Harderwijk, Ermelo and Hulshorst

Harderwijk is best known for its dolphinarium and wellness resort De Zwaluwhoeve, but the friendly town has more to offer. Harderwijk is relatively small with a surface area of just over 48 square kilometres. More than an eighth of this consists of water. This water played a major role in the lives of the inhabitants, both in the past and today, who used it to earn their living. In the meantime, the focus has shifted from fishing and fishmongering to tourism, industry and services with the reclamation of the IJsselmeer, but the colourful history of the city is still clearly visible. Few city centres have been preserved as well as the historic centre of Harderwijk, which is a protected cityscape. The tour also serves real nature lovers, because you will pass through the Leuvenumse Bos. This varied deciduous and coniferous forest consists of four sub-areas, each with its own flora and fauna. There is a lot of game in the Leuvenumse forests; from wild boar to roe deer and red deer. To keep these populations healthy, wildlife bridges have been constructed and dead wood is left behind. Other populations are also expanding. Soil animals, insects and mushrooms feed on dead wood and attract insectivores such as the woodpecker and the badger. Pine martens and owls are also among the species that survive well in the forest, while endangered species such as the sand lizard, the heath butterfly, the ant lion and the nightjar forage for food in the drifting sand area under the dry heath plants. On the edge of Hierden you can see De Essenburgh castle. Presumably there was a predecessor on the site of the castle, but apart from the writings that mention this, no evidence for this has ever been found. The castle was built by order of Johan Coolwagen, who wanted to acquire a place within the Knighthood of Veluwe with the prestigious status symbol. This failed and he had to sell the castle to his creditors. De Essenburgh then saw many owners come and go, until finally the Norbertines took it into use as a monastery. Today, the castle hosts conferences, seminars, company presentations and other events such as weddings.