De Bult – Manor House and Parkland

The historic country estate De Bult comprises a modest manor house, built in 1798, and a landscaped park dating from around 1800. It is considered a culturally and historically significant example of a small, well-preserved country estate. To understand the site, it helps to know what the term means: De Bult is not just about the house, but also about the park’s design. The dates mark two distinct points of reference: 1798 is the year the manor house was built, while the landscape park dates from around 1800.

Park and Landscape

A gently undulating lawn, a circular path and adjoining winding paths characterize the park. A small pond lies to the west of the lawn; an old orchard and a garden wall are located at the southern edge. The grounds can therefore be understood as a spatially varied park: the open area and paths form the center, while the pond, orchard and wall are situated on different sides.

Landscape and Historical Traces

De Bult is part of the uplands and the glacial moraine ridges around Steenwijk; these form the natural boundary of the Weerribben-Wieden area. This describes a different scale from the park’s design: here, the focus is on the terrain and the natural boundary of a larger area, while the park is about paths and garden features. These two levels help distinguish the culturally and historically significant grounds from their setting in the landscape.

In the De Bult–Eesveen area, the history of human settlement stretches back to prehistoric times. There are burial mounds at Eese, and a wheel from the Iron Age has also been found. In the Eese area, a castle dating from 1619 still offers a romantic sight. These historical references span different periods: early settlement and an Iron Age find sit alongside the castle from 1619, the manor house from 1798 and the park design from around 1800.

Hiking in the De Bult–Eesveen Area

The De Bult–Eesveen area has the 13.5-kilometer NS wandeling Woldberg hiking route. It runs through the wooded area around Woldberg and Steenwijk, as well as up Woldberg and across the De Eese estate. There is also the 40-kilometer Weldadig Rondje. It is marked with special signs, can be joined at any junction and leads back to the starting point. The routes offer different points of reference for planning: for the NS wandeling, the hiking format and 13.5-kilometer distance are clear guideposts; for the Weldadig Rondje, the 40-kilometer distance, the option to join at junctions and the return to the starting point help with orientation. Check route conditions before setting out, as they may change.

Discover more destinations: Belt-Schutsloot, Wanneperveen, Paasloo, Blokzijl, Sint Jansklooster, Kalenberg, Vollenhove, Steenwijk

For the main travel overview: Steenwijkerland.