Landgoederen Oldenzaal and Dinkel Valley

The Landscape

The Landgoederen Oldenzaal originated from former manors and country estates and together form a green ribbon around the town of Oldenzaal. Winding sandy roads and stately lanes connect the different parts of this landscape. You will find quiet ponds, stream valleys with wet meadows, and open clearings in the forest where sunlight freely filters through. The gently rolling hills shaped during the Ice Age are striking, sometimes offering sudden views over the fields or towards the forests of the Tankenberg, the highest point in Overijssel. The transition between open farmland and enclosed forest edges creates an intimate atmosphere typical of the Twente patchwork landscape.

The Dinkel Valley east of Oldenzaal is one of the most beautiful and characteristic river valleys in Twente. Here the Dinkel winds naturally through a picturesque landscape of flower-rich meadows, ancient hedgerows, open fields, and deciduous forests. The river has retained its original meandering course, giving the landscape a lively and dynamic appearance. Along the banks, hay meadows, reed beds, and alder carrs alternate. On the valley slopes, gently rolling fields are bordered by hedgerows and rows of oak trees. Farmhouses with red-brown tiled roofs dot the landscape, often standing in the same place for centuries.