Vollenhove: Harbour, Townscape and Landscape

Vollenhove offers a range of things to explore during a stay: a protected town and village setting, historic buildings and harbour facilities, the annual Bloemencorso flower parade, and trails through the surrounding landscape. These attractions also vary in scale—from a walk around the town to longer hiking routes.

Town History and the Binnenhaven

The Kleine or Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk has a single-nave body that probably dates from 1434. Its tower is dated to 1458. The dates refer to different parts of the building; the date of the nave is explicitly considered probable. Vollenhove is also one of three protected town and village settings in the municipality of Steenwijkerland.

The Binnenhaven also tells the story of the town’s earlier layout: it lies in the former moat of the episcopal castle Oldehuys, which was later converted into a harbour. The surviving Ansjoviskelder is located on the Binnenhaven. It was restored in 1994 and was used to keep fish cool and ferment it.

The Stadsmuseum Vollenhove displays fishing equipment, ship models and items used in fishing and in maintaining nets and boats. The museum is open Mondays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Wednesdays to Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Groups are welcome by arrangement outside these hours. From the Vollenhove, zwembad stop, the walking route to the museum goes via Vismarkt, Heilige Geeststeeg and Schapensteeg; the distance is 350 metres. Check opening hours before your visit.

Bloemencorso and Landscape

The Bloemencorso Vollenhove takes place annually in the week before the last Saturday in August. The highlight of the week is the parade on that Saturday. Since 2013, the Bloemencorso has been included in the Netherlands’ Nationale Inventaris Immaterieel Cultureel Erfgoed; it is also on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. If you are planning your trip around this recurring event, you can use the week and the day of the parade as separate points of reference.

Beyond the town, the Hoge Land van Vollenhove offers a different perspective on the surroundings: the hill is ten metres high and lies in an otherwise completely flat landscape. Features of the landscape include wooded areas, hedgerows, pollarded willows and pastureland.

Routes by Distance and Course

For a shorter walk around Vollenhove, the historic town walk provides specific time and distance information: it is less than two kilometres long and takes more than an hour. The Havezatenspel route is longer, at 2.5 kilometres, and leads to numerous historic sites. Route information may change, so it is worth checking the latest details before setting out.

A longer option is OHP 4: Rondje Vollenhove, a 28-kilometre circular walk through the Land van Vollenhove. It is marked in red and white and can be walked in either direction. Parking is available for the route in Vollenhove and Zwartsluis; both places can be reached by public transport. The information about parking and public transport access applies to both places mentioned. Check the latest route details and markings before setting out.

The Christoffelpad offers another route: the first section ends in Vollenhove. The second section begins there and runs via Genemuiden to Hasselt.

Discover more destinations: Paasloo, Scheerwolde, Blokzijl, Kalenberg, Steenwijkerwold, Ossenzijl, De Bult, Steenwijk

For the main travel overview: Steenwijkerland.