Hiking trip: Camino Brabant 'all the way' - 15 days

Your journey begins in the Burgundian capital of North Brabant: ’s-Hertogenbosch. A city steeped in history, with the impressive St. John’s Cathedral as its radiant centerpiece. After checking in at your accommodation, take a leisurely stroll across the Grote Markt and through the surrounding picturesque streets. Enjoy a cup of coffee with a real Bossche bol on one of the many cozy terraces. If you have enough time, be sure to take a boat tour on the Binnendieze – a unique way to discover the city from a different perspective. ’s-Hertogenbosch is the perfect starting point for this 15-day walking tour through the heart of Brabant.

You begin at the Mary Chapel inside the St. John’s Cathedral. From this impressive house of worship, you walk across the Parade and leave the city behind. Soon, the route leads you through the Het Bossche Broek nature reserve, offering beautiful panoramic views along the way. You’ll pass the former home of the Brabant painter Leon Adriaans and follow the path through the lovely Sterrenbosch. In Den Dungen, you can admire the small chapel at De Keer and enjoy a well-deserved break at Theetuin op d’n Dijck. Afterwards, the route continues along picturesque trails and past the historic Zuiderwaterlinie. Your walking day ends at the Church of the Beheading of St. John in Nuland.

You start the day at the Mary Chapel in Nuland. After crossing a few busier roads, you walk through the picturesque valley of the Aa River towards Heeswijk Castle. Besides visiting this top Brabant attraction, you can also enjoy a coffee or lunch at De Barones. The route then leads you past the 19th-century neo-Gothic churches of Heeswijk and Dinther. You continue your journey to the ancient Kilsdonkse Watermill, a unique combination of a grain and oil mill. In the distance, you’ll spot the tower of the beautiful St. Lambertus Basilica in Veghel, a sign that the end of your walking day is near.

As soon as you leave the lively Veghel behind, peace and quiet soon take over on the way to the small church village of Zijtaart. You’ll walk past meadows and farmland with beautiful open views, alternating with the greenery of the Mariahoutse Forests. You then reach Lieshout, home to the charming St. Servatius Chapel and the historic Mill De Leest. Stop here at the Bavaria Brewery Café for a bite or a drink. The arrow-straight Wilhelmina Canal that follows offers a surprising backdrop for the final kilometers, with its rich history and industrial charm. The endpoint of the day is the 14th-century tower of St. Genoveva Church in the green surroundings of Son en Breugel, nestled in the beautiful Dommeldal Valley.

After breakfast in the green, village-like Son en Breugel, you set off toward the vibrant, modern city of Eindhoven. You follow the gently flowing Dommel River through the picturesque valley of the same name - a route filled with tranquility, nature, and history. In Nederwetten, you’ll pass the distinctive tower of the former St. Lambertus Church - a silent witness to centuries of Catholic faith. A little further on, in Nuenen, you’ll see the beautiful Nune Ville, the former home of Margot Begemann, Vincent van Gogh’s tragic lover. Gradually, the landscape begins to change; the peaceful countryside gives way to urban energy. You walk into creative Eindhoven, where design, art, and gastronomy come together.

Starting from the St. Catherine’s Church – a Gothic gem in the heart of Eindhoven – you walk through the green Dommel Park to the idyllic Genneper Watermill, a historic site that once inspired Vincent van Gogh. Following the meandering Dommel River, you take a surprisingly quiet, nature-filled path and cross a charming little bridge onto the Vlinderpad – a flower-rich trail teeming with life. The Grote Vlasroot reveals itself as a beautiful heath and fen landscape that breathes peace and openness. You’ll pass the atmospheric Our Lady Chapel in Heers and finally end your day at the stately St. Cecilia Church, in the old heart of Veldhoven.

Through a characteristic stretch of Brabant countryside, you set off and soon reach the Chapel of Our Lady in ’t Zand – a peaceful spot for a moment of reflection. Along quiet country roads and sandy paths, you continue to Knegsel, which also features a beautifully situated Mary Chapel. In Vessem, the welcoming Pelgrimshoeve offers warm hospitality, while the nearby Mary Chapel serves as a striking landmark along the route. The “Camino” then leads you across the tranquil Buikheide, a lovely nature reserve of forests, ponds, and heathlands. You finish the day in Wintelre, at the St. Willibrordus Church, a beautiful, defining building in the heart of the village.

