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

Loading...

MONA News from the park

Loading...

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 yellow marked connecting loop uses public roads and shared hiking and bridle paths. Unlike the intensive loops, this route is therefore not exclusively designed for MTB. Please therefore take account of other road users such as hikers 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 friendly, give each other space and reduce your speed
- Feel responsible for your own behaviour towards nature and its users
- Develop the confidence to speak to others about their behaviour
- Exercise in nature safely, wear protection
- Only ride on the MTB trails and give nature some relief
- In many places, the yellow connecting route coincides with existing hiking and bridle paths. Reduce speed and approach in a calm and friendly way so that you do not frighten other riders/horses.

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. You cycle at your own risk.
Sometimes the MTB routes cross public roads or are shared with other recreational cyclists.
Always take this into account.
In very wet weather, you are asked to postpone your MTB outing for a while to minimise possible damage to the routes. Volunteers will thank 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.