink, and benches with lovely views where you can sit and dream. Various walking routes, such as the 14 pools route, start from the Groot Speijck Visitor Centre. This is a paradise for lovers of the outdoor life! And maybe it’s time for a hot chocolate with whipped cream or a glass of red wine? If so, settle down on the heated terrace at Boshuis Venkraai.

Borders seem to disappear in De Plateaux-Hageven, a Dutch-Belgian nature reserve south of Valkenswaard. Walk through woods, past pools, over heathland and through the water meadows; an irrigation system from the 19^th century! The heathland turns purple in the autumn. If you like colours, you really must see this! De Plateaux forms part of the Groote Heide (Large Heath) that comprises no fewer than eighteen nature reserves in the Netherlands and Belgium! Combine a wonderful walk with a piece of design history at De Ploeg weaving mill in Bergeijk.

The Mastbos forest is located on the edge of the historic town of Breda. You can enjoy the beautiful autumn colours at your own pace, surrounded by 500 year old trees. A 5 kilometre TOP Natuurroute passes through the forest, making it perfect for the whole family. It takes you to the Speelbos Boeverijen adventure forest; young and old adventurers who like climbing and building huts will have the time of their lives here. Warm up after a wonderful autumn walk in the Mastbos Hotel; as it gets colder, braziers heat up the terrace! In case you didn’t know, Bouvigne Castle is located on the edge of the Mastbos. It all sounds like a great day out! Discover the other Top Natuurroutes in Brabant.

De Stippelberg is a large nature reserve, tucked away in the east of Brabant, close to the village of De Rips. Take a walk along the lovely oak and beech avenues in the eastern section of the Stippelberg, which form part of the country estate, and discover the small hills (‘berg’) in the middle of the forest that give the nature reserve its name. All these ‘dots’ are sand dunes formed by shifting sands. The Natuurpoort Nederheide is the best place to start exploring this lovely nature reserve. Combine it with a visit to the Overloon War Museum or ZooParc Overloon, just a fifteen minute drive from De Rips.