Monastery Trail: circular walk Huijbergen

Walk through forests and dunes and discover the natural history of the Huijbergen monastery.

( 3 hour 7 minutes) 14.0 km

Starting point: from your location


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The life of a monk is appealing, nowadays too. Even if just for a brief time. We are going on a sabbatical or a retreat. We take a step back from the everyday hustle and bustle to find the silence within ourselves, to reflect. Monasteries and abbeys in Brabant used to specialise in that. And you can still stay in some of them in special guest accommodation. Tens of thousands of men and women have gone on a retreat, also with the monks of Huijbergen. Retreat literally means to withdraw inside yourself. But you don’t necessarily have to do that between four walls. You can also distance yourself from your schedule, calendar and obligations in the natural greenery, by walking over the long lanes, through enchanting forests and past stunning fens. This monastery circular trail is perfectly suited to that. You will find that out for yourself.

North Brabant monastery life
While walking, …

The life of a monk is appealing, nowadays too. Even if just for a brief time. We are going on a sabbatical or a retreat. We take a step back from the everyday hustle and bustle to find the silence within ourselves, to reflect. Monasteries and abbeys in Brabant used to specialise in that. And you can still stay in some of them in special guest accommodation. Tens of thousands of men and women have gone on a retreat, also with the monks of Huijbergen. Retreat literally means to withdraw inside yourself. But you don’t necessarily have to do that between four walls. You can also distance yourself from your schedule, calendar and obligations in the natural greenery, by walking over the long lanes, through enchanting forests and past stunning fens. This monastery circular trail is perfectly suited to that. You will find that out for yourself.

North Brabant monastery life
While walking, become acquainted with the life and work of the Brabant monks and nuns – then and now. Our Kloosterpad or Monastery Path takes you past around fifty-five monasteries and abbeys in North Brabant in various stages. The total length of the trail is 330 kilometres, but there are also beautiful trails marked out around various monasteries. Check out all stage walks and tours here.

Finding the way with numbered junctions
This walking route has been set out using the numbered junction network in Brabant. Simply follow the route via the signposted junctions, from one number to the next. There are also signposts between the junctions to help you find your way. 

  • Signposting of the monastery tour

    Simply follow the signs and walk along the route from one numbered junction to the next.

    Simply follow the signs and walk along the route from one numbered junction to the next.

Sights on this route

In the 1990s, the Brothers of Huijbergen relocated to a newbuild and much of the original property was sold.

Starting point:

Kloosterdreef
4635 CX Huijbergen
Navigate to starting point
St Marie Monastery (Klooster Sainte Marie)

Bijna zeven eeuwen werkten monniken van de orde der Wilhelmieten in dit gebouw in Huijbergen.

Starting point:

Staartsestraat 2
4635 BB HUIJBERGEN
Wilhelmietenmuseum
77
76
73
33
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31

Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide is een grensoverschrijdend natuurgebied dat doorloopt in de Belgische provincie Antwerpen. Het Nederlandse gedeelte behoort tot een van de Nationale Parken en biedt naast heide ook stuifduinen, weilanden, vennen en bossen.

Starting point:

Putseweg
Ossendrecht
Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide
36
35
22
23

De Volksabdij O.L.V. Ter Duinen is opgericht als jeugdwerkkamp waar ook in onderwijs en zorg werd voorzien.

Starting point:

O.L.V. Ter Duinenlaan 199
4641 RM Ossendrecht
Volksabdij O.L.V. Ter Duinen Detail vooraanzicht Volksabdij
24
92
91
97
79
77

Naast de Broeders van Huijbergen staat de O.L.V. Hemelvaartskerk.

Starting point:

Boomstraat 1
4635 CX Huijbergen
O.L.V. Hemelvaartkerk OLV Hemelvaartkerk

In 1852 betrokken de broeders de voormalige Wilhelmietenpriorij in Huijbergen.

Starting point:

Boomstraat 7
4635 CX Huijbergen
De Broeders van Huijbergen

In the 1990s, the Brothers of Huijbergen relocated to a newbuild and much of the original property was sold.

Starting point:

Kloosterdreef
4635 CX Huijbergen
Navigate to endpoint
St Marie Monastery (Klooster Sainte Marie)

Story of the route

In the 1990s, the Brothers of Huijbergen relocated to a newbuild and much of the original property was sold.

Starting point:

Kloosterdreef
4635 CX Huijbergen
Navigate to starting point
St Marie Monastery (Klooster Sainte Marie)

So, you could also go on a retreat with the monks in Huijbergen – the Hermits of Saint William (de Wilhelmieten). But what else did this monastic order do in its six-century existence? These monks did not exactly sit still. They preoccupied themselves with cultivating and fertilising the wild land. So, it’s as if you can read the true story of these monks in the countryside you cover during this walk.

Huijbergen is a stone’s throw away from the Netherlands’ southern neighbours. The national border between Belgium and the Netherlands was established in1839, and thanks to the Hermits of Saint William, all the cultivated countryside is now part of the Netherlands. You can still see it today along the whimsicalborder near Huijbergen. And in fact, that came in handy for the smugglers in West Brabant that came later. Thanks to the whimsicalline, they could quickly cross the border unseen with the cigarettes, butter, coffee and whatever they brought with them.

The Hermits of Saint William left more behind in Huijbergen. The gatehouse to their abbey, dedicated to Our Lady, from 1610 still stands. The Hermits of Saint William Museum (Wilhelmietenmuseum) is located inside. There, you can read and hear all about their history in the six galleries. The congregation of the Brothers of Huijbergen were established here in 1854. It is the last remaining abbey of the Hermits of Saint William in the Netherlands. A congregation is a religious community just like a monastic order. Communities established before 1550 were called monastic orders and they were called congregations after that date. Fun fact.

Huijbergen has the Brothers of Huijbergen to thank for being well-known, certainly in the originally Catholic South. The brothers believed that you became more human through love, and that everyone has unique opportunities to make the Earth more liveable. That is lovely and still extremely relevant today. What do you think of this conviction? It is a good question to ponder and discuss with your walking companions while following in the footsteps of the Hermits of Saint William.

The countryside you see around you during this walk still betrays the signature of the Hermits of Saint William. But they did more as well. The brothers meant a lot to education. The congregation developed all forms of education: primary, secondary, special and higher education at schools and boarding schools. Nowadays, the national government is responsible for education, but that was not always the case.

Enough talking, it’s time to enjoy the stunning surroundings. Such as for example, Kalmthoutse Heide (heath). ‘Kalm’ means calm in Dutch, so the name says it all. This area has characteristic height differences; indeed, it is situated on Brabant Ridge. You pass fens and forests where you could come across rare plants and animals. So, keep your eyes open. But that is not all, Grenspark de Kalmthoutse Heide (border park) can officially call itself a Quiet Area. The provinces of North Brabant and Flanders did extensive noise measurements, and it turned out that there are no or hardly any unnatural sounds here. That makes this area the ultimate place for a mini retreat, to escape the bustle and bustle of life. Enjoy it!

In the 1990s, the Brothers of Huijbergen relocated to a newbuild and much of the original property was sold.

Starting point:

Kloosterdreef
4635 CX Huijbergen
Navigate to endpoint
St Marie Monastery (Klooster Sainte Marie)
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