Schootse Hoek Nature Reserve – The Merkske Wooden Bridge loop from Wortel

Hiking trails & Routes

Schootse Hoek Nature Reserve – The Merkske Wooden Bridge loop from Wortel

Moderate

4.5

(25)

hikers

Schootse Hoek Nature Reserve – The Merkske Wooden Bridge loop from Wortel

03:52

15.3km

30m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily walkable paths. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: November 1, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Wortel-kolonie

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

2.18 km

Ancient Forest of Wortel-Kolonie

Highlight • Forest

2.64 km

Schootse Hoek Nature Reserve

Highlight • Forest

3.01 km

De Schootse Hoek

Nature Reserve

3.70 km

De Schootse Hoek

Highlight • Natural

The vast plain and silence radiates tranquility. Countless birds gather here to consider this their habitat.

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4.82 km

Grazing Area Entrance Gate

Highlight • Rest Area

You walk into an area where cows graze. Keep a safe distance!

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5.59 km

The Merkske Wooden Bridge

Highlight • Bridge

Beautiful little hiking trail that is among the most beautiful in Flanders (and the Netherlands).

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5.62 km

Boardwalk along the Merkske

Highlight • Trail

Initially designed for hiking, nothing stops you from picking up your pace on this walk and going for a jog. Proceed carefully, especially on rainy days, to avoid slipping.

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6.35 km

Natuurreservaat Halsche Beemden

Nature Reserve

12.3 km

Chapel of Our Lady of the Field Minderhout

Highlight • Religious Site

The chapel of Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van den Akker owes its name to its legendary origin.
Where the chapel now stands, there used to be nothing more than waste ground and bushes …

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12.9 km

The Laermolen Watermill

Highlight • Monument

A watermill stood here in the 14th century. The mill was largely demolished after 1918. After restoration in the 1990s, the mill was restored to its glory. The current copy …

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15.3 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

5.36 km

5.00 km

3.37 km

1.18 km

380 m

Surfaces

6.00 km

3.84 km

3.34 km

1.18 km

916 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Saturday 7 November

11°C

5°C

28 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 14.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

April 6, 2024,Vlonderpad langs het Merkske – Laermolen rondtocht vanuit Wortel

Very nice walk along forests and open nature reserve. At this time of year boots or sturdy boots are a must, in several places up to the ankles in mud. Which makes the walk quite difficult, but definitely worth it.

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February 23, 2025,Beekdal Het Merkske (en stukje Dodendraadroute) nabij Hoogstraten (België) 23.02.2025

Sunday 23 February 2025.
Today I walked a very nice GPS walk: Beekdal het Merkske, between Hoogstraten (Belgium) and the border with the Netherlands. Start and finish at Café "In Holland", Schootsenhoek 23, Castelre.
Just past the start is an information board of the "Dodendraadroute" visithoogstraten.be/ontdekken/wandelen-en-fietsen/dodendraadroute
It was exciting, walking with GPS for the first time and "what do we …

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August 27, 2022,De Schootse Hoek – Laermolen Rondje vanuit Wortel

Today we made this walk together with Corrie and Leo (Berkeltje). Too bad that a large part was paved. But the first part was definitely worth it.

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February 13, 2024,Schootse Hoek en 't Merkse

A tour through the Schootse Hoek and 't Merkse nature reserves. The planned route could not be followed completely because paths were not passable. Tried to walk through a meadow because that seemed more passable, but that was no success. This is also indicated on the map as a swamp area and that is not without reason...
Quite a nice …

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