Eikenberg, Venakkerbosch, Bergeijkse Barriere and Enderheide Loop

This is a long, almost perfectly flat Kempen (Campine) circuit on the Dutch–Belgian border: sandy forest tracks, wide heathland paths, and long, straight “production-forest” lanes stitched together with quieter farm edges. At ~61 km (about 38 mi) with roughly ~0 m / ~0 ft of climbing, the challenge is rarely steepness—it’s time on feet, repetitive surfaces, and staying oriented through a web of similar-looking pine corridors.

A practical start point that matches the “Bergeijkse Barrière / De Plateaux” area is the Natuurmonumenten work shed and parking area at Barrier 15A, 5571 TV Bergeijk (Netherlands), right by the Belgian border and the N69 (Luikerweg) corridor. (klikprintenwandel.nl)

Getting to the start (car + public transport)

• By car: Navigate to Barrier 15A, 5571 TV Bergeijk (Natuurmonumenten “Werkschuur” / De Plateaux parking). The entrance is a side road off the N69, close to the border; traffic on the N69 can be fast, so take extra care turning in/out. (klikprintenwandel.nl)
  
• By public transport: A workable option is to travel to Neerpelt (Belgium) by rail/bus connections, then use local demand transport (“belbus”) toward the border area (often referenced with a stop such as Klaverstraat) and walk in to the trailhead. Because demand-transport rules and stop patterns can change, check the current timetable the day before and the morning of your hike. (klikprintenwandel.nl)

Plan to load the full loop into HiiKER before you arrive; this landscape has many junctions where multiple sandy tracks look identical, and it’s easy to drift onto a parallel lane without noticing until you’ve added a few kilometers.

What the terrain feels like over 61 km / 38 mi

• Underfoot: Mostly firm sand, compacted forest road, and heath paths; after rain, sandy sections can turn soft and energy-sapping, while boardwalk/bridge features can be slick.
• Exposure: Heath and open “vloeiweiden” (water-meadow) areas can be windy and feel surprisingly exposed; forests provide shelter but can be monotonous.
• Effort profile: With negligible elevation gain, pacing is everything. Many hikers find the second half harder simply due to cumulative fatigue and the mental load of long straightaways.

Nature, landscapes, and the “big-ticket” landmarks

You’re moving through the broader Plateaux–Hageven border nature complex and adjacent Kempen woods/heaths around Bergeijk. Expect a repeating but beautiful sequence:

Heath + vennen (small lakes/ponds):
Open heather fields broken by dark, still pools are a signature of this region. These wet pockets are magnets for dragonflies and wetland birds in season, and they’re also where you’ll notice the biggest change in footing (damp edges, occasional muddy pinch points).

Vloeiweiden (historic water meadows):
In the Plateaux area, engineered “flow meadows” were historically used to spread nutrient-rich water across fields—an old agricultural technique that left a distinctive, open, gridded landscape. On a long loop, these open stretches are great for navigation checks (big sightlines) but can feel sun-baked in warm weather.

Dommel valley crossings (bridges/boardwalk feel):
Near the border nature areas you can encounter small bridges, including light “hangbrug”-style footbridges and boardwalk segments on some routes in this landscape. These features are short but can bottleneck if it’s busy and can be slippery when wet or frosty. (klikprintenwandel.nl)

Wildlife you might realistically notice - Wild boar sign: