Den Ham: Local History and Nature

Den Ham is located in the valuable Vecht en Regge cultural landscape. You can choose from several areas of interest when planning your trip: local history at the Brink and De kerk van Den Ham, the Streekmuseum in the Middendorpshuis, as well as nature and walking trails. You can tailor your stay to focus on historical details, exhibitions or outdoor activities.

Landscape and Nature

De Zandstuve is a hilly area with heathland, various tree species, and a rich diversity of animal and plant life. Visitors are welcome to go walking there, and several trails run through the area. The landscape thus combines varied vegetation with designated walking routes.

To the north, Den Ham borders the centuries-old Eerder Achterbroek nature area. Forests, heathland, bodies of water and drifting sand shape the landscape there. By comparison, De Zandstuve is characterized above all by hilly terrain and a diverse range of animal and plant life, while at Eerder Achterbroek the focus is on the varied sequence of landscape features. Both offer different points of interest if you choose to make nature and landscape the focus of your stay.

Cultural History in Den Ham

The Middendorpshuis Den Ham houses the Streekmuseum and the Expositiehuis. Through a variety of themes, the museum presents the history of Den Ham, Vroomshoop and Geerdijk. The Expositiehuis regularly hosts art exhibitions. The same building is therefore a place to explore both regional history and changing art exhibitions.

The Middendorpshuis is open Wednesday through Saturday from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Check the opening hours before you arrive. This allows you to plan your visit around the stated times and distinguish the museum and exhibitions from other attractions in Den Ham.

For centuries, the Brink has been Den Ham’s central square, and it remains a place where young and old come together for various celebrations. The square thus combines its longstanding role in the town with its present-day use as a community gathering place.

De kerk van Den Ham is also a notable part of the town’s history: the church and tower are listed as Rijksmonumenten, meaning nationally protected monuments in the Netherlands. Only the tower of the old church building remains. It has Gothic pointed-arch windows; the term describes the upward-pointing shape of the window arches. The two older bells in the tower were made in 1414 and 1520. The surviving architecture and the bells’ dates offer different insights into the building’s history.

Walking and Comparing Routes

You can go walking in De Zandstuve, where several trails run through the nature area. Another option is the Hammerbezinningswandeling, starting from De Brink. This walking route is more than 4.5 kilometres long.

A longer route distance is given for the Twenterandpad: its 15-kilometre final section runs from the canal town of Vroomshoop towards Den Ham, crossing the Mageler Es and ending at the Eerder Achterbroek nature area. When comparing the distances, note that the figure of more than 4.5 kilometres refers to the Hammerbezinningswandeling, while the 15 kilometres refers to the final section of the Twenterandpad.

The Mageler Es is defined by a ring of farms surrounding the open fields. A Jewish cemetery lies in the middle of the fields, and the described final section of the Twenterandpad crosses the Mageler Es. The route description thus takes you through both open cultural landscape and a specific place of historical significance.

Discover more destinations: Westerhaar-Vriezenve Wijk

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