Laren, Lochem and Almen

Around Lochem, near Laren, the National Landscape De Graafschap extends. It is a beautiful small-scale landscape that is characterized by the fairytale vistas in a semi-open area. The interplay of wooded banks, hedges, farms, fields and streams gives the area something exciting. The coulisse landscape also has many estates and castles that are typical for the area and the forests near the Ampsense Veld are full of beautiful coniferous and deciduous trees, bordering an extensive heathland. In this beautiful, quiet nature reserve live deer, mouflons and wild sheep, among other things. Arm yourself against mosquitoes, especially if the weather has been nice for a few days, there are many to be found through the damp heathland. Park your car at Camping De Vlinderhoeve. The grounds on which this four-star campsite is located used to be part of an estate. De Vlinderhoeve has retained that romantic appearance and it is therefore nice to pitch your tent here for an overnight stay. Route 137084 also starts and ends here, so the next day you can make that trip through the green surroundings. During your bike ride you can enjoy nice sights, such as the country estate Havezate Oolde, built in 1663. The brick house was also called Nijenhuis and originally belonged to the nearby castle Old Oolde. In the eighteenth century the house was extensively modernized and got a completely new entrance. Even now the house has an eighteenth-century appearance. Although you can enter the estate freely, the house and its immediate surroundings are closed to the public. The history of Huis Ampsen goes back to 1105. The first castle and both houses on the estate were destroyed by the Spanish in 1605. The current house was rebuilt in the first half of the seventeenth century. A wing was added on the right side over time, giving the building a U-shape. The castle and the estate are privately owned and not accessible. Before you return to the campsite, you can take a look at a real vineyard. At the Nieuwe Baankreis vineyard, all kinds of grape varieties are grown organically. What is special is that you can also admire an organic laying hen farm here and that the chickens roam freely through the vineyard.