Allemanspad walking route in Someren

The route starts at the parking lot of Natuurpoort Vennenhorst along the Provincialeweg Someren-Heeze. Follow the signs for the Allemanspad. 

The free brochure of this ALLEMANSPAD 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 route in PDF" 

Description;
This Allemanspad has been specially constructed as a paved footpath and is therefore extremely suitable for wheelchairs and prams/prams. There is a short and a longer route. The short route of 3 km leads from the parking lot directly to the Keelven, where you then walk around the fen and return to the starting point via the same path. The longer 5 km route, which is also completely paved, also runs through the woods and the bicycle and footpath along the Keelvenweg and back to the starting point.
The name Allemanspad indicates that this path is accessible and usable for everyone, for all people. Allemanspad is a name focused on integration. On the road with the whole family, from young to old, walking with the stroller or wheelchair. Together with everyone we use this path to make the beautiful nature of the Keelven area accessible and to be able to enjoy it. The Allemanspad was built at the initiative of the disability and elderly organizations in Someren in the context of the European year for people with disabilities (2003). 

The path is paved with a nature-friendly fine pebble, called Grauwacke. The Somerense Heide with the Keelven and surroundings: until about the year 1910 the area "Somerense Heide" consisted of large extensive heathlands with swampy parts and a few fens. The forest area is originally a reclamation forest of about 350 hectares, characterized by block-shaped plots. In the past, both forest development and forest management were mainly focused on the production of wood. This wood was mainly intended for supporting the mine shafts in the Dutch coal mines. The stone building that you pass during the walk also dates from the time of production forests. This building was built in 1947 by the municipality for forestry purposes.

The beekeepers' association St.-Ambrosius has been housed here since 1972. Since the main function for wood production disappeared and the quality of the trees was generally very poor, the Nature Development Project "Keelven en omgeving" was started in 1998. The point of departure was to make the Keelven area more attractive for recreational purposes and to transform it into the situation as it was in the past: a large heathland area with fens. 

The Keelven was an open area with shallow water with pool-wet zones on the one hand and drier areas on the other. In order to make this open space more attractive, the existing relief (former fens) has been used in this area and a number of smaller fens have also been dredged. The new fens consist of open water and a wide natural bank with a pool-marsh zone in which fen and wet heath vegetation can develop. In total, 15 hectares of forest have been converted into new fens and heathlands. In order to let the holidaymakers enjoy the natural beauty as much as possible, many facilities have been built, such as picnic sets and benches, a jogging and cooper track, bridleways, mountain bike trails and walking routes, including the Allemanspad.