Camping Houtum is located in Kasterlee, Belgium’s pumpkin village. That probably isn’t news to you if you’ve stayed with us before. But behind our campsite are plenty of stories, little details and fun facts that you might not discover during an ordinary stay.
We regularly receive questions about the history of Camping Houtum, the Van Eyck – De Ceuster family and the people you meet here every day. Who is who? How has Camping Houtum changed over the years? And what stories are hidden behind the scenes?
Fair questions, we think. So we decided it was time to gather our fun facts again and add some new ones. Some go back many years, while others are much more recent. Even our regular guests might not know them all.
In this article, you’ll discover 15 fun facts about Camping Houtum and the stories behind our campsite.
1. A family business with more than 50 years of history
Camping Houtum has been around for more than 50 years. The campsite was founded in 1975 by Jan Van Eyck and his father. But the family’s history on this land goes back much further. The great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather of the Van Eyck family were already working here as farmers. This means the family has been connected to this land for more than 100 years.
In 2011, brothers Jakke and Vic took over from their father. For thirteen years, they ran Camping Houtum together and continued to develop the campsite into the place you know today.
In 2024, Jakke decided to take a different path and follow his passion for working as a paramedic. Although he is no longer involved in the day-to-day running of Camping Houtum, he will of course always remain part of the family story. After all, he is still Vic’s brother, Martiena’s husband and a son of the Van Eyck family.
Today, Vic is at the helm of Camping Houtum. Other family members also contribute in different ways. His partner Tinne takes care of graphic design, among other things, while Martiena, Vic’s sister-in-law, is involved in the campsite every day. There’s a good chance you’ve already spoken to her at reception, exchanged emails with her or seen her appear on our social media.
And the family story doesn’t end there. Vic’s parents-in-law also work at Camping Houtum. Hedwige is a familiar face at reception, while you’ll regularly find Paul behind the bar at Café de Congé.
A lot has changed over the years. The campsite has grown, new camping pitches and rental accommodation have been added and Camping Houtum has continued to develop behind the scenes as well. One thing, however, has remained the same throughout all those years: Camping Houtum is and always will be a true family business.
2. Our camping pitches
At Camping Houtum, we have several different types of camping pitches.. This means every camper can choose a spot that best suits their camping equipment and the way they like to camp.
Standard pitches
Our standard pitches are located on an open camping field and are approximately 100 m². Here, you camp alongside other guests in a friendly camping atmosphere. Electricity is available via shared electricity points and there are several water points around the field.
Comfort pitches
If you prefer a little more space and privacy, you can choose one of our comfort pitches. These pitches are approximately 125 m² and are separated by hedges and greenery. Each pitch has a 10-amp electricity connection and its own fresh water and wastewater connection. Cars are parked in the central car park.
Motorhome pitches
Our six motorhome pitches, numbered 232 to 237, each have a 3-by-8-metre hardstanding area with an additional 3-by-8-metre grass area. Every motorhome pitch has a 10-amp electricity connection and its own water connection.
Tent field
Travelling with a tent? You can also stay on our car-free tent field. There is room for a maximum of ten tents and picnic tables are available for guests to sit together. The sanitary facilities are close by. There is no electricity or water directly on the tent field..
Nete area
Our Nete area is a green and shady part of Camping Houtum, next to Domein de putten. Electricity is available here, although you should allow for a maximum distance of 25 metres to the electricity point. There is no water point on this part of the campsite and the sanitary facilities are a little further away.
From pitching a tent on our tent field to choosing a spacious comfort pitch or a hardstanding motorhome pitch, there are plenty of different ways to camp with us.
3. De Pompoenerie
Right next to the entrance of Camping Houtum, you’ll find De Pompoenerie. It is a work experience centre for people who face barriers to employment. Here, they have the opportunity to gain work experience while helping to grow, process and sell pumpkins, among other activities.
By now, it’s hard to imagine Houtum without De Pompoenerie. During the growing season, you’ll regularly see the team working in the fields and watch the pumpkins grow bigger and bigger. We also enjoy working together with De Pompoenerie during various activities and special occasions at Camping Houtum.
