Epe – Culture, Trails and Nature

Epe brings together cultural history, trails and nature watching as different themes for your stay. The Grote Kerk Epe and the Veluws Museum Hagedoorns Plaatse offer two historical perspectives; there is also a marked walking route around the centre, a cycling route to cultural sites, and children’s discovery trails in the ’t Eperholt nature reserve. This makes it easy to think of Epe in terms of whether you want to focus mainly on historic buildings, a route on foot or by bike, or watching nature.

Cultural history in the church and museum

Traces of many generations spanning more than 900 years can be seen at the Grote Kerk Epe; the farmhouse at the Veluws Museum Hagedoorns Plaatse is more than 300 years old. It is a thatched Saxon hall farmhouse, furnished as it would have been in earlier times. Several features come together in the farmhouse: its age, the thatched roof, the architectural style and the historic interior. The two highlights therefore offer different perspectives: the church draws attention to a long succession of generations, while the farmhouse presents a specific historic home with its original-style furnishings.

The Hagedoorns treasure hunt leads through the museum, around the farm, and through the garden and orchard. As a discovery trail, it links these different areas in one exploration. This offers a different experience from looking at the farmhouse alone: here, the outdoor areas are also part of the route.

Walking, cycling and experiencing nature

For a walk around the centre of Epe, Epe in Beeld is a marked route of approximately 4.5 kilometres. The Municipality of Epe’s Art and Culture Route offers a different focus: it takes cyclists past several museums, galleries and Cannenburgh Castle. This gives you a choice of two different types of route—a walking route with an approximate distance provided, and a cycling route that passes cultural sites.

In the ’t Eperholt nature reserve, the children’s discovery trails consist of three routes, each approximately 3 kilometres long and with its own theme. The distances offer another basis for comparison: a walk of approximately 4.5 kilometres around the centre versus three differently themed trails of approximately 3 kilometres each. As trail details can change, check them before planning your visit.

Another highlight in ’t Eperholt is the wildlife viewing area. There is often a spectacle there, with wild boars playing. This adds nature watching to the themed trails; as with wildlife sightings generally, it is not possible to predict when animals will appear.

Visiting hours and a break at the museum

For May to August, visiting hours at the Grote Kerk Epe are listed as Tuesday to Friday, 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm; in July and August, Wednesday hours of 10:00 am to 4:00 pm are also listed. Before visiting, check whether these seasonal hours are still in effect.

At the museum terrace of the Veluws Museum Hagedoorns Plaatse, you can enjoy coffee and tea with locally made apple pie, krentenwegge (currant bread) or toasties. As the food options may change, it is best to check in advance if you are planning to choose one of these in particular.

Discover more destinations: Vaassen, Wissel, Oene

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