Fig.48 WAA 13800 Trade School (1940) v2.jpg

Through Waspik, Capelle, Spang, Vrijhoeve, Besoijen, Waalwijk and Baardwijk

Out and about in the historic Langstraat

Header photo: Vocational School (1940), A. Oudkerk (photographer) – Waalwijk, Image Bank Streekarchief Langstraat Heusden Altena, WAA13800

"On the Trail in the Historic Langstraat" is a bicycle route that connects the historically distinct cores of Waspik, Capelle, Spang, Vrijhoeve, Besoijen, Waalwijk and Baardwijk.

This varied route passes historically significant points of the individual municipalities. Waalwijk as the current municipality was created by merging the individual cores. In 1922 the cores of Waalwijk, Baardwijk and Besoijen were merged. The original names were dropped in the process; we now talk about Waalwijk center, Waalwijk east and Waalwijk west. In 1923, a similar process took place with the nuclei of Spang, Capelle and Vrijhoeve. They went on to form the municipality of Spang-Capelle. In 1995, a municipal redivision brought together the cores of Waalwijk, Sprang-Capelle and Waspik to form the current municipality of Waalwijk. The original names Spang-Capelle and Waspik can still be found in the nameplates.

In the cores of Waalwijk, Sprang-Capelle and Waspik historically important points have been made visible in attention tiles, 24 in total. On these tiles you will find a short description, often of a building and its function, a photo from the past and a QR code with which additional information can be requested, which can be found on this website.

The route also takes you past hydraulic works that were carried out to drain and keep the low-lying area, the original catchment area of the Meuse, dry. These are the Bergsche Maas, the South drainage canal, the Baardwijkse Overlaat with the Drongelens canal. The route takes you over dikes like the Winterdijk, Zomerdijk and the Elshoutse Zeedijk. You also cycle along remnants of the old, medieval course of the Meuse, both north and south of the Bergsche Maas.

The route can be ridden in its entirety and will be about 42 km long. The route can also be ridden in parts. The western part in about 28 km, the eastern is about 18 km.

You’ll find the directions further down on this page. You can also download the route here as a .GPX file for your navigation app.

The description of the route starts in Waalwijk center, but can be cycled from any other point.

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Photo 1: Grotestraat—A market day in Waalwijk (1920), colorized, A. Oudkerk (photographer)—Waalwijk, Image Bank Streekarchief Langstraat Heusden Altena, WAA10039

Photo 2: Leeuwenkuil - Musis Sacrum (1955), J. de Bont (photographer) - Waalwijk, Image Bank Streekarchief Langstraat Heusden Altena, WAA10096

Photo 3: Capelle Town Hall, 1879–1922, Image Bank Streekarchief Langstraat Heusden Altena, WAA22500

Photo 4: Van Haren Cafeteria, Colorful stained glass by Frank Trommelen

Photo 5: Kiosk in Baardwijk (1950), Wilhelmus Joannes Adrianus Jekel, Image Bank Streekarchief Langstraat Heusden Altena, WAA96374


DISTANCE 43 KM - 1.8 hours Download GPX Download PDF

Starting point: town hall of Waalwijk on the Winterdijk

Full route (42 km) and western shortened route (28 km):

  1. Head west on the Winterdijk.
  2. Turn left on Emmikhovensestraat and immediately right onto Grotestraat.
  3. Before the church, turn right to the location of the Port of Waalwijk (tile no. 12).
  4. Continue on Grotestraat westward past tiles (No. 13), (No. 14) and (No. 15).
  5. Turn left onto the Besoyensestraat.
  6. Cross the Floris V laan / Cartografenweg to the bike path, the Halvezolenpad.
  7. After the bicycle tunnel in a southerly direction to Sprang-Capelle.
  8. At the traffic circle go straight ahead and take the shortcut to the Oude Straat.
  9. Enter the Molenstraat (tile no. 19).
  10. Turn right on the van der Duinstraat. This road turns into Raadhuisstraat at the traffic circle, which you follow westward until you reach Irenestraat (tile no. 20).
  11. Return to Raadhuisstraat and head north on Bernhartstraat and Spoorbaanweg .
  12. Keep the bike path to the left until the junction with Julianalaan / Hogevaart.
  13. Turn right onto the Hogevaart.
  14. On the Winterdijk pass on the left (tile no. 18).
  15. Ride along the Hoofdweg and the Waspik dike towards Waspik.
  16. Turn left at the traffic circle and continue along the Schoutstraat.
  17. Turn left at the intersection with Schoolstraat Turn left after the Zuiderafwatering Canal onto the service road to Den Bolder (tile no. 23).
  18. Turn around and cross over to the Pastoor Huijbersstraat.
  19. Turn right at the Julianastraat.
  20. At the Jan Stenge bridge turn right into the Kerkstraat to tile (no. 22).
  21. At the Barthelomeus church, the village square left into the Raadhuisstraat. Two tiles (nos. 21 and 24).
  22. At the end of Raadhuisstraat turn right on 't Vaartje.
  23. At the traffic circle, go straight on onto the New Provincial Road until you reach the Polanenweg.
  24. After the bridge over the Oude Maasje, turn right on the Overdiepsekade.
  25. Turn left to the Veerweg and cross the Bergsche Maas by ferry (Capelse Veer).
  26. After the ferry turn sharp right onto the bike path towards Drongelen (Fietspad Waalwijk Oost).
  27. After pumping station Hagoort keep left to the Eindsestraat.
  28. In Drongelen turn right on the van der Schansstraat.
  29. Via the Kruisweg to the Drongelense Veer.
  30. Cross the Bergsche Maas to Sluisweg.

