The best traffic-free bike rides in Landschotsche Heide

Very cozy spot!

Larger covered rest area at the intersection of Poppelseweg and several hiking and cycling paths.

The Volmolen (Full Mill) is one of the most characteristic watermills in the Brabantine Dommel Valley. The power of the river was already being harnessed here in the Middle Ages. The mill's name comes from the "fulling" of wool: using running water and hammers to make the wool denser and firmer. This made the mill an important player in the region's textile industry. The Volmolen is idyllically situated: nestled among poplars and meadows, right on the meandering Dommel River. The rushing of the water and the lapping of the blades give the place an almost timeless atmosphere. Walkers passing by experience the connection between cultural history and nature – a reminder of how people coexisted with the landscape for centuries. Around the mill, damp meadows, stream valley forests, and open fields alternate. The place has a different character in every season: from blooming marsh marigolds in spring to colorful autumn forests later in the year. Moreover, it's an area where, with a bit of luck, you might spot kingfishers, herons, and deer. A visit to the Volmolen is more than just a stopover: it's a glimpse into the past and an ode to the harmony between man and nature in the Brabant landscape.

A small monument along the cycle path, just before you cycle into the forest and heathland area from Oirschot.

Enjoy cycling along the Wilhelmina Canal towards Oirschot

Nice bike ride through the woods

Along this route you will see several fens.

The monument consists of four concrete columns, topped with a statue of a pelican on its nest, with its young. The pelican is the Christian symbol of total self-sacrifice. According to legend, the bird feeds its young with its own blood. Around the columns is a relief of soldiers mourning a soldier on the ground. The columns are 6.5 meters high. Joe Mann This monument is a tribute to American paratrooper Joe Eugene Mann and all who fought to liberate Best. Joe Mann was an American soldier in World War II. He served with the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army during Operation Market-Garden and was killed in the battle in Best for the bridge over the Wilhelmina Canal on September 19, 1944, sacrificing himself for his fellow soldiers. He absorbed the explosion of a grenade with his back, thereby saving the lives of his comrades. For this act, he was posthumously awarded the highest American military decoration: the Medal of Honor. He is buried at Greenwood Memorial Terrace in Spokane, Washington State. The story of Joe E. Mann only became known in the region later, through a publication by Cees Wittebrood in the Bata Courier on October 22, 1954. This led to the construction of the Joe Mann Theater and the Joe Mann War Memorial. Reliefs on the Monument The reliefs on the monument depict Joe Mann's heroic act. Sergeant Bertras is depicted on the far left of the front, throwing a hand grenade from the shelter where Joe Mann lay with several wounded men. On the far right is Private Laino, who was severely wounded in the face when a grenade exploded on the barrel of his machine gun. The main motif on the front of the monument is Lieutenant Edward Wierszbowski, bending over the dying Joe Mann. The images on the front extend into the relief to the right of the monument, which depicts the wounded Joe Mann in his shelter. This part of the monument bears the United States coat of arms (eagle with coat of arms). The small relief on the back depicts Saint Odulphus, which appears in the coat of arms of the municipality of Best. The left section depicts Private L. Koller, who was killed by a bullet while he slept. The eagle, which appears in the coat of arms of the 101st Airborne Division, is also depicted there. The foot of the monument bears the inscription, which also appears on the Medal of Honor: "His extraordinary courtesy and magnificent conduct were an everlasting inspiration to his comrades, for whom he gave his life." The statue was designed by Nijmegen artist Ad Berntsen and unveiled by Joe Mann's parents on September 17, 1956, in the presence of Mayor Notermans, the military attaché of the American embassy in The Hague, and 13 Americans from the 101st Airborne Division, among many others.