Easy hikes and walks in Ontginningslandschap De Maatjes

A piece of the death line, important for this region.

Valuable nature reserve and so beautiful and quiet in the early morning.

Wolfsheuvel in Wuustwezel is an excellent location for birdwatchers, partly due to the presence of a birdwatching wall at the fen. Here you can observe various bird species in peace, including the black woodpecker, buzzard and reed warbler. In addition, the area offers varied habitats such as forests, fields and meadows, which attract a rich biodiversity.

On Sunday 4 November 2012, the Wolfsheuvel domain was festively opened. Thanks in part to the efforts of the municipal council of Wuustwezel and the village council of Achterbroek, everyone can go for a walk in the 60-hectare area. In 2010, the Agency for Nature and Forest became the owner of the Wolfsheuvel domain, which is still often referred to as the Boerenbond forest. The forest, which had been closed off for years, was opened up for soft recreation in 2012. An information board has been installed and walking paths have been marked out. A bridle path has also been constructed in the domain and there is a separate play forest for children and youth associations where they can romp around to their heart's content.

The nature reserve is located in the municipalities of Kalmthout and Wuustwezel, on the Dutch border. It is a small reed marsh with surrounding, sometimes wet grasslands and many rows of trees and wood edges. Together with its Dutch counterpart 'De Matjens', De Maatjes forms a cross-border nature reserve. It is especially important as a habitat for various species of reed and meadow birds. A beautiful area to come and walk and enjoy the open landscape.

Please note: the lookout tower will be accessible again after reconstruction from 27 September 2024. Nature reserve De Maatjes is a cross-border marsh reed landscape. It is largely located in the municipality of Zundert and in the Belgian municipalities of Wuustwezel and Kalmthout. A 7-metre-high lookout tower has been built near the point where the three municipalities meet, from where you can look out over the wide area. The nature reserve is of great ecological value. Nature lovers and bird watchers will therefore quickly find their way to the lookout tower. Peat extraction The name 'de Klot' refers to a lump of peat or turf. Between the years 1250 and 1750, peat was extracted here on an almost industrial scale. The peat was transported to Roosendaal, Bergen-op-Zoom, Antwerp, etc. From the lookout tower you can still see peat relics in the landscape. After peat extraction, this area spontaneously evolved into a heathland. At the beginning of the 20th century, the fertilisation of this area began. The land consolidation around 1970 gave the landscape its current appearance. From the tower, we can, as it were, show 800 years of landscape evolution. Death Wire Furthermore, plans from the First World War show that the Death Wire ran at the height of the tower. In the context of the many commemorations, a reconstruction of this wire has been placed at the foot of the tower. Various cycle routes run along the Klot and you can also walk in the area using the Dutch and Belgian walking junctions. The lookout tower is located on the corner of Sneygaertstraat and Hanne Wiewauweg. Seven information boards bring the rich history of this area to life.

To prevent young men from moving from Belgium to the neutral Netherlands to reach the front in the Westhoek, the German occupier erected an electric wire barrier along the border with the Netherlands in 1915 (approximately 300 km long).

This entrance gate takes you, as it were, past the swamp part of De Maatjes. When it rains a lot, the water overflows its banks. Good shoes or boots recommended!