Smuggling route De Groote Heide: the customs officer | Stories on the Border

This 44-kilometre cycle route takes you through the De Groote Heide nature reserve. The route takes you across the border and lets you experience the story of a customs officer or a smuggler in the 1930s. This is the customs officer’s route. For the smuggler’s route, go to this page.

The route starts at De Achelse Kluis in Belgium and then passes several old smuggling trails, customs offices, boundary posts and border crossings. These are all iconic elements of the smuggling story surrounding the border between Brabant and Belgium. It is a varied route offering a lovely link between town, countryside, the Netherlands and Belgium. You’ll pass through unspoilt countryside and charming villages known for their smuggling history. Discover the cat-and-mouse game in the border area of De Groote Heide and follow in the smuggler’s footsteps on this cycle route of approximately 44 kilometres.

The smuggling history of De Groote Heide nature reserve
, Belgium – the 1930s. Cor Commies, a poor man from Antwerp, closes the door behind him and crosses the provincial border into Belgian Limburg. As a ‘commies’ (border police/customs officer), you could earn a tidy living there. Customs officers on both sides of the border have their hands full trying to catch the smugglers. For, where the Netherlands and Belgium meet, smugglers are more resourceful than ever when it comes to secretly transporting goods such as butter, sugar and salt.

As usual, the customs officer starts his working day at De Achelse Kluis (1), where his colleague is already waiting for him in a customs hut. They both have another laugh about the stash of undocumented butter they managed to intercept at a farm last night. That went like clockwork!

Once they’ve had their first coffee of the day, they set off on their journey. On the way, they pass the cyclists’ barracks (home to the customs officers on bikes) (2), where one of the customs officers managed to snap up a lovely bike earlier that week. At a farm a little further on, the Commies see some children playing outside. As they drive into the yard, the children dash inside. There’s a clatter from behind the door, and the farmer welcomes them with a broad smile.

People are often unnaturally friendly towards the customs officers. This was also the case that afternoon when, during their lunch break at Achel-Statie, a young man offered them a liqueur. It soon becomes clear who he is: it’s the notorious Johannes de Vlugge. If the Commies were to reveal where they’ll be on duty that evening, he’d get to take a bottle of delicious, though somewhat pricey, liqueur home with him. A whole bottle?! That’s three weeks’ worth of work. Dutiful as Cor is, he declines the offer, somewhat taken aback. Before he realises it, de Vlugge has already vanished. He’ll have to keep an extra eye on things.

Before taking up their posts, the customs officers pass by the customs office (5) to collect their pay packets. As he sends the money to his poor family in Antwerp, the customs officer is left with hardly anything himself. Yet every evening he ventures into the edge of the woods in high spirits, because every smuggler caught brings the customs officer a little extra.

At dusk, he meets a Dutch colleague at the border post (6). Just as Cor is hearing about his recent catch, they suddenly spot a line of figures walking along a path further on. They sneak quietly closer. Isn’t that the Vlugge? Cor decides to let the first smuggler pass and then runs straight across the fields towards the Vlugge, who has two large bales of contraband on his bike. Cor grabs ‘de Vlugge’, but the young man drops everything and runs into the woods. With a bag full of contraband, but without any smugglers, the customs officers regroup. The Dutch colleague takes the contraband and heads for his customs office. Cor Commies makes one last attempt and follows the Vlugge’s tracks into the woods…

When he passes the café again, he notices that the street lamp isn’t on. A signal to smugglers that the coast is clear, they think. So, will tonight be a success after all?

Get off your bike and explore...
Make your cycling adventure complete and let the various businesses along the route surprise you with special products, offers and packages themed around this route.

• Smuggling box from Borrelbar KikkerOp and Brasserie De Kapetulie: a box containing five different beers.
• Mamma Mia’s ‘Smuggler’s Ice Cream’: mascarpone ice cream with poached pears, stroopwafel and caramel. Ice cream with a nod to the butter and sugar smuggling trade.
• ‘Johannes de Vlugge’ smuggler’s beer from Stoombrouwerij De Pimpelier: a delicious brown beer (7%) perfect for sipping on a terrace and sure to be a hit across the border. Cheers! Also available at De Brasser in Budel.
• Smuggler’s pastry from De Jong De Echte Bakker: Treat yourself to a delicious cappuccino ‘pungel’, drizzled with dark chocolate on a tasty sponge base. Also available at De Brasser in Budel.
• ‘’t Smokkelaartje’’ liqueur from Fruitbedrijf Jan Janssen: a sweet liqueur made from blueberries, delicious as a nightcap or aperitif.
• Tea from the border: an exciting green and white tea from the ’t Zuyderblad tea plantation that creates a springtime celebration on the palate. Fresh and fruity!
• Kraaienpoten: spicy beef sausages from Borrelbar Kikkerop – perfect with a drink. Are you brave enough to try them?
• Smuggled Cheese: Catharinadal Cheese Factory has developed a unique little cheese featuring ‘De Doodendraad’ as a line drawing in cocoa and coffee. A real taste sensation!

Stories on the Border
Stories on the Bordershowcases the diversity of the province of Brabant in a unique way. Brabant is situated both on the border between the Netherlands and Belgium and between the provinces of Limburg, Zeeland, South Holland and Gelderland. The border has a rich history, with tales of smuggling, closed borders and boundless cooperation. It is no coincidence that this border has always played an important role in the lives of the people of Brabant. Experiential routes developed around this theme reveal the story of the Brabant border and the province’s boundless character. View them all at visitbrabant.com/verhalenaandegrens.

About De Groote Heide
Discover De Groote Heide; a unique cross-border area spanning Cranendonck, Eindhoven, Heeze-Leende, Valkenswaard, Hamont-Achel and Neerpelt. The cross-border area of De Groote Heide is a premier destination within North Brabant for nature, tourism and recreation. With 6,000 hectares of contiguous nature reserves featuring deep purple heathland, fresh green forests, streams, rivers and ponds, as well as many special cultural and historical views and vistas, De Groote Heide is a unique environment.