Mountain biking

Our own winding singletracks

Mountain biking in nature

The four Grenspark singletracks - narrow and often winding paths - are intended for sporty cyclists who enjoy a vigorous ride in nature. The tracks traverse the cross-border connecting route. Mountain bikers can visit the Dutch side of the park at the Stoppelbergen-Wildernissen, Staartse Heide and Abdijbossen locations. In winter, you can enjoy cross-country skiing in the woods, but keep an eye out for others and respect the beautiful nature around you.

Outside the Grenspark you will find another connecting loop around Essen that leads to an MTB loop in Horendonk and Wildertse Duintjes.

Vignette

Four high-quality mountain bike routes have been created in the Grenspark. These require regular maintenance to maintain their quality. Therefore, a digital vignette, or road tax, by name is compulsory on the singletracks (Stoppelbergen - Green, Wildernissen - Purple, Staartse Heide - Red, Volksabdij - Blue). Thanks to the contribution of MTB users, we can maintain the trails properly together with our volunteers.

The vignette is compulsory and can be purchased here via the website of Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide. The vignette is compulsory from the age of 18 and costs 12 euros a year (incl. service costs), valid from the date of purchase. So for one euro a month, you can ride on perfectly maintained routes. There is also the possibility to buy a day ticket at 5 euros. You can buy a day ticket in advance. Would you like to be kept informed of news, facts and events concerning MTB in the Grenspark? So when you buy the vignette tick the box to receive the newsletter.

The connecting routes and the routes Horendonkse Bossen and Wildertse Duintjes may be used freely. They were created with the cooperation of Sport Vlaanderen, Agency for Nature and Forest and the municipalities of Kalmthout, Essen, Kapellen and Stabroek.

MTB News from the park

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Frequently asked questions

Always up to date

Volunteers at work

Where

There are four intensive loops in the Dutch part of the Grenspark that are connected by a route. The intensive loops are Stoppelbergen and Wildernissen between Putte and Ossendrecht, Staartse Heide near Huijbergen and Abdijbossen at Volksabdij. The Wildertse Duintjes outside the Grenspark is a suitably tough challenge for the technical mountain biker.

Classification

The four MTB routes in the Grenspark have been classified. All routes were rated blue, with the exception of a red-marked, technically challenging section on the MTB Wildernissen route.

🔵MTB Staartse Heide route consists of half a singletrack and has minimal height differences. Due to the high singletrack percentage, the route falls into the blue difficulty level.

🔵MTB Volksabdij route is mainly singletrack, with fast descents due to small drift dunes and some connecting sections over wide trails. The route becomes more challenging at higher speeds and includes an optional red drop for technical riders.

🔵MTB Stoppelbergen route offers winding singletrack through dense forest, with playful height differences thanks to drifting dunes. A section overlaps with the Wildernissen route, making it a straighter path. Technical difficulty remains within the blue classification.

🔵🔴MTB Wildernissen route has a high percentage of singletrack and minimal elevation changes, except for a few points where the latter can reach six metres. The route contains some technical challenges, so this section is marked as difficulty red.

View the overview map of the MTB routes via the experience map and download the gpx files.

Why

The MTB routes are located in unique nature belonging to the European Networks of Protected Natural Areas. If you stay on the MTB routes, you do not harm nature. In this way, you can enjoy and help preserve nature’s treasures.

Cycling is only allowed on the marked MTB routes and on public roads.

The loop marked in yellow uses public roads and shared footpaths and bridleways. Unlike the intensive loops, this route is therefore not exclusively designed for mountain biking. Please be mindful of other road users, such as walkers and horse riders.

Outdoor code for nature

Sportsmen and recreational visitors are increasingly encountering each other in nature. To give each other space and protect nature, there is the Outdoor Code:

• Be considerate, give each other space and slow down
• Take responsibility for your own behaviour towards nature and its users
• Don’t hesitate to speak to someone about their behaviour
• When exercising in the countryside, do so safely and wear protective gear
• Ride only on the MTB trails and give nature space
• The yellow connecting route runs alongside existing walking and bridleways in many places. Make your presence known in a calm and friendly manner so as not to startle other walkers or horse riders, and slow down.

The code is a joint initiative of the various Dutch sports associations and nature organisations (NTFU, KNHS, Athletics Union, Natuurmonumenten, Staatsbosbeheer and De Landschappen)

Safety

Always wear a helmet. Cycling is at your own risk.
Sometimes the MTB routes run along public roads or are shared with other recreational users. Please bear this in mind at all times.
In very wet weather, please postpone your MTB ride for a while, as the routes can become damaged too quickly under such conditions. The volunteers will be grateful to you.

Join us

Thanks to the work of volunteers, the trails are safe, sustainable and ever-evolving. Everything is built by hand to preserve the forest and maintain its natural character. Continuous improvements, such as smart water drainage and new features, keep the trails in tip-top condition. The Grenspark Trail Builders are always looking for new helping hands. You don't have to be a mountain biker to help out on the trails. Work includes raking leaves, pruning, diverting excess water, or working on a more intensive trail structure. There are different levels of maintenance. All help is welcome! Interested in helping out? Send an email to grensparktrailbuilders@gmail.com.