’S-Graveland: Country Estates, Gardens and Walking Trails

The ten stately ’s-Graveland country estates probably served as summer residences for wealthy 17th-century merchants. Their history began in 1625, when a group of wealthy Amsterdam merchants decided to reclaim the area. The ’s-Gravelandse Vaart was dug between 1637 and 1641; Landhuis Boekesteyn was built around 1720 for Nicolaes Sautyn. These dates relate to different events: reclamation was decided on in 1625, the Vaart was dug between 1637 and 1641, and Landhuis Boekesteyn was built for Nicolaes Sautyn around 1720.

Country Estates, Houses and Landscapes

The stately manor house at Schaep en Burgh has an orangery and a carriage house; behind the house are a pond and an island. Impressive beech and oak avenues run across the estate. At Hilverbeek, open pastures meet dense woodland. A walking route there passes the Stofbergen farm, dating from 1636. Of the estates described, Schaep en Burgh stands out for its manor house and avenues, while at Hilverbeek the pastures, woodland and path past the farm catch the eye.

Gardens and Plant Diversity

The gardens and plant life have their own highlights, too. The “Hoogtepunten van Siertuin Gooilust” walk passes through a walled garden dating from 1823, with more than 900 species of exotic trees, shrubs and plants. Gooilust is also a nature area with exotic trees and plants. The Spanderswoud estate features a mix of different garden styles; in autumn, its woodland is particularly rich in mushrooms. This means you can combine the garden diversity at Gooilust with seasonal nature watching at Spanderswoud: the abundance of mushrooms is specifically associated with autumn.

Walks by Distance and Focus

TOP ’s-Gravelandse Buitenplaatsen offers numerous marked walking trails. In Spanderswoud, you can walk two routes marked in yellow: the Wandelroute ’s-Gravelandse Buitenplaatsen is 5, 10 or 17 kilometres long, while the Wandelroute Hilverbeek en Spanderswoud is 3 kilometres long. The distances therefore range from 3 to 17 kilometres; for the first route, you can choose from three distances. These details can help you factor your planned walking distance into your choice without confusing the two route names or their respective distance options.

The short “Het rondje van Six” at Jagtlust passes the manor house, the “twelve apostles”, a dolmen, a grotto and a walled kitchen garden. Unlike the Spanderswoud routes, which are described by distance, this walk is notable for its specific points of interest. You can therefore choose walks based either on their distance or on the sights along the route.

Visits and Activities

Walking is permitted in the park woodland around Buitenplaats Boekesteyn from sunrise to sunset. The Bezoekerscentrum Gooi en Vechtstreek organises excursions, workshops and activities for children at Boekesteyn and the other ’s-Graveland country estates. If you are travelling with children, these activities can be a separate consideration when planning your trip. The area’s different attractions range from historic estates and gardens to marked walking trails, seasonal abundance of mushrooms and activities for children.

Discover more destinations: Nederhorst Den Berg, Oud-Loosdrecht, Breukeleveen, Kortenhoef, Loosdrecht, Ankeveen, Nieuw-Loosdrecht.

For the overview of the wider area: Wijdemeren.