Places not to be missed on the Heuvelrug

So on a sunny^Easter Monday, together with fellow reporter Marit, I got off the train at Driebergen-Zeist station for a change. A small station that I normally pass by unsuspectingly, but which turns out to be one of the gateways to the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. Today, we are going to discover this region full of forests and castles by bike. An electric bike, we find out later, when we discover that these are the only bikes left. When we get on the bikes and switch on the motor, the (in my eyes) corny image disappears like snow in the sun. We are going well hard and I like that.

In the country shop, we eagerly look at all the homemade brews from the region. Cycling for a quarter of an hour makes you thirsty. In unison, we walk out of the country shop a little later, carrying a litre of locally-squeezed pear juice in the direction of the plant market. There we meet Jasper, one of the founders of the picking and harvesting garden.

Together, we discover the gardens, which Jasper talks about like mad. His passion and enthusiasm are contagious. As far as the eye can see, we see row upon row of growing plants. Neatly, he points everything out for us: "that's rhubarb. Here are the pak choi, the beans and that's the lettuce. Leafy vegetables are always ready to harvest first". We also get to know his good-humoured partner-in-crime Dave. Together, they started this adventure more than two years ago, when the land was vacant and there was a demand for a new tenant. It is almost unbelievable when you see how much is growing and flourishing. "We also have a bee garden, you should really go and see that. Bees are indispensable on the estate. They are important for both pollination and a nice atmosphere".

We decide to buy some seeds before getting back on our bikes. At the plant market, we meet Adeline and Marie, two volunteers standing by a large crate with thousands of neatly packaged seeds. Their job is to collect all the seeds for the plant markets. They know a great story to tell about each bag of seeds. The Purple Morning Star is our favourite: a star-shaped and edible flower that blooms only in the morning.

In the high and imposing hall of the castle, we are welcomed by Jelle van Helsdingen, one of the castle owners and board member of Stichting Behoud Sterkenburg. He tells us that many secret rooms have already been discovered since the restoration started in 2004. The tour we get today is normally only bookable on request and from 10 people onwards, as the castle is also inhabited and also serves as a bed & breakfast (how nice!) and wedding location.

Jelle takes us through the rooms of the castle. It seems as if we have gone back in time. Everywhere there are historical paintings by former residents, statues, vases and antique furniture. Room after room, all with their own function. The bright, gold-decorated room, with windows to the ceiling, is one of my personal favourites. This room used to serve as a tea room for high visitors. Only distinguished guests came there. In the tower, we climb up a real spiral staircase, one of those that just doesn't make your head spin. This is where many of the B&B's rooms and suites can be found. Each one is unique and characterised by the animal they are named after (Kestrel, Owl, Kingfisher, etc.), exotic bathtubs, decorations and lavish chandeliers.

In the middle tower room, Jelle stops to tell us the story of one of the castle's former residents: Anthonis van Aeswijn, a powerful nobleman from Gelderland. The story goes that Anthonis was gruesomely murdered a few months after his marriage to Margarethe Torck. Jelle puts on his narrative voice: "He married a young daughter from Gelderland. They were happy and wanted to start a family. But after about ten days, there was a loud banging on the door. A man was at the door, coming for his 'girlfriend' Margarethe. An argument ensued, which culminated in a challenge for a duel at the back of the woods. But Anthonis did not show up. He had disappeared. His head was found days later in the river." It seems that this decapitated nobleman still haunts Sterkenburg Castle. Jelle points to the chandelier: "in this room he often turns the lamps, to show that he is there". We stare at the lamps; there doesn't seem to be any movement. Or... yet?

After a tour of over an hour, we saw all the rooms (including some secret ones), the outbuildings and the buitenplaats. Sleeping in this special spot on the Hillside is one for the wish list.