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 encounter one or more shetland ponies. A must-see for animal lovers, but those interested in cultural history will also be amazed at the cultural-historical value of Schouwen-Duiveland, which, with its various windmills and a beautiful estate, is definitely worth a visit. 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 Slot Haamstede is an old castle that dates back to the thirteenth century. In 1525 the castle was almost completely destroyed by a fire, so 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 Vereniging Natuurmonumenten. What is special is that the only deciduous forest of Schouwen-Duivenland can be found on the estate of Slot Haamstede. De Graanhalm is also located in Burgh-Haamstede, a flour mill that dates back to 1847. The round, stone tower mill has a high landscape value due to all the greenery in the vicinity and because it is beautifully painted white. Nowadays there is a pancake house at 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 window was installed at the mill, giving it a combined function of corn 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 houses that used to be frequently built along the inner dune edge of North and South Holland and Zeeland. Usually, these second homes were occupied only in winter by merchants, who mostly made their living trading colonial goods. The history't Huys Grol goes back to 1599.\\\'t Huys Grol is one of the few country houses 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 Slot Moermond, 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 influences 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 the evening meal here. This way you can prepare a delicious dinner at home in the comfort of your own kitchen, which will taste excellent after today's bike ride.