South Twente and Berkelland
Cycling in rugged nature reserves with forests, moors, heaths, fens and impressive views.
The Landscape
When you wander through the vast nature reserves in South Twente, you quickly lose your sense of time. Here, you still experience the peace and space of the historical natural landscape. Winding old sandy roads, stately oak avenues, expansive heathlands, soggy swamp forests, rugged grasslands, marshy bogs, idyllic fens and and countless streams continuously alternate.
There is also much to enjoy culturally and historically: ancient watermills, a fortification from the Eighty Years' War, a historic irrigation system, and a beautiful countryside with old farms, hedgerows, and coppice woods. The rolling fields are bordered by flower- and herb-rich edges, creating a colorful scene.
Berkelland borders South Twente and is intersected by the river Berkel. The Berkel flows into the Netherlands from Germany at the village of Rekken. From the border, this gently meandering river winds through a green landscape with flower-rich meadows, shrubland, groves, willows, and alders. You can fully enjoy this landscape from quiet paths and rural roads.
Forests and Heaths
Estates and Heritage
Swamps and Peatlands
Rivers and Streams
Cycle with us through past and present
Cycling stories about watermills, land defences, and common land associations
The video about the 56-kilometre cycling route through South Twente and Berkelland takes you on a fascinating journey along prehistoric peat tracks, Roman farmsteads, medieval common land associations, and innovative forms of water-based agriculture. This region in the east of the Netherlands is steeped in history, scenic richness, and human ingenuity.
👉 Tip: Turn on the subtitles in the YouTube video to follow the full story.
Route map
Start and finish near bike node 52 on the Aaftinksweg in Haaksbergen. However, this bike route is a circular tour, so it offers the possibility to start from any of the following bike nodes.
52 - 53 - 82 - 83 - 47 - 50 - 41 - 80 - 81 - 49 - 77 - 76 - 54 - 84 - 79 - 2 - 18 - 74 - 71 - 67 - 53 - 51 - 52
- 45% of the route runs on paved roads.
- 55% of the route runs on unpaved and semi-paved paths.
