Haaksbergen: Discover Nature and Cultural Heritage

Haaksbergen offers a range of ways to spend your days outdoors or exploring the region’s cultural heritage. Moorlands, walking and cycling routes sit alongside historic mills, a museum about the local railway and other historic buildings. When planning, it helps to organise the sights around your interests: those looking for landscapes and wildlife will find different things to explore than visitors interested in mill technology or railway history.

Moorlands and trails around Haaksbergen

In Buurserzand, you can go for a walk and observe nature, including birds and deer. The landscape combines heathland with patches of woodland, small fields and dunes formed by wind-blown sand. Buursermeertje is also part of this natural area: textile workers dug the lake in the 19th century as a bathing lake. At De Wakel, there is a terrace in Buurserzand where visitors can enjoy apple pie with a view. If you plan to stop here, check the latest information about the terrace in advance.

Haaksbergerveen is a rare raised bog area of more than 600 hectares on the southern side of Haaksbergen, near the German border. A 500-metre-long boardwalk crosses the wet moor. A special, easily accessible path leads to a birdwatching hide; information about the area is available at two viewpoints. The paths are used by walkers, cyclists, horse riders, and people driving carriages and carts. Follow the local access rules in force at the time of your visit.

In Witte Veen, old sandy tracks, oak avenues, heathland, woodland, moor and water alternate. The area is part of a 60-kilometre cross-border mountain bike route along woodland and sandy tracks. The circular walking route through former smuggling territory is a separate option: it passes through heathland, raised bog, grassland and swamp forest; the start and finish are at Haarmühle in nearby Germany. This makes it possible to choose between a cross-border mountain bike trail and a circular walk with designated start and finish points. As route conditions and route information can change, it is worth checking the latest updates before setting out.

The Haaksbergen Heritage Cycle Route offers a different focus. It runs through Buurse-Haaksbergsveen and past old farmhouses in the surrounding hamlets of Brammelo, Boekelo (St. Isidorushoeve), Holthuizen, Eppenzolder, Stepelo, Buurse and Langelo. Haaksbergen also has a network of walking, cycling and mountain biking trails, including challenging mountain bike routes. Horse riding is possible on sandy tracks and through woodland. Routes around Haaksbergen also let you explore the winding streams of the Het Lankheet estate.

Mills, railway and architectural history

Oostendorper Watermolen is a twin watermill on the Buursebeek; its history dates back to 1548. Three undershot water wheels are part of its technical setup: two power the grain mill, and one powers the oil mill. With undershot wheels, the water turns the wheel from below. The De Korenbloem windmill was built in Haaksbergen in 1798. Volunteers keep it running and invite visitors to take a look inside. Before planning a visit, check whether the mill will be open at that time.

Museum Buurtspoorweg displays historic steam and diesel locomotives and tells the story of the local railway between Haaksbergen and Boekelo. At Haaksbergen station, visitors can see demonstrations of signals and points; old locomotives are on display in the workshop and engine shed. Some demonstrations may vary, and the timetable depends on the season. Check the dates if you plan to time your visit around them.

Other stops reveal different aspects of architectural and cultural history. The Sint-Pancratiuskerk in Haaksbergen is a religious historic building dating from the 12th century. De Bommelas illustrates the traditional Twente building style known as “los hoes”: the farmer and livestock lived in one room. Haaksbergen’s cultural heritage also includes the traditional Bloemencorso flower parade.

The sights and activities can help you decide what to focus on during your stay in Haaksbergen; check the details of a hotel separately against the specific offer.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Haaksbergen, Steenwijkerland, Enschede, Zwolle, Zwartewaterland, Oldenzaal, Staphorst, Ommen.

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