Long long ago, there was a mysterious population of gnomes who lived in Kempen. These tiny creatures were good to humans and animals alike, but they never showed themselves to humans. It was only at night, when it was dark, that they would appear and would help the people of Kempen with their demanding work. Carpentry, baking, ploughing, nothing was too much for the gnomes. So long as they were left alone. If they weren’t, there would be a price to pay! Follow in the footsteps of the Kempen gnomes, but be warned...
Every evening, as soon as the clock struck ten a…
Long long ago, there was a mysterious population of gnomes who lived in Kempen. These tiny creatures were good to humans and animals alike, but they never showed themselves to humans. It was only at night, when it was dark, that they would appear and would help the people of Kempen with their demanding work. Carpentry, baking, ploughing, nothing was too much for the gnomes. So long as they were left alone. If they weren’t, there would be a price to pay! Follow in the footsteps of the Kempen gnomes, but be warned...
Every evening, as soon as the clock struck ten and the people of Kempen put out their oil lamps, the gnomes would come outside. They knocked on the windows and doors. ‘Everyone to bed!’ And they did mountains of work. They helped the local cheese maker with his cheese recipes and the miller with milling local Kempen grain. And, when the sun began to rise, the gnomes would go back home again. Back to ‘Gnome Mountain’ to sleep. Or to Landgoed Ten Vorsel, to enjoy the beauty of nature.
For years, Kempen was peaceful and harmonious. The gnomes loved their secluded life and the people of Kempen were grateful for their help. That was, until one day, a local farmer let curiosity get the better of him. ‘Who does all that work every night?’ He decided that he would stay up all night and find out - in secret.
Midnight came and the farmer crept out of bed. In his barn, he could hear the sound of tiny footsteps, running back and forth. He quietly peeked through the keyhole. But, before he had the chance to see anything, he got a key in his eye. ‘Ouch!’ cried the farmer in alarm. He was partially blinded. And the gnomes? They resolved never to help the farmer again.
Disappointed, the gnomes left, back to their village, with the palace of Gnome King Kyrië at its heart - an ancient gnome tree. Sadly, the tree had been sick for some time and so Kyrië decided to go in search of herbs that could heal the tree. Anything that would make his tree healthy again.
The farmer, meanwhile, was in a state of despair. ‘I was so used to having help from the gnomes. I don’t know how I’ll keep my farm going.’ To put food on the table, the farmer decided to go hunting. He grabbed his things and walked to the surrounding heaths (4), (5).
Amongst the tall grass, he spotted something moving. ‘Wow, a black grouse!’ The farmer took aim and fired. But, when he got closer, he noticed that he had actually hit something else. It was Gnome King Kyrië! Now the farmer knew for certain that gnomes existed. But, he also knew of the revenge that gnomes could take. He decided to flee. ‘I will never come back here again!’
That evening, the gnomes noticed that their king had disappeared. ‘We need to spread the news quickly.’ They left pancakes and goodies everywhere. As soon as the people of Kempen would find one of these goodies, they’d hear a hushed whisper, ‘go home and tell everyone that Gnome King Kyrië has disappeared!’ The news spread quickly around Kempen.
Shout as loud as you possibly can, ‘Gnome King Kyrië has disappeared!’ Who knows? Maybe you’ll get some goodies too.
To their sorrow, the gnomes never found their king. A few days later, the people of Kempen noticed a large cloud of dust moving over the heath. And with that, the gnomes disappeared. Nobody has ever found out where they went. As a memento, the gnomes left a statue of Gnome King Kyrië behind to remind the people of Kempen that, just like the gnomes, they must be good, friendly and helpful. Only then will the gnomes return. Or perhaps they already have? Take a look at the play areas that the gnomes are so fond of. You might just see one.
Hop off your bicycle and discover…
Make sure to hop off your bicycle and discover the beauty that’s around you. The bustling and vibrant centre of Bladel is full of restaurants, terraces and shops waiting to welcome you with open arms. Discover the beautiful countryside and farms that you’ll have ridden through on your bicycle. Enjoy the peace and quiet around you! For more information, please visit visitbladel.nl. The website provides a programme of local events, places you can go for a drink and bite to eat, accommodation options and a range of tips for a great day out in Bladel and the surrounding area.
Bicycle junctions
Follow the route from junction to junction using the signs to help you navigate. Just cycle from number to number. You can find the numbers of the junctions on the signs at the side of the route. Arrows point you towards your chosen number.
Reporting routes
If you find something wrong with the signage or the route you can report it via the Brabant bicycle junction route reporting point.
