Twente Regge Valley and Dutch Black Forest

The Landscape

People have lived along the Regge River since prehistoric times. For them, it was a daily struggle with a landscape of sand, peat, and water. Today, the natural rhythm of the Regge mainly attracts visitors seeking peace and beauty. Along the winding river, you can fully enjoy everything that grows, blooms, and scents the air. Meadows with lazily grazing cattle follow you all the way to the next bend, where the landscape shifts once again. From the Twente Regge Valley, it is only a short ride to the rolling hills of Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park or to De Borkeld, an archaeological nature reserve with heathlands, ancient burial mounds, and the largest juniper thicket in the Netherlands.

Close to the Twente Regge Valley lies a unique part of Overijssel, known locally as the "Hollands Schwarzwald" (Dutch Black Forest). This hilly area with dense forests and winding paths was created during the First World War, when unemployed workers were put to work planting trees as part of job creation projects. It is reminiscent of the German Black Forest, but in a typically Dutch way: small-scale, peaceful, and full of charm. It is a wonderful place to walk or cycle beneath towering deciduous trees with wide canopies, where sunlight gently filters through the leaves.