Did you know that De Pompoenerie only grows edible pumpkins? Around 40 different varieties are cultivated and approximately 2,000 pumpkin plants are planted every year.
Part of the harvest is turned into all kinds of tasty products. You can even buy a selection of De Pompoenerie products at our reception, so you don’t have to look far if you want to take a little taste of Kasterlee home with you.
And speaking of Kasterlee: De Pompoenerie could hardly be in a more fitting location. Pumpkins and Kasterlee have been closely connected for many years. Later in this article, we’ll tell you more about Kasterlee as Belgium’s pumpkin village and the unusual activities that come with it.
For our guests, however, the pumpkin story starts much closer to home: right next to the entrance of Camping Houtum.
Curious about De Pompoenerie and the story behind this special place?
Read more about De Pompoenerie here >>
4. Wheelchair accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible camping is not something you can take for granted at every campsite. That’s why we think it’s important that guests with reduced mobility can make use of as many of our facilities as possible.
We have the official A accessibility label awarded by Tourism Flanders. In 2023, our campsite was inspected again and we were once more awarded the label. It is a lovely recognition of the attention we give to accessibility at Camping Houtum.
Our reception, Café de Congé and sanitary facilities are wheelchair accessible. Our sanitary building also has a separate adapted bathroom with a shower and toilet.
This facility is reserved for guests who need it. When you arrive, we programme your SEP card accordingly so that you can access the adapted sanitary facilities.
5. Billy en Norman
If you’ve stayed at Camping Houtum before, you’ve probably seen or heard them: our ponies Billy and Norman. They regularly welcome our guests with a neigh and have become two familiar faces around the campsite. Luckily, they’re quite comfortable around people and usually don’t mind a gentle pat.
Please don’t feed them, though. Horses are sensitive to what they eat and too much food, or the wrong food, can make them quite ill. Besides, Billy in particular is perfectly capable of building up enough reserves all by himself.
As well as their own spot near the stable, you’ll regularly find Billy and Norman in their spacious green meadow on the other side of our main building. There they can graze peacefully while keeping an eye on everything happening around the campsite.
And don’t be surprised if you hear the sound of hooves during a warm summer night. Because of the heat and insects during the day, they sometimes prefer to graze peacefully at night.
6. Winter camping
Did you know that Camping Houtum is open 11 months of the year? We welcome more and more camping guests during the winter months as well. That is one of the main reasons why we added six hardstanding motorhome pitches in 2021.
In addition to these six motorhome pitches, we have another five hardstanding dolomite pitches that are used as camping pitches during winter. This gives us a total of 11 hardstanding pitches during the winter months. Both caravans and motorhomes are welcome, and every pitch has an electricity connection.
A hardstanding surface is certainly a bonus during winter. Even after several days of rain, you remain on firm ground and the area around your caravan or motorhome stays much more pleasant.
Our sanitary facilities are also equipped for winter campers. During winter, the smaller sanitary building behind the main building remains open. It is fully heated and has underfloor heating extending into the showers. You’ll find toilets, showers, a baby area with baby bath, indoor washing-up facilities, a washing machine and dryer, and a drinking-water point.
Want to know more about winter camping? Read our complete article about winter camping at Camping Houtum and discover what camping in Kasterlee is like during the colder months.
Would you rather stay in one of our rental accommodations? That’s possible too. Several of our accommodations are suitable for winter stays: Lijsterbes, Witte Linde, Populier, Groene Beuk and Zilver Berk.
From a cosy accommodation for two to a stay for six people, you can enjoy Camping Houtum in winter even if you don’t have your own camping equipment.
Planning a winter camping trip? Make sure you book in advance. We only have 11 hardstanding pitches available and, of course, we’d rather not have to tell campers: “Sorry, we’re fully booked.”
7. Our sanitary facilities and one card for everything
Clean and comfortable sanitary facilities are an important part of camping for us. Camping Houtum has two sanitary buildings with underfloor heating. You’ll find toilets and showers, as well as a family shower, baby bath, adapted sanitary facilities, washing-up areas, a washing machine and a dryer.
