Spotting flamingos in Zwillbrock

Sometimes a national border cuts a village in half. Such as the hamlet of Zwilbroek, of which the part located in Germany is called Zwillbrock. It is a real hotspot for cycling and walking enthusiasts.

Zwillbrocker Venn
You walk a bit exactly over the German-Dutch border. The bocage landscape stretches out on both sides. It is wonderfully quiet here, almost deserted. How different looks the Zwillbrocker Venn, one of the oldest nature reserves in Germany. This rugged swamp area is a remnant of a large raised moor area that once stretched far into the Achterhoek. Striking: this is the most northerly breeding area for flamingos in Europe, you can spot them between March and June.

The Saint Francis Church
At Hotel Restaurant Kloppendiek you can enjoy Westphalian hospitality and a good night's sleep. Opposite the hotel is the St. Francis Church from 1720. It is the best preserved baroque church in Münsterland. The church had a number of predecessors, such as a chapel built of turf. Zwillbrock was one of the German mission posts just across the border at a time when Dutch Catholics were not allowed to hold masses in their own country. Kloppendiek was the name of the road where unmarried Roman Catholic women (called Klopjes) from Groenlo walked to the church of Zwillbrock at that time.

Do you want to enjoy the landscape in the Achterhoek even longer? Then also walk route 335718 and 334643. Or cycle the routes 335720, 334642, 162605 and 162606.