The best traffic-free bike rides around Best

The Spoordonk Watermill is located on the Beerze River, just outside the center of Spoordonk. It is a historic corn mill that uses the water power of the Beerze River to power its grinding mechanism. The mill consists of a brick building with a wooden wheel and originally dates from the 18th century, although it has been modified and rebuilt several times over the centuries. In the past, the mill not only served to grind grain for the immediate area but also served as an important economic hub for the village and surrounding agricultural areas. Today, the mill functions as a monument and, depending on opening hours, is sometimes open to visitors and hikers who want to learn more about traditional mill construction and the role of watermills in Brabant. For hikers, the Spoordonk Watermill is an interesting historical point along the Beerze River, where you can see the connection between waterways and local businesses in the past.

It's just along the Wilhelmona Canal. There's really not much to it in itself; you're better off cycling into Orischot, which is much more fun.

Beautiful heathland that blooms from mid-August to mid-September. Definitely worth cycling here, but that also applies to other seasons.

Nice bike ride through the woods

Along this route you will see several fens.

A pleasant, relaxing cycling route. At the Stönner-Meijwaard Bridge in Oirschot, there's a sound column where you can listen to relive the events of World War II.

The monument consists of four concrete columns, topped with a statue of a pelican on its nest, with its young. The pelican is the Christian symbol of total self-sacrifice. According to legend, the bird feeds its young with its own blood. Around the columns is a relief of soldiers mourning a soldier on the ground. The columns are 6.5 meters high. Joe Mann This monument is a tribute to American paratrooper Joe Eugene Mann and all who fought to liberate Best. Joe Mann was an American soldier in World War II. He served with the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army during Operation Market-Garden and was killed in the battle in Best for the bridge over the Wilhelmina Canal on September 19, 1944, sacrificing himself for his fellow soldiers. He absorbed the explosion of a grenade with his back, thereby saving the lives of his comrades. For this act, he was posthumously awarded the highest American military decoration: the Medal of Honor. He is buried at Greenwood Memorial Terrace in Spokane, Washington State. The story of Joe E. Mann only became known in the region later, through a publication by Cees Wittebrood in the Bata Courier on October 22, 1954. This led to the construction of the Joe Mann Theater and the Joe Mann War Memorial. Reliefs on the Monument The reliefs on the monument depict Joe Mann's heroic act. Sergeant Bertras is depicted on the far left of the front, throwing a hand grenade from the shelter where Joe Mann lay with several wounded men. On the far right is Private Laino, who was severely wounded in the face when a grenade exploded on the barrel of his machine gun. The main motif on the front of the monument is Lieutenant Edward Wierszbowski, bending over the dying Joe Mann. The images on the front extend into the relief to the right of the monument, which depicts the wounded Joe Mann in his shelter. This part of the monument bears the United States coat of arms (eagle with coat of arms). The small relief on the back depicts Saint Odulphus, which appears in the coat of arms of the municipality of Best. The left section depicts Private L. Koller, who was killed by a bullet while he slept. The eagle, which appears in the coat of arms of the 101st Airborne Division, is also depicted there. The foot of the monument bears the inscription, which also appears on the Medal of Honor: "His extraordinary courtesy and magnificent conduct were an everlasting inspiration to his comrades, for whom he gave his life." The statue was designed by Nijmegen artist Ad Berntsen and unveiled by Joe Mann's parents on September 17, 1956, in the presence of Mayor Notermans, the military attaché of the American embassy in The Hague, and 13 Americans from the 101st Airborne Division, among many others.

Nice route, easy to do on an e-bike. A bit narrow though.