And our guests clearly appreciate our sanitary facilities. In both 2024 and 2025, Camping Houtum won the ACSI Award for Best Sanitary Facilities.
It’s an award we’re incredibly proud of and, above all, a wonderful compliment for our cleaning team, who make sure everything is clean and tidy every single day.
For several facilities, we use the SEP card. The same card can be used for the showers, hot washing-up water, washing machine and dryer. So there’s no need to use different coins or tokens for each facility.
But what does SEP actually stand for? SEP means Seijsener Protocol. Seijsener is the company that also helped us plan the layout of our new camping area in 2010.
You’ll receive your SEP card at reception when you arrive. There is a €10 deposit for the card and it comes with €10 credit to start with. Hot water costs €0.05 per 10 seconds, so you only pay for the amount of time you actually use hot water.
Running low on credit? You can top up your card again. Outside reception opening hours, you can top it up using coins. During reception opening hours, you can add credit using your bank card.
Want to know more about our sanitary facilities? Read our article about the sanitary facilities here >>
8. Café de Congé
Every campsite needs somewhere to enjoy a drink together. At Camping Houtum, that place is Café de Congé, located at the front of the campsite. You can stop by for a drink, try one of our local beers or simply enjoy some time together.
Inside, you’ll find several board games as well as a pool table, darts and table football. When the weather is nice, the terrace is a lovely place to sit. It faces south and is largely sheltered by glass, making it a pleasant spot even on cooler days.
But Café de Congé also has a little secret that you might not notice during an ordinary visit. Behind a movable wall is a separate room. We use it for our bingo evenings and other activities, which means the café can suddenly become quite a bit bigger when needed.
Café de Congé isn’t only for our camping guests either. Cyclists, walkers and other visitors are welcome too. During the season, you’ll find a friendly mix of campsite guests and local visitors here.
And the name? In Flemish, “congé” simply means holiday. We could hardly have chosen a more fitting name for a café on a campsite.
9. The Kleine Nete
The Kleine Nete river flows right behind Camping Houtum. From the campsite, you can walk straight towards the water and follow walking routes along both sides of the river. The Millekesbrug footbridge takes you across to the other side, while a little further along you can cross the river again using the road bridge. This means you can enjoy several walks along the water directly from the campsite.
Along the Kleine Nete, you’ll also find several places to stop for something to eat or drink, including Eetcafé Netherust and the Watermolen.
At Netherust, you can also hire a kayak or SUP and discover the area from the water. Especially on a beautiful day, it’s a completely different way to experience the Kleine Nete and Kasterlee.
But the Kleine Nete is also connected to a special piece of Camping Houtum history. Have you seen the episode of Reizen Waes in which Tom Waes stayed at our campsite? If so, you probably spotted the well-known Millekesbrug too.
As a child, Tom Waes spent many holidays at Camping Houtum with his grandparents. Years later, he returned to Kasterlee for Reizen Waes to revisit memories from that time. And, of course, the Millekesbrug was part of those memories, including his wish to jump from it one more time.
We loved having him back at our campsite for the programme and seeing him share some of his childhood memories of Camping Houtum.
Want to know more about walking, kayaking and enjoying the Kleine Nete?
10. Vriendenkring Houtum - VKH
Here’s another fact we’re rather proud of: Camping Houtum has had its own friends’ association for almost 50 years. Vriendenkring Houtum, or VKH for short, consists of volunteer campers who organise all kinds of activities throughout the season.
They organise our bingo and card evenings, for example, as well as walking and cycling trips. During the summer months, several food events are added to the calendar too, including hamburger, spaghetti and mussel days. For many of our regular guests, these activities have become real traditions.
And you certainly don’t need to be a regular camper to join in. Touring guests, regular campers and visitors from outside the campsite are all welcome at VKH activities. One guest might join us for an evening of bingo, while someone else prefers a walk or looks forward to the mussel day.
