Hiking the Bontven Route in Someren

Start; This Bontven route, consisting of 3 distances, starts from the 't Bontven parking lot along the Kempenweg. You can choose from a route of 3 km, of 4 km and a route of more than 5 km. Follow the signs for the Bontvenroute. 
Description; The walk starts at the Bontven. Although it is so called Bontven, it is not a real ven. It was dug for sand extraction by a contractor named 'de Bont'. The walk takes you through beautiful forest trails. Regardless of the distance you have chosen, you will always arrive at the beautiful vast fen and heath area with a beautiful view of the Strabrechtse Heide. 

Traditionally, the heath was used for grazing sheep. Sods were also cut that were used in the stables. For centuries, the manure from these stables was used on the land. With the invention of fertilizer, the agricultural system changed. Large areas of heathland were reclaimed for agriculture or forestry. If we want to preserve the heathland, management is necessary via sod or grazing. A visit to the heath is worthwhile at any time of the year, but the most beautiful thing is when the Shrub Heath blooms in August. In the distance you can see the Starven, one of the fens on the Strabrechtse Heide. Nationally known is another ven; the Beuven. 
This large fen is important because of its special flora and fauna. If the sod was taken a little too vigorously, sand drifts formed, as can be seen on the way, to the left of the path. Many fields were often completely or partially covered. At the time, these problems led to the introduction of prohibitions on grazing and sod cutting in sand drifts. Here and there a lone Scots Den or Berk serves as a singing post for the Yellowhammer or Tree Lark. With a little patience, the spiral courtship flight of this last bird can be seen early in the spring and the melodious song can also be heard. Courtship refers to the conspicuous behavior, usually of the male, that precedes and follows mating or pairing. 

After the reclamation of the heath, large areas were planted with coniferous Scots Pine. The wood of this tree was mainly used in mining. In these coniferous forests you can hear and see birds such as the Golden Rooster, Black Tit, Matkop, Crested Tit, Blue Tit and Great Tit. In addition to Scots Pine, the coniferous forest also contains spruce and larch. In autumn the needles of this last tree turn a beautiful yellow and then they fall off. Groups of crossbills can be observed here, especially in winter. Common Heath is an evergreen dwarf shrub that grows in the wetter places on the heath. The flowering time falls in the first half of summer. Prostrate branches form a dense mat on the ground and the leaves are usually in whorls of four. The pink, urn-shaped flowers are in umbel-shaped racemes. Heather is an evergreen, strongly branched dwarf shrub that grows mainly on the higher, drier parts of the heath. The leaves are small and scale-like and therefore do not evaporate much water. Partly because of this, heather is well equipped for growing on poor, acidic soil. The plant flowers in late summer. The purple flowers are in clusters. However, on a moorland, all shades from deep purple to almost white can be found.

The free brochure of this Bontven walking route with a map and description of all objects is available at the Tourist Information Point, De Meer 21a Someren, or click the button below; "View full route