Today’s beautiful route begins at the Mary Chapel in Wintelre. You’ll walk past picturesque Brabant farmhouses and across the Oirschot Heath. In Oirschot – a perfect spot for a coffee break – you can admire the Franciscan monastery Nazareth and the impressive St. Peter’s Basilica. You then follow the winding Beerze River with its many fish ladders and pass the Spoordonk Watermill, where the chapel offers a lovely place to rest. After that, you continue through the Kampina, a stunning nature reserve with ponds, small stream valleys, and wet heathlands. The stage ends at the St. John’s Church (Joanneskerk) on De Lind.

Through the green center of Oisterwijk, you first walk to the beautiful Mary Chapel in the nearby St. Joseph’s Church. The Oisterwijkse Vennen then offer a delightful stretch of natural beauty before you reach the Abbey of Our Lady of Koningshoeven. Here in Moergestel, the foaming La Trappe beer is brewed. After some rest and reflection on the quiet Kerkeindse Heide, you walk along the canal and the Piushaven, entering the lively city atmosphere. After a peaceful stroll, you arrive at the endpoint: the impressive Heuvelse Kerk, a perfect conclusion to this beautiful route.

After a hearty breakfast, you leave the city through the greenery of the Oude Warande, an 18th-century forest that offers a peaceful start to the day. You walk along quiet paths toward Alphen, passing the Mary Chapel at Willibrordus Church – a place of calm in the heart of the village. The route continues past expansive farmland, interspersed with woodland plots and historic farmhouses. Just before Baarle-Hertog/Nassau, the remarkable border puzzle begins: a maze of enclaves, boundary stones, and stories. In this unique twin town, where Belgium and the Netherlands intertwine, you end the day at St. Remigius Church.

You leave the enclaves of Baarle behind and walk through the quiet outskirts toward Castelré, the most southern point of North Brabant. A short detour takes you to the Mary statue on the Belgian-Dutch border – a beloved pilgrimage site. Following country roads and old peat canals, you reach the wooded surroundings of Chaam. You pass vineyards and a Mary Chapel hidden among the trees. After a stop in the charming Bavel, the route leads you along the historic Mastbos. You finish the day at the impressive Great Church of Breda, where you can conclude this day in quiet reflection.

The longest Camino route begins in the historic heart of Breda. After a coffee in the shadow of the Great Church, you leave the city via Wilhelminapark and walk along the Mark Valley toward Ulvenhout. You cross the Donge River and follow the old peat canal to Dongen, where a small Mary Chapel along the route offers a moment of rest. Through country paths, forests, and quiet fields, you approach Kaatsheuvel. Just before the endpoint, you pass the Huis ter Heide nature reserve, an oasis of tranquility with ponds, sandy paths, and grazing Scottish Highland cattle. The day concludes at the Mary statue in St. Joseph’s Church.

Today’s stage is a beautiful blend of nature and history. You start in the lively Kaatsheuvel, but soon walk along quiet paths into the Loonse and Drunense Dunes – the “Brabant Sahara,” with rolling sand plains and fragrant pine forests. After a short stop at a forest ranger’s hut, you continue toward Giersbergen, an ancient hamlet where time seems to stand still. Here, you can pause at one of the charming farmhouses. Following dike roads and wide-open vistas, you finally reach the fortified town of Heusden. The city gates, canals, and cobbled streets welcome you for the evening, providing a fitting backdrop for the last night of your Camino.

From the fortified town of Heusden, you walk along dikes with wide-open views, following the winding Meuse River toward the dike village of Bokhoven. Along the way, you can enjoy dramatic cloudscapes over the floodplains. You pass Fort Hedikhuizen – part of the former Zuiderwaterlinie – and the fairy-tale drawbridge at Meerwijk Castle. Following a summer-blooming path, you reach Oud Orthen, where the welcoming tearoom in the park around the cemetery may be open. Across the water, the impressive St. John’s Church gleams in view. At the Mary Chapel, you can relax and let the experiences of this beautiful final stage of the Camino Brabant sink in.

After two weeks of walking, it’s time to say goodbye to the Camino Brabant. You carry home the stories, impressions, and encounters you’ve collected along the way. Perhaps you’ll light a candle in St. John’s, or enjoy one last stroll through the city. Whatever you do, you are now a Camino Brabant walker – a title you can wear with pride.