The Holy Oak Walking Route | Sagas & Legends routes
Walk nine kilometres through the enchanting area where a babbling river carried a mysterious statue of Mary.
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Impossible! A statue of Mary floating upstream on the Kleine Beerze? That is strange enough as it is. But then the statue mysteriously disappeared from the Oirschotse church and turned up in an old, hollow oak. That really tops it all. Yet it happened here, according to a myth that has been handed down from generation to generation for centuries. The Holy Oak has been felled but on roughly the same spot you will find a beautiful white chapel that commemorates this folk tale. The chapel houses a replica of the statue of Mary; the original is in St Peter’s Basilica in Oirschot. But… is she still there…?
The Kleine Beerze has always been here. But the people who…
Impossible! A statue of Mary floating upstream on the Kleine Beerze? That is strange enough as it is. But then the statue mysteriously disappeared from the Oirschotse church and turned up in an old, hollow oak. That really tops it all. Yet it happened here, according to a myth that has been handed down from generation to generation for centuries. The Holy Oak has been felled but on roughly the same spot you will find a beautiful white chapel that commemorates this folk tale. The chapel houses a replica of the statue of Mary; the original is in St Peter’s Basilica in Oirschot. But… is she still there…?
The Kleine Beerze has always been here. But the people who worked, lived and travelled along this stream have changed over time. On this walking route, you wander nine kilometres through the enchanting area around the Kleine Beerze and Grote Beerze near Oirschot. With its long avenues, dense forests and vast grasslands, something magical could happen here at any moment.
Can you hear creaking branches? It could be a deer, a squirrel, or one of the many birds found in this area. You cross the canal on the drawbridge: this is the area of the Holy Oak. Step over the threshold of the Chapel of the Holy Oak and light a candle. Can you see Mary? After a moment of peace and reflection, you continue your walk through forests, past and over the meandering Kleine Beerze, through natural greenery and passing a farm every so often. Walking here, it is easy to imagine how such amazing stories arose at a beautiful place like this. With your head filled with inspiration, you turn back to the starting point.
For a good cup of coffee and a visit to the impressive Saint Peter’s Basilica, a detour via the equally enchanting Oirschot – before or after your walk – is highly recommended.
Kleine Beerze: stream valley flowing with stories
For more than 10,000 years, the Kleine Beerze has attracted passers-by staying for short or long periods. Hunter-gatherers, Romans, gnomes, pilgrims, looters, pedlars and – today – walkers exploring the area.
Stories come to life wherever people are. Explore the enchanting stream valleys of the Kleine Beerze on five circular walking routes. Discover myths created to explain supernatural phenomena and mysteries that remain unsolved.
The mysterious miracle of Mary
It is the year 1406. A shepherd cannot believe his eyes: a statue of Mary is floating upstream on the Kleine Beerze! He pulls the statue from the water and places it in a hollow oak. A villager doesn’t think it is a suitable place and takes the statue to the church in Oirschot. But the following day, it vanished, only to mysteriously reappear in the hollow of the oak. The villagers saw this as a supernatural sign to build a Mary Chapel on the site of the Holy Oak. The chapel became a popular place of pilgrimage.
Follow the route by the water on which the statue once floated upstream.
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Signposting
Simply follow the signs and walk along the route from one numbered junction to the next.
Signposting
Simply follow the signs and walk along the route from one numbered junction to the next.
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Hotline routes
Hotline routesIf there is something wrong on the route, report it here.
Tips from Brabant residents
Skip map elementsLocations on this route
Chapel of the "Heilige Eik" (Sacred Oak)
This idyllic and beautifully situated Our Lady's chapel (Chapel of the Sacred Oak) in the woods along the stream Beerze is one of the most visited in Brabant with thousands of visitors every year. Light a candle have a nice walk!
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