Beuningen: Cycling Routes, Waal Floodplains and Cultural Heritage

Beuningen can be explored in different ways: on foot through the surrounding countryside, along cycling routes connected to regional industrial history, or taking in the landscape along the Waal. There are also historic buildings and leisure activities in Ewijk and Winssen. If you are looking for hotels in Beuningen, these differences can help you choose a destination that suits your planned activities.

Walks and paths through the countryside

The Beuningse ommetjes are walking routes of two to five kilometres on paved and semi-paved paths in and around the villages. Beunings Ommetje 1 is 4.4 kilometres long, fully wheelchair accessible and can also be cycled. You can take a Beunings Ommetje with a free guided tour on request: the guide shows you the way and points out features along the route. If you plan to join a guided tour, check its availability locally.

The Doddendaelpad offers a longer walk. The route passes through the countryside around Beuningen, Ewijk and Weurt, as well as through orchards, meadows, woods and the Doddendael estate. The Weurtsche Straatje focuses on the route to the peninsula with the Uitkijktoren Weurt observation tower. The tower has stood in the Beuningse Uiterwaarden near Weurt since December 2017 and is ten metres tall. Its design evokes the chimney of a former brick kiln; it also includes bat boxes.

Cycling routes and the seasonal ferry

For a loop with a set start and end point, there is the Doortraproute Beuningen: it starts in Winssen, returns there and is 23 kilometres long. The 40-kilometre Steengoed route explores the brickmaking heritage of the Land van Maas en Waal and passes through Winssen, Beuningen and Weurt, among other places. Dijkgeheimen Oost leads to historic sites around Overasselt, Wijchen and Beuningen and passes the Dijkmagazijn Beuningen. This makes it possible to compare route lengths and themes without treating the routes as equivalent.

In spring and summer, the H4 de Weerder ferry carries cyclists and pedestrians between Beuningen and Slijk-Ewijk in the municipality of Overbetuwe. If you are planning to use the ferry, check the current timetable before setting off.

Waal floodplains and nature areas

The Ewijkse Plaat is an area returned to nature in the dynamic Waal floodplain landscape. Lush dike and river vegetation characterises the landscape; high water can affect access. The Beuningse uiterwaarden were converted back into a nature area in the early 1990s. They are largely easily accessible and grazed by Konik horses and Rode Geuzen. These two landscape descriptions offer different insights into the nature and use of the floodplains.

Historic sites and local culture

Slot Doddendael is a small medieval castle surrounded by a moat and built in the 1330s. Remains of a secret church used during the ban on Catholic worship have been preserved in its cellar. In Winssen, the Oude toren is a reminder of a medieval village church: it is the surviving tower. During floods on the Waal in the late Middle Ages, a large part of the old village was lost.

The Cultuurkerkje Winssen was built as a hall church in 1805 and extended with a narthex and bell tower in 1873. It is designated a municipal monument and serves as an official wedding venue for the municipality of Beuningen. If you are planning a visit or wedding there, check the relevant arrangements. The Muziekkoepel Winssen is also a municipal monument; it is in the village centre between the church and the old tower.

The former Dijkmagazijn Beuningen was built around 1900. Today, it houses a nature and environmental education centre that organises walks, lectures and workshops; programme details may vary. The post mill Korenmolen De Haag dates from 1704, has been extensively restored and is run by a dedicated mill team. Flour milled there is offered for sale, although sales and availability may vary. At Wijndomein Doddendael in Ewijk, wine tastings cover Dutch, French or Italian wines, grape varieties and winemaking. Dates and availability may vary.

Recreation in Ewijk

Groene Heuvels in Ewijk is an officially designated bathing site where water quality, safety and hygiene are monitored. The recreation area includes extensive beaches, climbing and paintball at Fundustry, and play equipment for children. Water conditions are subject to ongoing monitoring; individual leisure activities may change.

Discover more destinations: Ewijk, Winssen, Lingewaard, Aalten, Voorst, Duiven, Wageningen, Doetinchem.

For the broader travel overview: Gelderland.