At the northern end of Dorpsweg, the road joins Heensedijk; De Heen’s village harbour is located there. The Ommetje Vlietpolder starts from this harbour and runs along the Steenbergsche Vliet and through the Vlietpolder. The Waterpoort Ommetje – De Heen works differently: the route is not marked on the ground and can only be followed using the app. At each location, you can listen to explanations recorded by local residents. So be sure to include the app as an essential part of this tour.
Routes through the waterscape
For a cycling tour, the Heense Dijkenroute offers a different scale: it is 31.5 kilometres long and passes through the dike landscape of Steenbergen, Nieuw-Vossemeer and De Heen. The route follows the Dutch cycling junction network and can be started at any point. Natuurpoort Benedensas is a starting point for walks, canoe trips, boat trips and cycling tours. When planning, you can choose between a walk using the app for directions, a route through the Vlietpolder, or a longer cycling route with a flexible starting point.
The Dintelse Gorzen are an internationally important bird area. Wide and narrow tidal creeks run through the landscape, which was once subject to the tides. You can explore the area on foot via a walking trail created by Natuurmonumenten. The history of water also shapes the view of the landscape: after the Philipsdam was closed in 1987, the Krammer-Volkerak changed from a saltwater tidal sea into a freshwater lake with a constant water level.
Dikes and water engineering through a historical lens
The De Heensche Polder was drained in 1610; its dikes withstood the 1953 flood disaster. Another look back at water engineering concerns De Heen’s brick-built sluice: it replaced a wooden flushing sluice built in 1610. Fort Henricus is part of the military heritage of the West Brabantse Waterlinie and the Zuiderwaterlinie. It defended the city of Steenbergen and the inundation sluice.
The historic Sluizencomplex Benedensas lies at the mouth of the Steenbergsche Vliet and is one of the Netherlands’ most remarkable monumental water engineering structures. Beside the sluice complex stands an old bunker from the Second World War, which now houses the information centre for the West Brabantse Waterlinie. The historic sluice gates and lock-keeper’s houses offer views of the Volkerak and the nature reserves outside the dikes, Slikken van de Heen and Dintelse Gorzen.
Church and village life
The Onze Lieve Vrouw ten Hemelopneming kerk was built in 1884 to a design by the architect Piet van Genk. Inside, you can see many stained-glass windows. Architecture enthusiasts will find a different perspective here than at the sluices: the focus is on church architecture and the windows rather than water engineering and landscape.
The annual calendar also brings its own occasions. A carnival parade takes place in De Heen every year; during carnival, the village is known as “'t Strienedurpke”. Check the dates for the relevant year before planning your visit around the event. At Bakhuys De Heen, bread is traditionally baked by hand in a wood-fired clay oven. For 2026, baking days are listed for the last Saturday of each month; check the specific date before travelling.
Discover more destinations: Nieuw-Vossemeer, Steenbergen, Steenbergen, Dinteloord
Go to the main travel overview: Steenbergen.
