Zuiderwaterlinie – history, culture, cobbles & gravel

For centuries the Zuiderwaterlinie (southern waterline) in Brabant, a historic Province of Belgium, served to protect the country against attacks. If the enemy came too close, the land would be flooded. Inundation, we call that these days. The waterline runs all the way from the city of Bergen op Zoom in the south-west to Grave in the north-east of Brabant.

Everywhere along the line, you find traces of an eventful past. The powder vapours in the fortified towns have disappeared by now, but the walls, ramparts and cannons are still there. Beautiful city monuments serve as reminders of times when soldiers still guarded the gates. You can still visit many of these monuments.

This Zuiderwaterlinie route is a 290-kilometre (180 mile) ride through fortified towns, forts and their surrounding countryside in Brabant.

The route follows the Brabant junction network. Along the way, you can follow the star-shaped symbol that waymarks the Zuiderwaterlinie. Some parts, such as over the ramparts, lead along footpaths. Look at the route profile and get off and push here if necessary as you share the path with other road users.

Each Tour is around 100 to 120 kilometres (62 to 74 miles) long, but you can split the distance too. The route is perfect for bikepacking. The region has plenty of places to stay overnight, you can find them on well-known booking platforms.