Liberation route Bergeijk

( 3 hour 55 minutes ) 47 km

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This route goes through the area where the English scouts first arrived on Dutch territory. In the run-up to Operation Market Garden, this group of scouts was able to move almost as far as the River Dommel. In the Kempen, you'll find many stories of courage and of struggle. The early arrival of the English brought hope. Yet much had to be endured before the liberation finally happened. The locations of the crashed planes and the stories of the difficult passage of the English tanks bears witness to this.

The Liberation Route Brabant tells the story of the liberation, but also shows what the Second World War was like for ordinary people who lived in Brabant at the time. Eight cycling routes, spread across North Brabant, lead you past the Brabant Remembers stories, the Liberation Route Europe audio columns, monuments and museums. Together they make the impact of the war on North Brabant clear, even all these years later.

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Sights on this route

De Muzenval

A beautiful building in the heart of the village where various disciplines in the fields of culture and welfare come together.

Peace Dove Memorial

The bronze dove on a rock symbolizes human suffering.

Statue of Saint Joseph

This statue was donated by the people who went into hiding during the Second World War in the Sint-Jacobus Monastery.

Our Lady Chapel Eersel

A stained-glass window in the chapel of Our Lady in Eersel tells the story of the unmarried Hoeks brothers.

Crashed Aircraft Memorial

Shortly after D-Day, on 22 June 1944 at 1:00 a.m., an English AVRO Lancaster III crashed in flames at Walik, in the Waliker Heath.

Hiding Place Farm Hertheuvelsehoef

In the summer of 1944, the unmarried brothers Janus (60), Jan (58), and Driek Hoeks (54) lived together on the Hertheuvelsehoef, on the border between Eersel and Bergeijk.

De Hofkaemer

De Hofkaemer in Bergeijk is a welcoming local restaurant which serves 80% local produce and has a menu that changes with the seasons. You can enjoy contemporary meals in an easy-going, homely atmosphere.

Laundry room behind the church in Bergeijk

Not everywhere was there brutal warfare. For children, the war was often a great adventure.

Wellington HZ520 Monument

On 22 June at 1:20 in the morning, a bomber crashed beside the Borkelsedijk in Bergeijk . This Wellington HZ520, from the 429th Squadron, was shot down by the notorious night fighter pilot Werner Baake. The stricken aircraft was taking part in a bombing m

Gentlemen’s Farm De Bunker

Foundation Werkgemeenschap Ideecentrum, operating under the name Herenboerderij De Bunker, is a unique location.

Valkenswaard War Cemetery

Valkenswaard was the first town in the Netherlands to be liberated by British troops as part of Operation Market Garden. There was heavy fighting in the woods around Bergeijk and Valkenswaard during the advance. The Valkenswaard War Cemetery contains the

Listening Post – A beer for the liberation

As early as September 11, British scouts were in the area. They raced through the Brabant countryside in fast vehicles, tasked with assessing whether the bridge over the Dommel could support tanks.

Poort der Bevrijding (Liberation Gate)

The Bergeijk Liberation Gate Monument is located at De Barrier border crossing where the first liberators passed through on 11 September 1944.

Listening Post – Into an Ambush

Listening post with the story of the British army corps that drove into an ambush.

Former Border Crossing Bergeijkse Barrière

"The Tommies are at the Bergeijkse Barrière!" The news spreads quickly through the village. The 54-year-old Jan Maas hears it too.

De Drie Linden

The beautiful village of Luyksgestel, known for its many, well-maintained hiking and cycle routes, is located in the centre of Kempen. This village is a must if you are going for a bicycle ride in this part of North Brabant.

Kempenmuseum De Acht Zaligheden

Visit Kempenmuseum de Acht Zaligheden and discover how the life of the impoverished Kempish smallholder has changed over the last 100 years.

Restaurant NU

Bicycle café and restaurant NU is the perfect stopping place for everyone who wants to explore the beautiful Kempen area. The former residence of a civil-law notary on Markt street in Eersel offers a charming atmosphere and a child-friendly garden terrace with an Ibiza feeling.