Cycling route South Twente and Berkelland
Cycle through rugged natural landscapes of forests, raised bogs, heathlands, fens and wide open vistas.
The Landscape
In South Twente, you cycle through an ancient border landscape where peace and open space still feel completely natural. Winding sandy lanes, oak lined avenues and open heathlands alternate with swamp forests, rugged grasslands, wet raised bogs and quiet fens, while small streams weave through the landscape everywhere.
Culture and history are also closely woven into the route, with watermills, a defensive earthwork from the Eighty Years’ War and traces of a historic irrigation system along the way. The scenery then gradually shifts towards Berkelland, where the Berkel enters the Netherlands near Rekken and flows as a gently meandering river through flower rich meadows, rough grasslands and small woodlands.
What You’ll Discover Along the Way
Around Haaksbergen and Buurse, you cycle through quiet forests and across wide heathlands, with sandy paths and oak lined avenues constantly revealing new vistas. Open landscapes and sheltered woodland clearings alternate rapidly, keeping the route lively and varied.
In South Twente, you recognise the classic cultural landscape of elevated es fields, hedgerows and farmhouses that have been nestled in the greenery for generations. Along the way, you pass places where water and human activity shaped the land, including watermills, an old defensive earthwork and traces of historic irrigation systems.
The route passes through peat landscapes of swamp forests, wet heathlands and raised bogs where light and silence dominate the scenery. Between sphagnum moss, reeds and rugged grasslands, you truly sense how water rich and unspoilt this border region still is.
In Berkelland, you follow the Berkel, which crosses the border near Rekken before winding calmly through a green mosaic of meadows, rough grasslands and small woodlands. Along streams, willows and alders, you cycle along quiet roads with the gentle sound of flowing water always nearby.
Ride along with us on this virtual bike tour
Virtual cycling through South Twente and Berkelland takes you straight through a rugged border landscape full of variety, with quiet forests, wide heathlands, swamp woodlands and wet raised bogs. You follow winding sandy paths and oak lined avenues past fens and streams, while open vistas continually reveal new scenery along the route.
In Berkelland, the Berkel takes over the story, guiding you from Rekken along a gently meandering river through flower rich meadows, rough grasslands and small woodlands filled with willows and alders. This virtual cycling route lets you experience the character of the eastern Netherlands in a single ride, with nature, water and historic patchwork landscapes as the common thread.
Want to learn more about virtual cycling? THIS IS HOW VIRTUAL CYCLING WORKS
Route map and cycling junctions
Start and finish near cycling junction 52 on the Aaftinksweg in Haaksbergen. Because this is a circular route, you can also start at one of the other cycling junctions along the route.
Distance: 56 km
Estimated riding time: 3 hours 47 minutes
Elevation gain: 70 m
Paved roads: 45%
Unpaved / semi-paved: 55%
Ideal for: e-bikes and city bikes
Along the way: several options for a coffee break or lunch.
