Very Heerde

Meadow bird area high water channel (between junction 74 and 92)
The meadow bird area is located in the middle of the high-water channel. This is the area east of the Westdijk between the Werverdijk (junction 74) and the Ziebroekseweg (junction 92). Many meadow birds breed here in the spring, such as godwits, curlews, lapwings, redshanks and oystercatchers. In the middle of the channel you will also see the newly dug Geulwetering. Just like the Grote Wetering, it has a nature-friendly bank, which contributes to the population of meadow birds. 

Near the Breeweg (between junctions 74 and 86) there is an area with a raised groundwater level, which makes it easier for meadow birds to find their food. Here you will also find a swallow wall and a bird watching hut on the west side. From here you can observe not only the meadow birds, but also the various water birds in the landscape zone between the Westdijk and the Grote wetering.

Riverfront Veessen (near junction 51)
In recent years, work has been carried out on the'Rivierfront Veessen\\\' project in the context of the Veessen-Wapenveld Area Development. The aim of the project was to make a qualitative impact on the riverfront, while preserving and strengthening landscape values. The Rivierfront offers space for (water) recreationists in the marina, walkers (the wooden shoe path runs along the Rivierfront), cyclists, nature and peace seekers and the residents of Veessen. With the Cossack cycling-walking ferry you can sail to the other side (Overijssel) Fortmont. You will arrive in the unique nature development area of the Duursche Waarden and can visit the IJssel Den Nul information center.

Ship bridge Cossack regiment Bashkir 1813-1814 (near junction 51)
Two centuries ago, the allied Russian and Prussian troops liberated the Netherlands from the Napoleonic yoke. The colorful Cossack regiment from Bashkortostan - archery steppe horsemen with long lances - which was stationed in Wijhe, managed to reach Amsterdam through the French lines. The ship bridge that they built over the IJssel - near the current Kozak ferry - lasted 2.5 months. The life-size equestrian statue at the port of Veessen and the bivouac tent with the statue of the bold commander, Gen. Alexander von Benckendorff, in Wijhe, recalls this history.

Mölle van Bats/Steam van Jan (between junctions 51 and 58)
The Veessen windmill was built in 1779 and named after the last professional miller Lubbertus (Bats) Langevoord. The Stoom, which was built next to it in 1888, is a completely independent mechanical mill, originally powered by steam power and now with an antique diesel engine. The Steam was necessary for the windless moments and is now named after Bats' brother, Jan. Milling is still carried out with both the mill and the Steam. If the door is open, you can visit the mill and the Steam.

High water channel (between junctions 97 and 28)
The high water channel between Veessen and Wapenveld is very special. These'Veluwe Delta Works\\\' were completed in 2017 as part of the national Room for the River program, which protects the Netherlands against flooding. At extremely high water, the valves under the Toll Bridge (Kerkdijk) are opened. The river water then flows into the area between the two dikes up to the outlet at Wapenveld. This will lower the water level in the IJssel to a maximum of 71 centimeters and prevent flooding in the entire area up to Deventer. This is expected to happen once in a lifetime.

Apeldoorn Canal
King Willem I (1772-1843) had this waterway dug from Apeldoorn to the IJssel near Hattem. The canal was put into use in 1829 and closed to commercial shipping in 1972. There are plans to make the waterway navigable again for recreational boating.

De Bonenburg estate (between junction 04 and 94)
The seventeenth-century official of Heerde founded this house, which he gave his own name; Bonenburg. In 1953, Geldersch Landschap bought the surrounding estate. The house still bears the year 1633 in wall anchors at the rear. It originally had a stepped gable and a Gelderland top with pinnacles. A major renovation around 1850 gave the house a predominantly nineteenth-century character. Next to the house there is also a nice nineteenth century tea dome.

Johanneskerk (near junction 94)
Dorpsstraat 31
This church in the heart of Heerde was originally dedicated to John the Evangelist. A church building is said to have stood here as early as 1176. The church and tower were built in the 15th century. The church has been renovated several times, with the tower and part of the choir being preserved. During the months of July and August the church is open to visitors on Tuesday and Saturday afternoons from 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM. 

Villa Jacoba (near junction 94)
Dorpsstraat 55
Villa Jacoba was built in 1883 as a home and office. It is a block-shaped building, as was common at the time of its construction, and fits in with the other buildings around the Brink (Welgelegen from 1867 and on the other side the former parsonage of the Dutch Reformed Church). The name was given to the building in the twenties by the widow of Jacob Cornelissen.

Sheepfold (at junction 27)
A herd of sheep has been walking across the Renderklippen for fifty years. On the heathlands between Heerde and Epe you can see the shepherd and his flock approaching from a great distance. In addition to a tourist function, the herd has the important task of maintaining the heathland. The Epe/Heerde sheep herd is important for the conservation of the Veluwe heath sheep.

De Dellen nature reserve (near junction 88)
The De Dellen estate became the first property of the Geldersch Landschap in 1929. It is located on the flank of the Woldberg, a moraine from the penultimate ice age. Forest and heathland are crossed by picturesque avenues. The name De Dellen is derived from the word'del\\\', a name for the lowest part of the terrain. Many bird species breed on De Dellen, and the area is home to its own population of red deer.

Heerderstrand (near junction 88)
The Heerderstrand is a beautifully situated recreational lake with an area of 20 hectares. The Heerderstrand was created when an enormous amount of sand was required for the construction of the A50 motorway in the 1970s. The sand was dug from the nearby moraine. The Heerderstrand is a modern version of the centuries-old loam cull further away, where loam used to be extracted for house and road construction.

IJssel and Hoogwatergeul (junction 33)
The high-water channel has been constructed between Wapenveld (at junction 33) and Veessen (at junction 97). This protects the area against flooding from the IJssel. The high-water channel consists of two parallel dikes of about 9 kilometers long, with an inlet and an outlet. When the water level of the IJssel is extremely high, the inlet can be opened and the high-water channel forms a side branch of the river. 

Kloosterbos/Klooster Hulsbergen (between junctions 33 and 71)
This forest is named after the monastery or brother house that the followers of Geert Grote built in this area in 1407. The monastery has had a major influence on the area and far beyond. In the area, for example, the IJsseldijk, construction of waterways and land reclamation. Far beyond through the spread of the teachings of Modern Devotion. The monastery was destroyed during the iconoclasm in the second half of the 16th century. The various gullies on either side of the dike were created by dike breaches in the past. The Kloosterbos is unique because it is located in the floodplain and is partially flooded at high IJssel water levels.

Route offered by: We are Heerde