I was born in one of the most beautiful cycling regions of our country: beautiful Twente. So I make little effort to hide my pride for my home region. Why should I?
After all, Twente is onmeunig (Twents for the Brabant 'kei') beautiful and so I decided to spend a long weekend (re)discovering my favourite part: Northeast Twente. On to the east!
An ode to Twente
Why do I love Twente? Because it is a beautiful region. Because when you ask "how are you doing here?" ("Hoo hej' t d'r met?"), the answer you always get is "Och joa." You can fill in yourself whether that means "great", "going well" or "not best". Because here it doesn't matter if a crate of Heineken is on sale, everyone just stays loyal to Grolsch anyway. Because the garden centres here are so huge that you'd better take some food and navigation with you to avoid starving and/or getting lost. And because you can cycle here so unmeunigly beautiful.
Exploring north-east Twente - By bicycle
Oh yes, you may not yet know where Northeast Twente is actually located on the map. It starts at the German border at De Lutte ('De Lut'), along the A1 westwards to Oldenzaal ('Oldnzel') and from there northwards to Ootmarsum ('Oatmörsken'), with a small north-western spur via Vasse back to the German border.
To introduce you to this beautiful region, I have mapped out two cycling tours for you:
Day 1: De Lutte - Denekamp - Oldenzaal - De Lutte
Day 2: Ootmarsum - Breklenkamp - Springendal - Vasse - Ootmarsum
They are both about 50 kilometres long and take you through beautiful natural areas and picturesque villages. On the first day, I cycled from De Lutte via Denekamp to Oldenzaal and back. I'm going to tell you about this bike ride now.
From De Lutte to Denekamp - 1st stage
De Lutte is a small village and does not amount to much. But it is the gateway to the Lutterzand, a beautiful nature reserve with lots of woods, sand drifts and the little river Dinkel meandering through it. THE picture is where you look out over the meandering Dinkel, the sand flats and the meadows from the several-metre-high bank. If you say you shot that snapshot in the south of France, everyone believes you too!
I cycle on along a beautiful cycle path through the Lutterzand and follow the route along small country roads to a charming piece of cultural history: the Klöpkeshoes in the hamlet of Berghum. You used to find many of these small houses on Twente farmyards where Roman Catholic unmarried women lived. This one has been beautifully restored by local residents. A little further on, I reach the small town of Denekamp.
From Denekamp to Oldenzaal - 2nd leg
I don't linger too long in Denekamp. In fact, my favourite spot, Landgoed Singraven, lies just west of Denekamp along the Dinkel. From behind an entrance gate, you have a magnificent view of the stately white manor house. The estate is also home to the only water-powered sawmill in the Netherlands. Singraven watermill is a picturesque place. Not for nothing was it a favourite subject of many a famous painter in the seventeenth century.
Via small villages and even smaller hamlets (with names like Volthe, Rossum and Lemselo) I reach Het Hulsbeek. This estate was once owned by a Twente textile manufacturer, but is now a versatile recreational area. Characteristic is the little bridge over the swimming lake with two pointed straw roofs. I need a pit stop and cool off in the fresh water.
The centre of Oldenzaal
Back on the bike again, I am in the old centre of Oldenzaal in no time. Even without a route, little can go wrong here. The tower of the Oale Grieze ('Old Grey') always points the way. This is also how the imposing St Plechelmus basilica built entirely of grey Bentheimer sandstone is affectionately referred to. I take my time exploring the medieval town. Between the beautiful old buildings on Marktstraat, you imagine yourself a few centuries back in time. A must is a visit to the Palthe Huis. In this museum you will find, among other things, the forced chair on which the infamous eighteenth-century Twente highwayman Huttenkloas spent 110 days tied up before he was executed.
From Oldenzaal back to De Lutte - 3rd stage
On the way back from Oldenzaal to De Lut, I cover a few more beautiful kilometres. Via the Tankenbergstraat I climb (yes really) 85 metres to the top of the Tankenberg, the highest point in Overijssel. The small dome where I rest once at the top is a special place. Here you not only have a magnificent panoramic view all the way to the German border. The dome is built exactly at a point where several energy lines, called ley lines, cross. You seem to be able to feel the energy as soon as you stand with your back against the wall in the dome. Delicious. That would have made more sense before I climbed the Tankenberg.
With new energy, I cycle on through this beautiful piece of Twente hill country, up and down through woods, along forest edges, along meadows and between meadows. I pass another summit. At 'only' 80 metres, the Paasberg is the little brother of the Tankenberg. During this last stage, you get a good impression of the coulisse landscape that is so typical of Twente.
Go out - Discover Twente
I have mapped out the route for you here. You can also create your own route. My tip: download the app. It will always get you back on track. Or off the beaten track....
Greetings,
Travel man Tinus
PS: Martijn Smeenge alias Reisman Tinus alias @wanderlus.tinus writes on reismannen. nl about his greatest hobby: travelling (and preferably to small islands). The Reismannen approach the world with a male gaze (what's in a name?), obviously sharing their travel experiences but at the same time being critical of the impact tourism has.