Zeddam, 's-Heerenberg and Emmerich am Rhein

This beautiful route goes through the rolling green Montferland and the Bergherbos where you can fill your lungs with fresh air. The hilly forest can be seen from a distance on the horizon because it is located on a lateral moraine between Doetinchem, Didam and's-Heerenberg. Small church villages, fields and meadows surround the landscaped forest. It is a varied area, because the slopes of the moraines were originally covered by forests and heath. Bergherbos is home to more than 70 different bird species, including efficient hunters such as buzzards and goshawks. Deer and badgers also like to scurry around between the trees and special plants. The observant connoisseur will recognize the swamp and wood violet, the wood anemone, bracken fern and marsh marigold in this area. 's-Heerenberg is very nice to explore by bike. The town has 30 national monuments and 49 municipal monuments and Molen's-Heerenberg (hull / remnant) is one of them. The mill was built in 1829 and is absolutely no longer able to grind. You can see the reason at a glance: only the hull is left. A completely different story is Huis Bergh, one of the largest castles in the Netherlands, which quickly attracts your attention. The medieval castle, built in the thirteenth century, is surrounded by a moat and is semi-enclosed by a rampart. The original design of the defensive castle has been affected by extensions, embellishments, fires and wars. What remains is an impressive view of a beautiful castle. A little further on is Boetselaersborg Castle, which was built in 1550 by the brothers Daem and Hector van den Bergh. That is why it is also called"Drost Daemhuis\\\". In 1620 Willem Jacob van Boetselaer became the new owner of the house and the house was named after him. The moat that used to surround the castle belongs to the possessions of the house and can therefore not be visited. Back in Zeddam you will pass the Grafelijke Torenmolen, which does not have the appearance of the average Dutch windmills. The old tower mill was built before 1441 and it is probably the oldest windmill in the Netherlands. The structure looks a bit plump, with its thick walls and robust appearance. In the mill, which a volunteer miller uses to grind grain, there are still very old floorboards that make the mill very special. The Torenmolen van Zeddam is in the Top 100 of the Dutch monument list and is therefore more than worth a visit!