    If you’re only taking the western route, cycle along Sluisweg—starting from the lock—back to Waalwijk. At the end of Sluisweg, turn left onto Altenaweg. Then turn right onto Kloosterheulweg. Go under the A59, go straight through the roundabout, and then turn right onto Winterdijk . You’ll then return to the starting point.

    Shortened eastern route (18 km):

    1. Head east on Winterdijk .
    2. Go through the roundabout under the A59
    3. Turn left onto Altenaweg
    4. Turn right onto Sluisweg and, at the lock, turn onto Zomerdijk.

    Continuation of the full route and the eastern route

  31. Follow the Zomerdijk east toward Doeveren.
  32. In Doeveren, turn right to the Dorpsstraat.
  33. Cross the Valkenvoortweg and enter the Elshoutse Zeedijk via the Dorpstraat.
  34. After a small tunnel keep to the right.
  35. Turn right on the bike path, the Halvezolenpad.
  36. After the railroad bridge, turn right over the line dike.
  37. Turn left into Hoogeinde to the Loeffstraat (tile nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4).
  38. Turn right into the Laageinde to the Hoekeinde.
  39. At the end turn right into Grotestraat past tile (no. 5).
  40. At the corner Wilhelminastraat/Grotestraat a little way into Grotestraat for tile (no. 6).
  41. Turn around and turn right into the Wilhelminastraat.
  42. At the end, turn right on Noorder Parallelweg, onto the service road.
  43. Turn right at the intersection with Stationsstraat (tile no. 17).
  44. Turn left at the Margrietweg.
  45. Left on Mr. van Coothstraat to tile (no. 16).
  46. Turn around and cycle north through the Mr. van Coothstraat.
  47. Right on the Grotestraat towards the center along 3 tiles (nos. 11, 10, 9).
  48. At the Markt, walk into the Stationsstraat (tile no. 8).
  49. Turn around and return to the Grotestraat.
  50. Turn right into Grotestraat (tile (no. 7).
  51. Turn around and turn into the Hooisteeg.
  52. Through the Hooisteeg you come back to the Winterdijk, the starting point of the description.

The route starts behind the Old Town Hall of Waalwijk, now called House of Waalwijk, in the center of Waalwijk. On the Raadhuisplein is also the Schoenenkwartier, a museum about the leather and shoe industry in De Langstraat. From the Raadhuisplein, you can also see the tower of the R.C. Sint Jan de Doper. The church, a neo-byzantine church, can be visited as a museum.

1
Starting point

Winterdijk, 5141 KE Waalwijk, The Netherlands

2
Attention stone - Tram depot
Commemorative Stone - Tram Depot

Hugo de Grootstraat 6
Waalwijk

Follow the junctions

8

Follow the junctions

1
7
Attention stone - Christian ULO
Commemorative Stone - Christian ULO

Irenestraat 26
Sprang-Capelle

Follow the junctions

18
8
Attention stone - Capelle City Hall
Commemorative Stone - Capelle Town Hall

Hoofdstraat 52
Sprang-Capelle

Follow the junctions

75

Follow the junctions

2 51 7 3 5 87 70 15
13
Attention Stone - Shoe Factory Van Haren
Commemorative Stone - Van Haren Shoe Factory

Hoogeinde 35-39
5142 GB Waalwijk

16
Attention stone - Federal Building
Commemorative Stone - Union Building

Loeffstraat 51
5142 EN Waalwijk

17
Attention Stone - Luxor Theater
Commemorative Stone - Luxor Theater

Grotestraat 332
5142 CD Waalwijk

Follow the junctions

44
21
Attention Stone - Gold Mine
Commemorative Stone - Gold Mine

Grotestraat 231
Waalwijk

24
Attention stone - Veemarkt
Commemorative Stone - Cattle Market

Stationsstraat 6
Waalwijk

25
Endpoint

Winterdijk, 5141 KE Waalwijk, The Netherlands