Thanks to the volunteers of Vriendenkring Houtum, plenty of activities are organised every season. The fact that they have been doing this for almost 50 years makes it even more special to us. They certainly deserve a little recognition for that.
11. Articles written together with our campers
Did you know that not every article on our website is written by us alone? For some topics, we get help from people who may know the surrounding area almost as well as we do: our own campers.
Many of our guests have been coming to Camping Houtum for years. They know the most beautiful walks, have their favourite cycling routes, know exactly where to stop along the way and sometimes discover places in the Kempen that even we hadn’t thought of yet.
We love making use of that knowledge and experience. Some of our articles have been created together with campers who shared their tips, routes and experiences with us, which we then turned into a complete article together.
It actually fits Camping Houtum perfectly. Our campsite isn’t shaped only by the people who work here, but also by the campers who return year after year and create their own stories and memories here.
So, while you’re looking for a nice walk or cycling route on our website, you might just be reading a tip from someone camping only a few pitches away.
12. The Camping Houtum team
Running a campsite is certainly not a one-person job. There’s a whole team behind Camping Houtum and everyone has their own responsibilities. You’ll mainly see some of us at reception, while others might be behind the bar or driving past on the tractor. Time to introduce a few familiar faces.
Vic:
Vic runs Camping Houtum and takes care of the day-to-day operation of the campsite. You’ll find him at reception, behind the bar at Café de Congé or somewhere outside on the campsite. So there’s a good chance you’ll bump into him during your stay.
Viktor:
Victor has worked at Camping Houtum for many years and is an important part of everything related to the grounds and maintenance. You’ll regularly see him driving past on the tractor or lawnmower. From maintaining the greenery and carrying out repairs to keeping the campsite looking neat and tidy, Victor helps keep the grounds in good shape throughout the year.
Hedwige:
Hedwige is a familiar face at our reception and helps guests with all kinds of questions. From information about the campsite and the surrounding area to the administration that comes with your stay, she’s happy to help. You’ll mainly find her at reception during the week.
Martiena:
You’ll regularly find Martiena at reception, although much of her work happens behind the scenes. She manages the website and social media, takes care of a large part of our communication and organises everything related to the rental accommodation. She is also involved in promoting Camping Houtum and sharing everything there is to see and do both on and around the campsite.
Of course, there are more people who are part of Team Camping Houtum. Curious to discover who else is on our team and put a name to each face?
13. Domein de putten and Moe Marie
At the back of Camping Houtum, you’ll find our neighbours at Domein de putten. There’s an indoor and outdoor playground as well as Brasserie Moe Marie. It’s a great combination for families: while the children enjoy the playground, you can sit down for a drink or something to eat. And all of this is within walking distance of your camping pitch.
But there is a special story behind the name Moe Marie, one that is directly connected to the history of Camping Houtum. Moe Marie really did exist: she was Jakke and Vic’s grandmother.
When Camping Houtum opened in 1975, there was no reception like the one you see today. New campers registered at Moe Marie’s dining table. She was therefore quite literally one of the first people camping guests met when they arrived here.
And her story still lives on today. Even now, we welcome campers who remember Moe Marie and share stories about those early years. The fact that the brasserie at Domein de putten now carries her name is something we find particularly special: a lovely reminder of a woman who was so closely connected to the beginnings of Camping Houtum.
14. Our rental accommodation
You won’t find “Bungalow 1, 2 or 3” at Camping Houtum. We have 13 rental accommodations and every single one has its own name. And, of course, those names weren’t chosen at random.
Our accommodations are named after trees found in the Kempen. You can stay in accommodation with names such as Lijsterbes, Populier, Groene Beuk, Zilver Berk, Grote Eik, Witte Linde, Wilg en Hoogstam.
We’ve even continued the theme with the keys. Each accommodation has a key with a wooden tag displaying its name. It’s a small detail, but one that fits Camping Houtum perfectly.
And the story becomes even more fun when you put everything together. The family behind the campsite is called Van Eyck, our campsite is called Houtum and our rental accommodations all have names connected to trees. That really brings the whole story full circle.
