Ruurlo, Lochem and Barchem

A picturesque, idyllic landscape emerges between Ruurlo and Lochem: De Graafschap National Landscape. In the 20,000 hectare, heavily agricultural area, you will find ash trees and meadows, beautiful country estates, babbling brooks, romantic unpaved paths and picturesque hamlets and villages. It is a beautiful small-scale landscape that is characterized by fairytale vistas in a semi-open area. The interplay of hedgerows, hedges, farms, fields and rivers gives the area something exciting. The idyllic scenic landscape also has many estates and castles that are typical of the area. The Het Enzerinck estate, located next to Vorden, is a beautiful area. A country house built in 1836 dominates the estate, but the surroundings of the house are also beautiful. Special tulip trees bloom there and the magnolia also thrives there. Among the grasses you will find silverweed, daisies and the sharp buttercup, while among the foliage in the park forest, horsetail, dalwort and small periwinkle grow. Accompanied by the drumming of three species of woodpeckers on the tree trunks and the songs of the blackcap, robin and garden warbler, this cycle tour will undoubtedly please nature lovers. Before you start your bike ride, you can start the day with a delicious cup of coffee or tea, or a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Review the final details of your tour on the sunny terrace and enjoy a delicious lunch before you get on your steel horse and find your way through the De Graafschap National Landscape. After cycling 38 kilometers you will arrive at the De Luifel café. You can still smell the scent of the forest here, but the wonderful smells coming from the kitchen invite you to take a seat at a table. Recharge your energy by enjoying the chef's culinary skills. Choose a small bite or a more hearty meal, while you relax with a cold beer or a tasty glass of wine. During the last part of your cycle tour you will pass one of the most special places in the area: Ruurlo castle and estate. The country estate was mentioned as early as 1326 and has been in the hands of the Dutch noble Van Heeckeren family since the fifteenth century. The building consists of many different architectural styles because the castle has been almost constantly built over the years and centuries. For example, part of a medieval wall still exists in the basement and almost the entire left side of the castle was built in the sixteenth century. The tower at the back was added a century later. One wall in this tower was fitted with new gables in the nineteenth century. For a long time the castle was the location for the television series 'de Zevensprong'. Nowadays the castle is regularly used as a wedding location.