Beerze – Nature Reserve and Village History

In Beerze, nature and history go hand in hand: the nature reserve covers around 400 hectares, while the brink village, farmhouses and Landgoed Beerze each offer their own historical points of interest. Guided walks explore natural features alongside the area's cultural history.

Nature Reserve, Heathland and Ridge Dunes

The Beerze nature reserve covers around 400 hectares. Its landscape includes areas of wind-blown sand, an elongated ridge dune, juniper thickets, a complex of peat cuttings, dry and wet heathland, and old pine forests. These different landscapes sit side by side in the same area: heath and forest, sandy areas and former peat cuttings each lend the natural setting their own character. The area is designated as a protected Natura 2000 site.

The ridge dunes formed at the boundary between the Stuifsand area and the old cultivated land in Beerze. Their steep, sharply defined face gives these dunes their distinctive shape. Anyone interested in how the landscape was formed will find a clear connection here between the sandy terrain and the land that was cultivated in the past.

The area's former peat extraction can also be read in the landscape. To the left of the road from Beerzerpoort towards Beerzerveld are old peat cuttings, where peat was once extracted. Today, they are overgrown with rhododendrons. The site thus connects the area's former use with its present-day landscape, without conflating the two periods.

Guided Walks and Routes

Landschap Overijssel offers guided walks in the Beerze nature reserve. Natural features and the area's cultural history are explained along the way. These walks therefore focus not only on landscape features, but also on the history of the surrounding area. The programme dates may vary; check the latest dates if you are planning a guided tour.

Another way to place Beerze within a longer route is “Rondje Hardenberg - Beerze”. The 2026 route document describes the 43-kilometre route as fully signposted. It runs along and across the Vecht, through Beerze and the Oldemeijer. Before planning, check the latest route download so you can plan using the current route details.

Brink Village and Historic Farmhouses

Beerze is a brink village and was first mentioned in 1227. This date marks the first recorded mention of the village. Beerze is also designated as a protected village conservation area. The village's history and its protected townscape are therefore distinct aspects of a visit, alongside its individual historic buildings.

Nine farmhouses classified as Rijksmonumenten stand in a row along Beerzerweg. Many of the buildings date from before 1800. Two different dates therefore provide a perspective on the area's architectural history: Beerze's first mention in 1227 and the older farmhouses, many of which were built before 1800. The number of nine and their arrangement along Beerzerweg give this rural architectural history a tangible connection to the village.

Landgoed Beerze and Historic Traces

Landgoed Beerze comprises a country house, a vista avenue and an estate forest. The country house was built in 1924 by the Beerze carpenter “Gait van Tiks” on behalf of Baron Bentinck. This places the building in a specific period and identifies both its builder and its commissioner. Together with the vista avenue and the estate forest, the country house forms part of the estate's historical character.

Another trace of local history is a fragment of the former private stop at Huize Beerze. The fragment has been restored and can be read from the train. It refers to a former private stop, not to a present-day station. Alongside the estate and farmhouses, this small railway relic offers another glimpse into Beerze's history.

Discover more destinations: Dalmsholte, Giethmen, Ommen, Vilsteren, Arrien, Lemele, Beerzerveld, Stegeren.

Back to the main travel overview: Ommen.