Domburg, Westkapelle and Zoutelande

You leave in a westerly direction and after only 10 km you arrive in the De Manteling Walcheren nature reserve, which shows you the best that Walcheren has to offer. You will find a dune area interspersed with grassland, thickets, damp dune valleys and'shaved\\\' oak forests by the sea breeze. The name Manteling refers to the shelter these dune forests offer against the sea wind. Due to the varied character of the Manteling van Walcheren, it is an important breeding area for many bird species. The partly wooded coastal strip forms a resting and foraging area for migratory birds. A large part of the area contains fresh groundwater, which means that special plants grow. In the Manteling van Walcheren you will find beautifully landscaped country estates that were built in the Golden Age by wealthy merchants from Middelburg. The tightly landscaped park-like gardens form a nice contrast to the turbulent dunes around it. To also give the bike ride a romantic image, you pass Westhove Castle at Oostkapeel. From the thirteenth to the sixteenth century, the castle belonged to the Middelburg abbey, after which it served as a country house for prominent Zeeland families. The weather vane with a heron dates from that period. During the Eighty Years' War, it came into the hands of the Water Beggars and a large part of the castle was lost to fire. What you can still see are the buildings of the actual outer bailey. But it remains a beautiful and romantic image of a medieval castle anyway. This castle is largely accessible, the Terra Maris museum is now housed in the former orangery and in the garden you will find a replica of a medieval motte-and-bailey castle.