From Bunnik to Bilthoven, walking network walk

For this walk we have added Museum Oud Amelisweerd as a starting point to the existing Wandelnet route'Uithof - Beerschoten\\\'. Your start is then at Museum Oud Amelisweerd in Bunnik.

Below are some places of interest along the route:

MOA I Museum Old Amelisweerd (Bunnik)
Museum Oud Amelisweerd is a house of art in nature near Utrecht. The museum shows three collections in conjunction: the broadest and largest collection of works by Armando, the top 100 National Monument Oud Amelisweerd and unique Chinese and other historical wallpapers. The walls of two parlors of the mansion are completely covered with 250 years old unique Chinese paper wallpaper. The house has known a number of important residents, including King Louis Napoleon. Work by the internationally renowned artist Armando can be seen in changing exhibitions, often in combination with other leading national and international artists. Discover this unique place and enjoy art, history and beautiful nature. www.moa.nl

University grounds De Uithof
With more than 26,000 students and 8,000 employees, Utrecht University is one of the largest universities in the Netherlands. This is in stark contrast to its founding in 1636, when seven professors taught a few dozen (male) students. Today, the university has grown into a leading research and teaching institution.

Space boxes at the Uithof
With the installation of 234 Spaceboxes at De Uithof in 2004, the number of much-needed student residences could be expanded considerably. A spacebox is an independent living space with its own bathroom and kitchenette. The stackable, colorful plastic houses can be easily moved, making them ideal for temporary accommodation. This complex, La Capanna, will remain until 2009. After that, the land will be used for other purposes, while the space boxes can be placed elsewhere.

Groundwater meter
You can see from the groundwater meter that the water level is relatively low here. Since 1962, the nearby Pompstation Beerschoten has been extracting groundwater from this area. For this reason, the mortality of the number of beech trees increased considerably in the 1970s. Manager Het Utrechts Landschap is investigating together with Water Supply Company Hydron how desiccation can be prevented. For example, in the year 2000 the bottom of the streams was covered with an impenetrable layer of clay, so that the water no longer sinks.

Hortus Botanicus
In 1963, a botanical garden was created on the De Uithof University complex, originally to support education and research. The garden is located around Fort Hoofddijk, which is part of the New Dutch Waterline. A rock garden was laid out on the fort's depots, followed later by a system garden, a greenhouse complex, theme garden and garden shop. Today, the garden has been laid out in a more public-friendly way; from March to December, the Hortus Botanicus is open to visitors (Budapestlaan 17).

KNMI
Everyone knows the KNMI from the weather reports. But it is less known that the KNMI is also the national institute for weather, climate and seismology. Since its establishment in 1854, the KNMI has been headed by Prof. Buys Ballot in the Sonnenburgh observatory in Utrecht. In 1897 the institute moved to De Bilt, where the KNMI still provides weather forecasts and warnings for aviation, shipping and the general public from the central weather room to this day.

Beerschoten estate
Landgoed Beerschoten was furnished in 1835 by the Steengracht van Oostcapelle family in the English landscape style after a design by landscape architect Zocher jr. Huize Beerschoten was expanded with side wings and four staff houses. In 1965 Huize Beerschoten was sold to Grontmij. Typical of the estate are the stately avenues along which many old (oak) coppice groves are located.

Pavilion Beerschoten
Until 1860, Beerschoten was a farm belonging to the Women's Monastery in De Bilt; after that it was inhabited by different families. In 1965 it was sold to Het Utrechts Landschap, which converted the former coach house into an information centre. In the center there is an exhibition about the nature reserves Beerschoten, Houdringe and De Pan and about The Utrecht Landscape. You can drink coffee, tea or chocolate milk. Check out https://www.utrechtslandschap.nl/infocentra/paviljoen-beerschoten for opening hours.

Panbos
This relatively young forest (19th century) owes its name to the nearby farm'De Pan\\\', which was demolished in 1966. The name'De Pan\\\' is attributed to a bowl-shaped hollowing of the bottom, a pan, in which the water remained because of an impermeable layer in the subsoil. The pan was formerly used to let sheep drink. In the forest there are many Scots pines, those in the north