National Landscape Noordoost-Twente

The Landscape

The National Landscape of Northeast Twente enchants with its gently rolling, almost un-Dutch scenery. During the penultimate Ice Age, advancing glaciers pushed up ridges around Oldenzaal and Ootmarsum. In the stream valleys, marshy areas emerged, while the higher grounds saw the development of the characteristic farming landscape in the early Middle Ages. Near villages and hamlets, the communal arable fields were established, bordered by hedgerows once used to keep livestock within the meadows.

These ancient hedgerows still divide the landscape into intimate, picture-perfect scenes. Thanks to gentle elevation changes, a unique geological foundation, and the presence of countless springs and brooks, a beautiful mosaic of landscapes has taken shape here. Along the way, you’ll enjoy age-old hedgerows, wet meadows, slightly elevated arable fields, marshy woodlands, ponds, meandering streams, idyllic country estates, and distinctive Saxon farmhouses. Anyone curious to discover how the famous Twente bocage landscape came to be will find the perfect example in Northeast Twente.