Best, Vessem, Spoordonk

The Brabant village of Best has a lot to offer: from a cosy centre to beautiful nature areas within cycling distance. During this cycle route, you will pass the Oirschotse Heide. This area is mainly military training grounds and for the most part not accessible, but in the south-western part there is a cycle path which allows you to still enjoy this nature reserve. Luckily, because the area is beautiful! You will find a variety of heathland, woods and fens. This variety attracts all kinds of small animal species, such as numerous dragonflies, butterflies and newts.

Finds of flints and tools from the Stone Age (10,000-4,000 BC) have been made on the heathland. It can therefore be concluded that people were already living in this area at that time. You might even see the Bronze Age burial mound during your cycle route.

In the surroundings of Best, you will come across many poplars. The town used to be the centre of clog-making, and mainly poplar wood was used for this.

By now, you may have come across Best's municipal coat of arms and wonder who the person depicted on it is. That is Saint Odulphus, the patron saint of Best. A legend tells that when Odulphus was a young man still in training in Oirschot, he had once missed out on an award. He therefore doubted whether he was good enough to finish the training. He left for home, but on the way he met an angel who gave him a golden apple. With that, he regained his self-confidence.

One of the industrial monuments you can find in Best is the Batafabriek. The first Batafa factory was established in 1894 in the Czech Republic by the Czech brothers Bat'a and produced shoes. The company had branches all over the world, from Canada, France, England, Croatia to India. And so in the Netherlands in Best. In 1933, a veritable Bata village was built where staff could live. Two authentic workers' houses can still be found as monuments in this part of Best.

With this cycle route, you will discover Best and the surrounding area. From nature to cultural monuments, this route has it all!