Wijhe, Raalte and Broekland

Cycle from Wijhe to Broekland and discover how rural Overijssel is. The region is characterized by its small scale, because while you cycle along the swampy Overijssel meadows, you will encounter few or no people. The traffic you see on your route is mainly regional traffic. You find your way through a semi-open bocage landscape, which was laid out on sandy soils. The meadows and fields surround beautiful estates and forests. So you can wander through a typical Dutch landscape. One of the larger places you will encounter during your tour is Raalte. Although the place is versatile and self-sufficient in every respect, the village culture has always lingered. You can park your car for free at TOP Eikelhof. A stone's throw from the parking lot you will find the manor and Boxbergen estate. The estate is approximately 370 hectares in size and the landscape has remained relatively intact. Forestry, livestock farming and recreation all still take place in the relief-rich cover sand area. The history of the house goes back at least to 1344, because that is the year in which it is first mentioned in the archives. The house was rebuilt between 1650 and 1653 after it went up in flames. The house then had seven facades with hundreds of windows, making it one of the largest houses in the region. Then the tour really starts and you cycle to the Wijhese Mill. This mill is located in Wijhe and this mill is very special because it is the oldest existing octagonal tower mill in Overijssel. The mill, which was built in 1703 and remained in operation until the Second World War, still grinds animal feed on a voluntary basis with one pair of milling stones.