Discover Erp: Nature, History and Holiday Apartments
Accommodation in Erp
Erp brings together local history, river landscapes and nature experiences in a compact area rich in themes. The Aa runs through the village; its natural banks are ideal for walks and cycling tours. The Het Hurkske nature reserve near Erp covers 180 hectares of nature. In the de Goorse Bossen nature reserve, four of the five woodpecker species found in the Netherlands can be seen.
File:Erp Monument voor Britse bemanningsleden Ottenstraat.jpg
Photo: WoodenSpoon via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
History in the village centre
The town hall, designed by Hendrik Verhees (1744–1813), stands in the village centre. In the town hall attic, the Heemkamer Erpethe archives and presents local heritage; display cases contain finds discovered in and around Erp. The Heemkundekring Erthepe also collects documents and small objects that reflect the former lives and living conditions of Erp’s residents. In the 14th century, the Sint-Servatiuskerk had a stone building with a bell tower. Its old bells, Maria and Katrina, date from 1381 and 1412 respectively. The present church was built on the same site in 1843 in the Neo-Renaissance style.
The economic and wartime history can also be read in tangible traces. In 1898, Janus Steenbakkers founded the De Meibloem brewery in the left section of a listed building; a 12-metre-high factory chimney at the rear still recalls the brewery. The small St. Isidorus dairy in Oudveld and one in Boerdonk were merged in 1916 to form the St. Jozef steam dairy, which closed in 1955. In 1946, a propeller from the aircraft of Lieutenant Herbert E. Shulman was mounted at the military cemetery in Erp.
Walking routes with different themes
The routes vary in length. The Ommetje Hurkske circular route is fully wheelchair accessible. The approximately 3-kilometre Erp historical walking route conveys the history of the village; 22 attention stones in the streets of the village centre tell this story together. The 8.5-kilometre “Oorlog in Het Hurkske” walk leads through the Het Hurkske nature reserve and to places that recall the Second World War. The Langs de Brabantse Aa route leads from Erp to Veghel and passes through special places with beautiful nature and an interesting history. The different route lengths help you plan your day according to your interests and fitness level.
Park, pizza and local specialties
Molenpark Erp is a green park on a former industrial site. A circular meeting place with benches stands on the foundations of the Dutch windmill demolished in 1959. For culinary discoveries, Lazzarella in Erp offers Neapolitan pizza in an AVPN-certified pizzeria, an Italian Mercato with authentic delicacies, and pizza and pasta workshops. Siebes Kaas runs a farm shop in Erp where its own locally produced farmhouse cheeses are available.
Choose accommodation to suit your holiday day
When choosing a holiday apartment in Erp, you can consider what you want to focus your days on: walks and cycling tours along the Aa, nature in Het Hurkske and the de Goorse Bossen, historic routes through the village centre, or regional specialties. The Heemkamer Erpethe lists visiting hours on Thursdays from 10:00 to 12:00. The collections of the Heemkundekring Erthepe can be viewed during the town hall’s opening hours or by appointment. This makes it possible to choose accommodation in Erp based on your interests and preferred daily rhythm.
To the higher-level travel overview: Veghel.
