Round of Schouwen

Beautiful views over water alternate with the interior of Schouwen-Duiveland. Schouwen-Duiveland is an excellent cycling area. With a bit of luck you will see a bat around dusk, and you will probably come across one or more Shetland ponies. The island not only has nice encounters with animals, but the scenic value of Schouwen-Duiveland is also more than beautiful. There are many windmills on the island. When they stand out majestically on the horizon, you feel proud of this piece of Dutch cultural history. Probably the most famous village you will cycle through is Renesse. The ring village with the James Church in the middle of the ring has been a seaside resort since the beginning of the twentieth century. The first mention is from 1244. In that year the name "Riethnesse" appears, referring to the common reed plants and a corruption of the word headland. Despite the fact that the village has less than 2,000 inhabitants, it has 26 buildings with the designation of a national monument. You will encounter the first sight of the tour in Moriaanshoofd, when you have cycled six kilometers. Molen De Zwaan is a relatively low, black and octagonal ground sailor. The mill was used to grind corn and was built in 1866. It replaces a see-saw mill that had the same function. In 2002, the mill was restored and made ready for milling, but De Zwaan is no longer put into operation. You leave the mill behind and cycle to't Huys Grol. Grol, which means green, is one of the many typical country estates that used to be 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. In Burgh-Haamstede you will come 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. When you get to the lookout tower in Burgh-Haamstede, get off your bike and climb the tower. The dune on which the tower stands is the highest dune top in the area. When you enjoy the phenomenal view of the tower, it is even likely that you are standing at the highest point in Schouwen-Duivenland. The observation tower was built to celebrate the construction of the Water Company's water mains and pumping station.