Our rental accommodations are also quite different from one another. From a cosy accommodation for two people to a stay for six, you can choose from chalets, tiny houses, a cabin, safari tents and tipi tents. Some have their own bathroom, while others use the campsite’s sanitary facilities.
So each accommodation has not only its own name, but also its own character. Which one suits you best depends entirely on how you like to stay.
Lijsterbes | 2 personen
Witte Linde | 4 personen
De Grote Eik | 6 personen
De Hoogstam | 4 personen
De Wilg | 4 personen
De Zilver Berk | 6 personen
15. Kasterlee, Belgium’s pumpkin village
You probably already know that Camping Houtum is located in Kasterlee. But did you know that Kasterlee is known as Belgium’s pumpkin village? Especially in October, it’s almost impossible to miss. The entire month revolves around pumpkins and you’ll spot them all over the municipality.
During Pumpkin Month, there’s a special activity on the programme almost every weekend. At the Belgian Pumpkin Weighing Championship, the heaviest pumpkins are placed on the scales, while at the Belgian Pumpkin Shooting Championship, pumpkins literally fly through the air. And during the Pumpkin Market, the centre of Kasterlee is completely taken over by all things pumpkin.
Perhaps the best-known event is the Pumpkin Regatta. Giant pumpkins are hollowed out and transformed into tiny boats, which participants then use to take to the water. Only in Kasterlee can a pumpkin suddenly become your mode of transport.
And, of course, De Pompoenerie is part of that story too. As you read earlier, their pumpkin fields are right next to our entrance. So as a guest of Camping Houtum, you really don’t have to walk far before spotting your first Kasterlee pumpkins.
If you come camping with us in October, you don’t just get to enjoy autumn in Kasterlee. You’ll be right in the middle of the month when the pumpkin village truly lives up to its name.
So, those were our 15 fun facts about Camping Houtum. From more than 50 years of family history and our ponies Billy and Norman to the stories behind Moe Marie, our campers, the Kleine Nete and, of course, the pumpkins of Kasterlee: there’s a story behind many of the places you’ll see on and around our campsite.
Of course, there are plenty more fun facts about Camping Houtum. Some of them you’ll simply discover for yourself during your stay in Kasterlee. And perhaps some of our regular guests even know stories that we haven’t thought of ourselves.
Do you know another fun fact about Camping Houtum? Be sure to share it below this article. We always love hearing the stories and memories of our guests.
Thank you for reading!
We hope you enjoyed the article. Do you have any useful tips or ideas for new topics? Feel free to share them with us and follow us on Instagram for more updates.
Looking for inspiration for a relaxing camping holiday or fun things to do in Kasterlee? Take a look at our blog for tips about life at Camping Houtum and things to see and do in the surrounding area. Do you have an idea of your own or is there something you would like to read more about? Send us an email at via info@campinghoutum.be.
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FAQ - Veelgestelde vragen over overnachten bij Camping Houtum
All guests staying on a camping pitch are welcome to check in from 1:00 pm. On the day of departure, you can stay until 12:00 noon.
Have you booked one of our rental accommodations? Then you can check in from 3:00 pm, and we ask you to check out before 11:00 am. This gives our cleaning team and reception enough time to get everything ready for the next guests.
Arriving earlier or staying longer is sometimes possible, but we can never guarantee this in advance. Every guest is entitled to enjoy their full stay. If you want to be certain of having some extra time, it is best to book an additional night.
Almost! Camping Houtum is open 11 months of the year. During winter, you can stay on one of our 11 hardstanding pitches. From mid-November until mid-December, the campsite closes for one month. After that, you are welcome to join us again for a winter stay.
You don’t need to get in the car first to start exploring Kasterlee. From the back of the campsite, you can walk towards the Kleine Nete and follow several walking routes along the river via the Millekesbrug footbridge.
Domein de putten is also right next to the campsite, and you’ll find plenty more nature and walking opportunities in the surrounding area. Camping Houtum is therefore a great base if you enjoy exploring on foot during your stay.