The central meeting and accommodation point is Boscafé De Soete Inval. You will find toilets, additional tourist information and of course a nice place to enjoy the catering offer.
The recreation and nature development project “Keelven and surroundings” was started in 1998. The starting point was to make the Keelven area more attractive for recreation and to transform it into the situation as it used to be: a large heathland area with fens. To achieve this, approximately 15 hectares of poorly growing coniferous wood was felled. To make this open space more attractive, the existing relief (former fens) has been used in this area and some smaller fens have also been dredged. The new fens consist of open water and a wide natural bank with a puddle-marshy zone in which fen and wet heathland vegetation can develop.
The management of the area is aimed at doing justice to nature, forest experience and wood production in a forest through integrated forest management; the management of forests with both deciduous and coniferous wood, young trees and mature trees, shrub vegetation, fallen trunks, open spaces and dead wood. The heath is managed by mowing and grazing by ponies and Scottish Highlanders, who ensure that grasses do not dominate and the area remains poor so that the heath can continue to thrive where possible.
Keelven is located on the south side of Natuurpoort Vennenhorst, a very attractive area in a beautiful landscape with forests, fens and heathland. In order to allow recreationists to benefit as much as possible from the natural beauty, in addition to the signposted theme walking routes that often run through forest paths, special paved walking paths have also been constructed. These unique Allemans routes are accessible for a stroller, wheelchair or mobility scooter. The paths are safe and have no major obstacles. They are rightly walking routes for Alleman! An educational nature trail has also been developed with the IVN and rest points with picnic sets and beautiful viewpoints have been created along the way. There are also signposted cycling and mountain bike routes and horse riding routes through the Keelven area.