Surroundings

Then & Now

Culture and nature come together in Twente

The town of Delden in Hof van Twente is located on the Twickel estate, surrounded by beautiful nature. Twickel Castle is centrally located within this magnificent 4,000-hectare estate, which extends beyond the Twente region. On the Twickel Estate, you can visit about 150 farms, the Noordmolen, the Wendezoele museum farm, and other beautiful attractions. The Twickel Estate is a stunning nature reserve that completely surrounds Delden.

In the surrounding area, you’ll find charming cities such as Enschede and Hengelo, as well as the artistic town of Ootmarsum and the charming town of Oldenzaal. Delden is the perfect starting point for exploring this beautiful region by bike. From the hotel, you can cycle along beautiful bike routes throughout Twente.

Mountain Biking – ATB – MTB

Winding Through Nature

You can go on a mountain bike ride at the Twickel Estate.
A 70-kilometer ride winding through the beautiful surroundings that Twente has to offer. In October 2010, a 70-kilometer MTB trail was opened that passes through Delden, among other places, right by the Aparthotel Delden.

The route features 12 km of specially constructed singletrack and was developed in collaboration with, among others, the Twickel Estate. There are several loops on this MTB route; the loop around Delden is 45 km long, and the loop around Beckum is 30 km. Both loops offer the option to shorten the route by skipping certain sections.

Nature and Landscape

Twickel Castle and Estate

Twickel is known for its scenic beauty. A defining feature is the harmony between natural and cultivated landscapes: the interplay of forests, heathlands, and marshes with fields and meadows. This is further enhanced by numerous streams, hedgerows, clusters of trees, and solitary trees. You’ll encounter nearly all the typical Twente landscapes on the estate. Twickel is famous for its forests. There are deciduous and coniferous forests, both in large, contiguous woodlands and in small, scattered groves.

Forests and avenues

You’ll find beautiful oak forests there. In some places, you’ll encounter a rich variety of flora, including wild cherry and the rare wild medlar. In the spring, some groves are blanketed in white with wood anemones, sometimes accompanied by unusual plants such as yellow deadnettle, periwinkle, golden buttercup, and wood speedwell. Dozens of species of breeding birds are also found here, including the buzzard, tawny owl, and wood snipe.

Twickel Estate

Gardens of Twickel

Across from the fenced-in castle park lies the outer park. Its system of avenues dates back to the 17th century. This park was designed by the landscape architects Zocher and Petzold. Admission is free. It is an attractive area for walking, with paths that cross the Twickelervaart and the Oelerbeek. It is exceptionally rich in birdlife. The old trees, with their abundance of dead wood, attract all kinds of woodpeckers: the Black Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. You can spot the Nuthatch there, and the beautiful Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail are regularly seen near the streams.

Rhododendrons were planted on a large scale in the past for hunting purposes. They dominate the flora and bloom mainly in June. The area is popular for its many species of mushrooms.

Source: Twickel