On May 5, Liberation Day in the Netherlands, new bicycle routes will be launched in the municipalities of Heusden, Waalwijk, Meierijstad, Boxtel and Sint Michielsgestel: The Scottish Highlanders Cycling Routes, part of the international Liberation Route Europe route network.
Developed in cooperation with the municipalities of Heusden, Waalwijk, Meierijstad, Boxtel and Sint Michielsgestel and military historian Jack Didden, the project aims to educate the public about local history. The initiative includes bicycle routes of 38, 35 and 42 kilometers that follow the trail of the Scottish Highland Division soldiers who liberated the municipalities during World War II.
A total of 35 points of interest are on the route that tell different stories and shed light on the role the Scottish Highlanders played during the liberation. Cyclists will pass historical sites along the way and learn more about the lesser-known stories from the last phase of the war, from both military and civilian perspectives.
“Vectors of Memory” have been placed along the route to mark the specific places where history took place. For more information on local history, cyclists can use the Liberation Route app, which highlights all the landmarks and their accompanying stories.
“These bicycle routes offer a unique opportunity for anyone who wants to learn more about the Scottish Highlanders and their role during the liberation of the Netherlands. While cycling you will gain insight into local history and learn that the Highlanders played a crucial role in the victory of the Allies, something important to never forget,” said Wout van Aalst, Project Officer at LRE Foundation.
To mark the launch, special events will take place across the region on May 5th. In Heusden, a ceremony will be held at the Pijlsmonument in Drunen with remarks by Mayor Willemijn van Hees and historian Jack Didden, followed by a group bike ride to Griesbergen. In Meierijstad, 20 cyclists will ride from Wijbosch to Liempde, where a reception with local officials will take place. The event will culminate with the unveiling of the Wall Vector at the Liberation Monument “Wijbosch Herineert” and a Freedom Lunch. In the afternoon, Mayor Sacha Ausems and Jack Didden will launch the route in Waalwijk at the Kropholler Raadhuis.
