Top 20 Lakes around Veghel

restaurant and cafe with large parking lot on the edge of the Hurkse nature reserve

Bakelse plassen, I think, were created by dredging work. In the distance you can still see sand being extracted there.

Dogs can swim here.

The Wasvenvijver pond is located in the Wasven nature reserve, north of Helmond near Gerwen. It's a small but unique natural area where forest, open spaces, and cultural history converge. The pond itself owes its name to its historical use: linen and textiles were once washed and bleached here in the clear water. Today, it's a peaceful spot to pause for a moment during a walk, surrounded by winding trees and diverse vegetation. Together with the surrounding paths, the Wasvenvijver pond forms a beautiful and characteristic oasis in the Brabant landscape.

Torreven can be admired in all its splendor

Over the years, the Bakelse Plassen have become a rich bird area, both on the banks and on the water. Daubenton's bats also thrive here. And in the early morning hours, you might encounter deer coming to drink. For example, breeding waterfowl can be found here: grebes, little grebes, mute swans, greylag geese, mallards, tufted ducks, gadwalls, little ringed plovers, moorhens, and coots. In 2019, 269 sand martins were counted, and last year, 229 sand martins were counted. Many bird species have also found their breeding grounds and habitats on the banks and the adjacent golf course. Some of the breeding species found here include: the green, black, lesser spotted and great spotted woodpecker, woodlark, barn swallows, tree pipit and meadow pipit, black redstart, stonechat, mockingbird, treecreeper, blackcap, greenfinches, goldfinches, linnet, yellowhammer and the beautiful bullfinch.

In the far west lies a military complex and south of the Mariahoutse Bossen one finds the Heieindse Loop. The area connects to the Vresselse Bos in the west, to the forests of Olen and Mosbulten in the southwest, and to the forests Lijnt and Het Geregt in the east. North of the area lies an extensive agricultural development. In the southeast a small marsh area, the Rietven, connects to the Mariahoutse Bossen. This is now a marsh area with birch and summer oaks. The area is freely accessible. There are walks, bridle paths and an extensive mountain bike trail has been set out in the forest.

The Mariahoutse Bossen, also called Lieshoutse Bossen or Lieshoutse Heide, is an elongated Dutch forest area of 158 ha that is located immediately north of Mariahout. The forest, which is owned by the municipality of Laarbeek, is a young heathland development and mainly consists of plantations of Scots pine, although other tree species can also be found, such as beech. In the southwest of the area lies the Torreven (sometimes also called Torrenven or Torenven). This is an elongated fen that threatened to silt up and was cleaned up in 1992. The area surrounded by heathland remnants is now managed in such a way that the forest edge is pushed back, which counteracts silting up because the wind has more play on the water surface. Here and there, parts are also being stripped of sods and the area is grazed by sheep.