Berkel route; Experience the Landscape

As the crow flies, the fortified city of Lochem and the Hanseatic city of Zutphen are only 15 km apart. In between there is a varied landscape: the Berkel river, a number of estates such as De Veldhorst, the large forest area Het Grote Veld, small-scale agricultural lands and nature reserves. The landscape has a rich past. It has been heavily influenced by human activities over the centuries. Agriculture and trade in particular have left their mark on the landscape. A number of highlights in this route are: Het Grote Veld The Grote Veld used to be an extensive heathland and forest area with fens. Today there are still fields of heather and shrub heather here and there. This area alternates with meadows and thus forms a scenic landscape that is characteristic of this region. Until about 1920, trees such as Norway spruce, larch, Douglas fir and Scots pine were planted here. A large part of the Grote Veld is currently a Natural Monument. Warkense Molen A beautiful remaining example of the human influences in this region is the Warkense Molen. This mill was built in 1878 by Jannes Nijendijk and is still owned by the family. Mills need wind or water. In the past, only the nobility had the right to wind and water. If a miller wanted to practice his profession, he had to pay for the right to wind or water. Huis't Velde The history of Huis ;t Velde begins in the Middle Ages. In 13626 it is first mentioned as a manor. Part of the main building dates from the 16th century. Renaissance decorations of marl and brick in the central part of the main building are reminiscent of this period. Warnsveld The history of Warnsveld begins with the construction of the church in the 12th century. This church, built in Romanesque and (later) Gothic style, was built on the site of a wooden church. The church village of Warnsveld started to grow significantly in the 19th century. The wealthy from Zutphen in particular are charmed by the peace and space and are moving to the green Warnsveld. Cat shy The Berkel river flows into the IJssel in two places. One of them is at the cat harbor weir. This consists of a sliding weir, an emergency gate and a check valve. Together with the Houtwal weir, the Kathaven weir regulates the water level in the Berkel. This prevents the water in the Berkel from becoming too high and basements in Zutphen from flooding. In earlier times this happened regularly. Berkel ruins What is now a ruin was an important defense work for the city of Zutphen in the 14th century. At that time, the Berkel was a busy waterway. Raw materials such as salt and wood were transported from Germany via the Berkel to Zutphen. The Berkel Gate was built to prevent the enemy from entering Zutphen via the Berkel. Huize De Veldhorst As early as 1313, the court was mentioned at this location'Verlehorst\\\', the name'Velhorst; appears for the first time two centuries later. De Velhorst has often changed owners and been renovated over the centuries. The current facade dates from 1741. Characteristic of the estate are the long beech avenues. The old orchard has been restored by volunteers. You can start this route at the 4 TOP\\\'s (tourist boarding points). Namely: - Top de Zonnebloem - Top Warnsveld - Top Zutphen - Top De Nieuwe construction