Renesse, Westenschouwen and Serooskerke

Beautiful views over water alternate with the interior of Schouwen-Duiveland. With a bit of luck you will see a bat, and you will probably come across one or more Shetland ponies. A must-see for animal lovers, but also those interested in cultural history will be amazed by the cultural-historical value of Schouwen-Duiveland, which is definitely worth a visit with various mills and a beautiful estate. The route starts at the supermarket in Renesse (address: 4325LD, Scharendijkseweg Schouwen-Duiveland). At the supermarket, where you can also park your car for free, you can buy a delicious sandwich, a savory snack or a refreshing bottle of drink, so that you can keep your energy up during your bike ride. Then you leave in a southerly direction to Slot Haamstede. The beautiful Haamstede Castle is an old castle dating from the thirteenth century. In 1525 the castle was almost completely destroyed by fire, which meant that the castle had to be rebuilt. The current fortress was therefore mainly built in the sixteenth century. The castle was last restored in 1973 and in 1981 it came into the hands of the Association of Natural Monuments. What is special is that the only deciduous forest in Schouwen-Duivenland can be found on the estate of Slot Haamstede. Burgh-Haamstede is also home to De Graanhalm, a corn mill that dates back to 1847. The round, stone mill has a high landscape value because of all the greenery in the nearby area and because it is beautifully painted white. Nowadays there is a pancake house near the mill and the flour that is ground by the mill is processed into pancakes. The flour is also sold in the shop at the mill. In 2003, a saw frame was added to the mill, giving it a combined function as a grist and saw mill. For a fee you can view an exhibition about the mill in the Graanhalm. You leave the mill behind and cycle to't Huys Grol. Grol, which means green, is one of the many typical country estates that were frequently built along the inner dune edge of North and South Holland and Zeeland. Usually these second homes were only occupied in the winter by merchants, who usually earned their money by trading colonial goods. The history of Huys Grol dates back to 1599. Huys Grol is one of the few country estates in this area that is still privately inhabited. The small estate is also operated as a guest house and is a national monument. The last historic building you see is Moermond Castle, which is located on the 45-hectare estate of the same name, which is a protected nature reserve. The castle originally dates from the thirteenth century. In 1953 the castle was seriously damaged by weather and the flood disaster. In 2011 and 2012, the damaged walls of, among other things, the moat were repaired. Nowadays, the castle and the estate are made available for private occasions such as parties, business meetings and weddings, but the grounds with a wide driveway and a beautiful canal can also be visited by the public. This way you return to Renesse and you will soon see the supermarket again. Don't forget to buy the ingredients for dinner here. This way you can prepare a delicious dinner at home in the comfort of your own kitchen, which will taste great after today's bike ride.