Lemelerberg and Regge Valley

The Landscape

The Lemelerberg is a prominent hill in the Overijssel landscape, just south of Ommen. At 78 meters above sea level, it is one of the highest points in Salland. This ridge was formed around 150,000 years ago when advancing glaciers pushed sand and gravel into a rolling landscape of heath, drifting sands, and hillside forests. For centuries, flocks of sheep grazed on the heath, and people left their marks in burial mounds and ancient paths. The slopes are covered with fragrant coniferous forests, mixed with deciduous trees, open heathlands, and juniper bushes that stand like guardians over the landscape. In spring the hills turn fresh green, and in late summer they glow deep purple. From the top you have a wide view over the Reggedal.

At the foot of the Lemelerberg, the Regge winds its way through a varied and intimate landscape. Once a wild river that spread wide over the surrounding lands during floods, the Regge was tamed and canalized over the centuries. In recent decades, however, efforts have been made to restore the river to its former glory. Bends have been reintroduced, banks lowered, and wetland nature is gradually returning. The Reggedal now forms a wide and open landscape of flower-rich hay meadows, alder swamp forests, reed beds, and old river arms. In the distance, the dark slopes of the Lemelerberg rise, creating a beautiful contrast with the soft, open valley.