Chaam woods trade route: Merchants | Border Stories

Begin this 48-km-long route at the small yet lively Ginnekenmarkt in Breda and prepare yourself for a route that goes through the beautiful countryside. Take a break in Alphen or Chaam. Follow your route through the charming outskirts of Grensland De Baronie and allow yourself to be carried along by the River Mark in the idyllic Markdal valley. You will experience the story of the merchants along this route. If you want to know more about robbers along this historic trade route, take a look at the route here.

Discover the merchants’ story 
The cycling tour that you will be following guides you along a road that is now called the Fietsallee or Bicycle Avenue. This used to be the Maastrichtse Baan – a trade route between Breda and Maastricht on a sandy road that was a kilometre wide at times. The route was both famous and infamous. Will you cycle along with us?

October 1646 - Merchant Johannes pushes a lock of long grey hair out of his eyes. The rain has made his hair and a strong wind blows it about. It looks like it will be a long journey, from Breda all the way to Maastricht. He is leaving this afternoon with his son Arthur. They are travelling by horse cart, which is filled with sugar, cheese, herring, wood, cotton and ammunition. The cart also holds spices such as nutmeg, pepper, cardamon, cloves and cinnamon. Although Johannes wants nothing to do with those strange flavours, he knows that these spices are worth their weight in gold. He makes a pretty penny buying and selling them.

Johannes and Arthur leave the Ginnekenmarkt in Breda, travelling south on the sandy road. They cross the Duivelsbrug and pass over the Mark river – the river on which their goods arrived by boat from Holland not so long ago.

The journey is not easy going today. It has been raining for weeks on end and the muddy tracks on the road are growing deeper and deeper. It is also very busy along the route. Johannes is glad that Arthur is with him. They are not riding in a convoy today. It just didn’t work out to travel with other merchants. But the products must be delivered. Spoilage and an unpleasant odour lurk: there is fish and cheese in their cart.

Plenty of dangers await the merchants along the way. The infamous Adriaan van Campen is said to be here. Van Campen has it in for farmers in the neighbourhood of Bavel in particular. He blackmails them. And if they don’t pay him, he pounds on the doors and windows of the farm, shouting all the while: ‘Open up, we’re here!’ Adriaan is by himself, but his shouting that there are more people than just him gives the farmer in question the fright of his life. Well, at least he only attacks farmers. But Johannes and Arthur would rather not meet him.

By this time, Johannes knows this route like the back of his hand, which is his secret strength. He knows that it is particularly dangerous at the Eiken Mik. The road is worse there than anywhere else. For years already, the infamous Alphen Gang has been attacking tired travellers at that particular point. Johannes has come up with a solution. At the beginning of the trade route, the ‘Haeneveren’ will join them. These mercenaries will protect the travellers against bands of robbers such as the Zwartmakers, so called because they blacken their faces. They can be recognised by the cock’s feather on their hood. Johannes is good friends with their leader. He and his gang are willing to travel with the two merchants for a while for next to nothing. 

After that, they must still pass through that damned Chaamse Beken nature reserve. There is literally no getting around it. And that means that Arthur and Johannes will later, in the pouring rain, have to find the lowest point to cross with their horse and cart. Quite the challenge, especially with their heavy cargo. 

Johannes remembers the time that a coupling between the cart and a wheel broke. He couldn’t go on. There he was, on the path called the Geuzenpad. But then, as if sent by the Lord himself, a small group of churchgoers appeared on the road, led by a preacher. They were on their way from Chaam to Gilze. With united forces, the group lifted the heavy cart and Johannes crawled under the cart to repair the coupling piece. That was a lucky coincidence! Johannes hopes that he and Arthur won’t break down again this time.

Today father and son are travelling to De Hooikar inn, near Alphen. A nice first stop on their long journey. They must be careful along the way. The area through which they are travelling is mostly sandy and heath with no protection. The pouring rain and hard wind will make it impossible to see very far ahead. If a band of robbers is lying in wait, they will most certainly not see them in time. 

The Eiken Mik is emerging in the distance. Will Johannes and Arthur succeed in getting to De Hooikar with their costly goods intact? Cycle from Breda to Alphen and follow in the tracks of their wheels.

Border Stories
Border stories demonstrate the versatility of the region of North Brabant in a unique manner. North Brabant is located on the border of the Netherlands and Belgium and between the provinces of Limburg, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland and Gelderland. The border has a rich history with stories about smugglers, closed borders and borderless collaborations. There is a reason why this border has always played an important role in the life of the people of Brabant. Experience routes that have been developed with this theme tell the story of the Brabant border and the unlimited nature of the region. View them all via visitbrabant.com/en.  

Grensland De Baronie, wonderful natural land
Grensland De Baronie is the green heart between the cities of Breda, Tilburg and the Belgian border. This region used to be called the ‘playground of the nobility’ who amused themselves here on their estates. Now it is a region where you can stop to catch your breath, out here in the countryside, where it is very green. You will be welcomed by our people with open arms. Whether on your bicycle, on foot or on horse, you will discover places you have never seen before. The exciting history of this area will astonish you. Grensland De Baronie is a wonderful natural land where you can get lost in unique stories.