The best traffic-free bike rides in Zwartwater

This is a very old post mill that, before being moved to Oploo, had two other locations, namely 's Hertogenbosch and Sint Michielsgestel. Before 1663, this mill stood in 's Hertogenbosch. It is not yet entirely clear which of the various post mills there it precisely was. Around 1663, the mill was moved to Halder near Sint-Michielsgestel, where it was succeeded in 1843 by a round stone tower mill: the still existing mill on the Genenberg. Peter Peters had both the new mill built and the outgoing post mill moved to Oploo in St. Michielsgestel. The white stone mill depicted on one of the mill chute's dust covers can certainly be identified as 'the mill on the Genenberg'. This part of the post mill's past is now known but still insufficiently appreciated. In Oploo, De Korenbloem remained in use by the Rutten millers until 1952. In 1966, restoration followed, and the mill came into possession of the then municipality of Oploo through a leasehold arrangement. Later, the municipality became the full owner. During the 1966 restoration, quite a bit changed in the mill's appearance: until then, the casing was painted white with a green border (cf. Uden). The cross-tree, braces, and lifting beams were green with white ends. The gallery railing was green with white tops and red vertical posts. Beneath the cap, "KORENBLOEM" was painted in black letters. The tail beam (a piece of an old sail rod) was tarred black. On the sides of the casing was a six-pointed star, partly painted red and partly green, surrounded by the advertising letters "P. Rutten's ochtendvoer". The storm end was clad with overlapping planks in a herringbone pattern; the breast and windshaft cover were white. The umbrella or substructure was covered with roofing felt. The sail rods had white collars at the hub. The two Potroeden originate from the stage mill of Polder Rozendaal in Haastrecht, dismantled in 1924 (more or less a 'sister' to the still existing mill of Polder Beneden-Haastrecht) and were likely installed here in 1925. In that year, an iron sail rod broke on the post mill (which therefore had to be replaced). In the autumn of 2016, this mill had to be stopped: mainly due to major defects in the suspension of the post and the seat. Turning became an increasingly significant problem. Furthermore, both sail rods needed to be checked. In early 2017, both sail rods were lowered; replacement proved unnecessary. On July 6, 2017, they were reinstalled after repair. In the meantime, sufficient measures have also been taken to straighten the post and casing: the mill can be turned normally again. In the summer of 2021, after agreement had been reached on this some time ago, work began on painting this mill in its old, historical colors with advertising! This is based on the principle of returning the mill to its state around 1946. The wooden tail beam has largely been replaced by an old steel rod, part of the rejected inner rod from De Heimolen in Sint Hubert.

The village of Oploo will be enriched with a cycling monument in 2016. The artwork not only marks Oploo as a cycling stronghold but also highlights the sporting achievements of the brothers Jan, Piet, and Fons van Katwijk. The professional career of the three Van Katwijks spans a total of thirty years. In 1968, Jan, the eldest of the three, became the first professional racer, Piet followed in 1974, Fons in 1977, and was the last to hang up his bike in 1987. A working group consisting of members of the Village Council, the Oploo Cycling Foundation, and the Oploo Art Working Group has been preparing for almost a year. Last weekend, the three brothers were informed of the plans. They expressed surprise and honor. In a period of over 20 years, Oploo regularly made national sports news. If not for the achievements of the trio, then for the pro race held in Oploo in 1969 and the four times Olympia's Tour, then the most prestigious stage race in the Netherlands, finished in Oploo. The three Van Katwijks achieved 63 professional victories together and a total of almost 270 podium places. Before becoming professional racers, they had also stood on the podium hundreds of times. Cycling shaped Oploo, gave the village a certain image. Even today, Oploo is associated with cycling, and the Van Katwijks with Oploo. The artwork/monument is intended to keep alive the memory of the cycling village of Oploo and that special period. It is also special that one family produced three professional racers. The Van Est (Sint Willebrord) and Harings (Scheulder in Limburg) families preceded the Van Katwijks. While the careers of the Oploo cycling brothers spanned a period of thirty years, Van Est and Harings each reached 19 years. The intended location is in the village center, specifically at the junction of Vloetweg and Deken Schmerlingstraat, where a flowerbed currently lies. The location is also on the course of the annual Oploo cycling race. Some notable achievements of the three brothers included their participation in various world championships, the Olympic Games (Piet and Fons), and the Tour de France (Jan four times, Piet three times). All three were among the fastest sprinters in the national cycling peloton, and they also played a significant role internationally. Gerrits, who, like the three brothers, was among the best amateurs in the Netherlands, achieved four victories in four professional years. He also made his mark emphatically on the cycling stronghold of Oploo.

Only place in Europe where a windmill and a watermill are located close to each other.

The only "real" ice cream parlor in the area.

Bridge over the Meuse. Bicycle lane separated from cars. When it comes to bike-friendliness, the Dutch are second to none.

It's a shame that the surrounding area is so industrial. It's really weird where our Dutch neighbors are putting their huge factories.

A stark contrast between industrial surroundings and leisure activities. You'll always pass by here when passing through Wasum; it's unavoidable.

The observation tower offers fantastic views over Wellerlooi, the Meuse River, and the Maasduinen National Park. The tower can be climbed daily from 8:00 a.m. for just €1.20.