Winterswijk-Woold, Winterswijk and Winterswijk-Woold

Cycle along the German border. The countryside around Winterswijk is a beautiful part of the Netherlands that consists of a historical landscape with beautiful forests, heathland, hedgerows, streams, heathland and raised bog. The Winterswijk National Landscape is about 22,000 hectares in size and consists mainly of beautiful semi-open areas with alternating small plots and large ash trees. Here and there you see some groves, lanes or hedgerows and every now and then you even come across some raised bog. The large open quarry in particular is special and has a foreign feel. Relatively close to the surface, geological deposits from the Tertiary period have been found here. The geological layers are clearly visible and therefore a quick glimpse into a past rich in fossils and minerals that are hundreds of millions of years old can be cast. Bekendelle (or Bekkendelle) is an old swamp forest with deciduous trees, near the hamlet of Wold where the Boven-Slinge meanders. It is part of a larger forest area bordering meandering streams. This is a popular habitat for the kingfisher, the grey wagtail and a breeding ground for the rare middle spotted woodpecker. Bekendelle is part of Natura 2000, a network of protected nature reserves in Europe.