The best walks and hikes around Wijchen

Two monasteries and a small church in the small town of Velp.

Water tower in a then-modern design.

A beautiful, sturdy bridge. On the Grave side. You can see a bunker. There's a monument next to it with information about the Second World War. Turning the wheel plays a spoken commentary. Definitely worth listening to.

I read on the column at the front that the architecture resembles that of fairy tales. A beautiful little castle!

The plot of land on which the chapel stands was likely donated to the Benedictine abbey of Keizersweerd near Düsseldorf in 855. Later, it came into the possession of the Benedictine monastery in Valéry-sur-Somme (north of Paris). The name "Walrick" likely derives from this. The monastery property also included two farms. The current chapel dates from the 15th century. A much larger ruin stood there a hundred years ago. Just as excavations were underway and the ruin was about to be restored, World War II broke out. The Allies were not very careful with the ruin, and little remained. After the war, the chapel was partially rebuilt with old stones from the former castle of Balgoij. Architectural history research has revealed that the chapel once had an attic. Presumably, therefore, the building served not only as a house of worship but also as a hermitage.

In the heart of the forests of the Hatertse and Overasseltse Vennen lies the remarkable chapel of St. Walrick and its accompanying fever tree. The site has become a place of pilgrimage, where for centuries people have hung rags in the tree to cure illness. Legend of the fever tree In the 8th century, the robber chieftain Walrick accidentally captured the great preacher Willibrord. Willibrord persuaded Walrick to convert to Christianity, but only if Willibrord cured his sick daughter. This indeed happened, partly because the daughter hung a rag from a piece of clothing in the tree near the chapel. Fever tree The 'fever tree' does not last forever – so it is clear that its healing role must be taken over by a new tree every so often. The current oak is about a hundred years old.

The Hertogswetering is one of the oldest watercourses in the area around Grave and Velp. This long, straight watercourse was constructed in the Middle Ages as part of the drainage system for the Land van Cuijk region. The construction of this watercourse improved the drainage of the wetlands south of the Meuse River and made them suitable for agriculture. The watercourse flows through an open landscape of fields and grasslands and is fed by smaller ditches and springs in the surrounding area. Over the centuries, it has been straightened and deepened several times, but the original character of a classic Brabant watercourse has been preserved. Along the banks, you'll find reed beds, old pollard willows, and several historic farms that owe their location to the watercourse. On hiking trails in this region, the Hertogswetering often forms a tranquil and recognizable landscape element, offering wide views of the surrounding countryside.

St. Elisabeth's Church in Grave is a neo-Gothic brick church built in 1870–1872, designed by architect C. Weber, one of the most renowned church builders of the 19th century. The church replaced an older medieval parish church and is dedicated to St. Elisabeth of Thuringia. The building is notable for its slender tower, buttresses, and tall pointed-arch windows, typical of the neo-Gothic style. Inside, there are several 19th-century statues of saints and stained-glass windows. Together with the Emmaus Monastery and the area surrounding the market square, the church forms a historic religious ensemble in Grave.