Start:
- Campsite turn left; stay 40 meters on the Jufferdijk
- turn left onto the Lochemseweg (N339) and follow this road to Laren (constructed cycle path next to the provincial road)
Municipality of Lochem... 11 villages and 1 city. Hidden in the bocage landscape that is so characteristic of the Achterhoek, the municipality of Lochem is home to many types of nature reserves and beautiful surroundings. This route takes you to Laren and Lochem.
In Laren you can admire the village church , a neoclassical water management church from 1835. Partly hidden in the green are a number of beautiful country houses and castles. On the route you also pass Huis Verwolde . The current House Verwolde was built in 1776 in neoclassical style. In 1926 it was radically modernized. A tower was added on the north side. The house got a new roof and the interior was just renewed. The last occupants of the house were Baron Allard van der Borch van Verwolde, with his family. In 1976 the house was transferred to the Geldersch Landscape and Castles Foundation. On the estate of Huis Verwolde is the Thick Tree of Verwolde... the thickest oak in the Netherlands. It is therefore a real heavy boy with a height and crown width of 25 meters and a trunk size of approximately 770 cm. The age of this giant pedunculate oak is estimated between 450 and 500 years. Yellow/black signs lead to the \\\"Pearl of Verwolde\\\" on a paved path. Along the way you will find other special trees, including the remains of"Oom Frits\\\", an oak that was planted in 1791 on the occasion of the birth of Frederik van der Borch van Verwolde.
Lochem has a lot of nature and is rich in history. There are still medieval streets. On the market in the center of Lochem, the bumpy cobblestones recall the time when citizens still dragged in field cobbles to reinforce the city walls. The Grote or Sint-Gudulakerk , a medieval city church, is also located here. The church was designated as a national monument in 1966.
The Ampsense Veld lies like a green heart in an open agricultural environment. The landscape is very varied with coniferous and deciduous forests, moist heaths and organic farmland. Some areas are designated as rest areas. Deer, mouflons and wild sheep with curved horns live here. The history of Huis Ampsen goes back to 1105. The first castle and both houses on the estate were destroyed in 1605 by the Spaniards. The current house was renovated in the first half of the 17th century.