Tour of Lichtenvoorde

Explore the picturesque, 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 bocage landscape also has many estates and castles that are typical of the area. Around Lichtenvoorde you will be amazed in an unparalleled beautiful area of our country. The village of Lichtenvoorde is the beating heart of this route. Many events are organized in the village every year. The Zwarte Cross, which is the largest paid music festival in the Netherlands and the largest motocross in the world with 100,000 visitors at the end of July, and the flower parade that is organized on the second Sunday in September are especially popular. Special mention also deserves the award of the title of"The Greenest Municipality of the Netherlands\\\" and the second place in the international variant of that competition. The cycling tour starts at Herberg De Radstake, located in an exciting domain where highwaymen used to hold sway. This cozy inn is the ideal base for cyclists, but also offers covered wagon rides. Start your route with a nice cup of coffee. This way you give yourself an excellent start to this more than 57 kilometers long bike ride. In the outskirts of the church village of Beltrum you will find the agricultural company of the Stegers family. Besides a pig farm, they also run a beautiful vineyard with verve. Six different varieties are grown on two hectares. If you want to visit the vineyard, you can book a tour and tasting. Then you will find Open Air Museum Erve Kots. Here you can see how farm life in the Achterhoek used to be. A beautiful backdrop of old farms, a historic rose oil mill and an old-fashioned"brewery cover\\\" where beer is brewed make a visit to the museum an authentic experience. You arrive at the Hermien windmill via the chapel or cross at Polender. The octagonal wooden belt mill is located on the site that used to belong to the castle of Harreveld. Because it stands on an artificially constructed hill, you can see the beautiful mill from afar. The mill was built in 1819 and in 1936 an electric pumping station was placed in the flour mill. The mill came to a standstill during the Second World War, but the mill has always been well maintained. In 2014, a stone couple is still demonstrating how to grind cattle feed.